From: nicodemus@foobar.hellsuncles.co.uk   
      
   riburr wrote:   
   > Macabre of Auchterloonie wrote:   
   >> riburr wrote:   
   >>> Macabre of Auchterloonie wrote:   
   >>>>   
   >>>> Does that wild vine have usable grapes? If so, in season, might you be   
   >>>> able to (Shhhhh! A nonny-mousely) slip me some seeds?   
   >>>>   
   >>>   
   >>> Since these wild grape vines from the Colonies were what introduced   
   >>> phylloxera (an insect that feeds on the roots) into the vineyards in   
   >>> Europe, resulting in wide-spread devastation, I suspect rules for   
   >>> import are rather strict. But, who's to know?   
   >>   
   >> True, but the insect is unlikely to infest seeds - only the roots, I'd   
   >> guess.   
   >>   
   >> Most grape viness now are sold on wild grape stocks.   
   >>   
   > Grape rootstock is descended from wild grapes, true.  But as much   
   > viticultural science has gone into the development of various rootstock   
   > as has gone into development of fruit-bearing grafted vines.  Also,   
   > grafted vines from nurseries are usually certified to be disease and   
   > pest free.   
   >   
   > There are also bacteria and viruses that may be harbored within the   
   > seeds.  I did find tomato ringspot nepovirus can be spread by seed, and   
   > this virus was suspected to have infected parts of the vineyard where I   
   > use to work.  I would be concerned about transmission of tomato ringspot   
   > and tobacco ringspot viruses by seed.   
   >   
   > I apprenticed under a German winemaker who studied at Geisenheim,   
   > Germany.  Soon after moving to the U.S. he tried experiments with   
   > grafting onto wild grape vine roots he found here in Virginia.  He   
   > admitted to me his experiments were particularly unsuccessful.  Now, he   
   > has a grape nursery business in California, and I believe he is a   
   > distributor for some of the cultivars developed at Geisenheim.   
      
   Ah well, it was a thought - a sort-of vine-draped castle in Spain   
      
   --   
   Old Nick   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)