(Labrusca, Vinifera.)
=1.= _Gar. Mon._, =26=:336. 1884. =2.= _Ib._, =28=:333. 1886. =3.=
_Ohio Hort. Soc. Rpt._, =1887-8=:85. =4.= _Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt._,
=1889=:328. =5.= _N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt._, =9=:332. 1890. =6.= _Kan.
Sta. Bul._, =28=:161. 1891. =7.= _Rural N. Y._, =50=:691, 787.
1891. =8.= _Kan. Sta. Bul._, =44=:118, 127. 1893. =9.= _Rural N.
Y._, =53=:616, 645, _fig._, 646. 1894. =10.= _Gar. and For._,
=8=:96, 377, 487. 1895. =11.= _N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt._, =15=:432, 433.
1896. =12.= _Tenn. Sta. Bul._, Vol. =9=:175, 176. 1896. _fig._
=13.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Cat._, =1897=:19. =14.= _N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt._,
=17=:529, 538, 540, 543, 544, 547, 549, 554. 1898. =15.= _Va. Sta.
Bul._, =94=:139. 1898. =16.= _Mo. Sta. Bul._, =46=:38, 44, 45, 50.
1899. =17.= _Can. Hort._, =25=:125, 190. 1902. _fig._
DIAMOND, _Moore_ (13). MOORE'S DIAMOND (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9.)
_Moore's Diamond_ (15, 17).
[Illustration: DIAMOND]
Diamond is surpassed in quality and beauty by few other grapes. When to
its desirable fruit characters are added its earliness, hardiness,
productiveness and vigor it is surpassed by no other green grape.
Niagara is more productive and therefore more profitable in most
localities but in many essential characters it falls short of Diamond
and the difference in productiveness is not marked. We usually accord
Niagara first place among green grapes but Diamond rivals it for the
honor. The former attained high rank not only through merit but by much
advertisement while Diamond has made its way by merit alone. If we
consider the wants of the amateur and of the wine-maker as well as those
of the commercial vineyardist, unquestionably Diamond must be accorded a
high place among the best all-around grapes.
Diamond is a diluted hybrid between _Vitis labrusca_ and _Vitis
vinifera_; the touch of the exotic grape given by the Vinifera parents
has been just sufficient to give it the richness in flavor of the Old
World grape and not overcome the refreshing sprightliness of our native
fox grapes. It is without the insipid sweetness of the first or the
foxiness of the latter. The Vinifera characters are wholly recessive in
vine and foliage, the plant resembling very closely its American parent,
Concord. Diamond is not as highly esteemed as a commercial variety as it
deserves to be, for beside being of high quality the fruit packs,
carries and keeps well. Were it known by consumers the demand for it
would be such that it would command a fancy price and thereby more than
make up for its lack in fruitfulness, but through the unfortunate
condition of American fruit markets it is, more often than not, sold as
Niagara and has not therefore established the reputation it should have
in the markets. Diamond is in demand among wine-makers and especially
for the making of champagnes. For the amateur it has few superiors, the
chief drawback for the small garden being that robins prefer it to most
other varieties and greatly reduce the crop. Diamond is well established
in Canada and can be grown in as great a range of latitude as the
Concord. The vine is as free from the attacks of fungi as the Concord
but the fruit is a little more susceptible to cryptogamic diseases and
especially to black-rot, though not attacked by fungi so much as
Niagara.
The late Jacob Moore of Brighton, New York, originated Diamond about
1870 from Concord seed fertilized by Iona. It was introduced about 1885.
It has gained in favor somewhat slowly, and was not placed on the grape
list of the American Pomological Society fruit catalog until 1897.
Vine medium to vigorous, hardy, productive in most locations. Canes
medium to short, not very numerous, of average thickness, brownish
or with a slight reddish tinge; nodes slightly enlarged, not
flattened; internodes medium to short; diaphragm intermediate in
thickness; pith of medium size; shoots pubescent; tendrils
intermittent, bifid.
Leaf-buds small, short, pointed to conical, open in mid-season.
Young leaves tinged on lower side and along the edges with red.
Leaves of average size, thick; upper surface light green, dull,
nearly smooth; lower surface light bronze, downy; veins distinct;
lobes usually three in number, indistinct; petiolar sinus very
shallow; teeth shallow, of mean width. Flowers fertile, open early
to somewhat late; stamens upright.
Fruit usually ripens slightly earlier than Niagara, keeps well.
Clusters variable in size, medium to short, rather broad, somewhat
blunt, cylindrical to slightly tapering, often single-shouldered,
compact; peduncle short to medium, moderately thick; pedicel short
and thick, covered with a few, inconspicuous warts, wide at point
of attachment to berry; brush slender, of average length, pale
green. Berries above medium to medium size, roundish to strongly
ovate on account of compactness, green with tinge of yellow on
riper berries but less yellow than Niagara, glossy, covered with
thin gray bloom, persistent, rather firm. Skin thin, toughish,
adheres somewhat to the pulp, contains no pigment, astringent.
Flesh pale green, rather transparent, juicy, tender, inclined to
melting, fine-grained, slightly aromatic, sprightly, nearly sweet
next the skin to agreeably tart at center, quality very good. Seeds
separate easily from the pulp, one to four, average two or three,
intermediate in size, rather broad and long, moderately
sharp-pointed, yellowish-brown; raphe shows as a narrow obscure
groove; chalaza small, slightly above center, oval, rather obscure.
DIANA.
(Labrusca, Vinifera, Aestivalis?)
=1.= _Mag. Hort._, =10=:242. 1844. =2.= _Horticulturist_, =4=:224,
535. 1849. =3.= _Mag. Hort._, =16=:28, 306, 546. 1850. =4.= _Am.
Pom. Soc. Cat._, =1854.= =5.= _Mag. Hort._, =27=:6, 262, 490, 523,
531. 1861. =6.= _My Vineyard at Lakeview_, =1866=:78. =7.= _N. Y.
Ag. Soc. Rpt._, =1866=:803, 881. =8.= _Horticulturist_, =22=:356.
1867. =9.= _Am. Jour. Hort._, =5=:15, 297. 1869. =10.= _Mich. Pom.
Soc. Rpt._, =1873=:60. =11.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt._, =1881=:37, 119,
123, 136, 153. =12.= _Mass. Hort. Soc. Rpt._, Pt. =1=:96. 1883.
=13.= _Bush. Cat._, =1883=:93. _fig._ =14.= _N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt._,
=17=:540, 543, 544, 545, 547, 554. 1898. =15.= _Va. Sta. Bul._,
=94=:137. 1898. =16.= _Mo. Sta. Bul._, =46=:38, 43, 45. 1899. =17.=
_Rural N. Y._, =61=:719, _fig._, 722. 1902.
[Illustration: DIANA]
When introduced Diana promised to be the popular grape of the North and
especially of New England. Its many good qualities warranted the high
hopes of those who first grew it but time revealed so many defects that
the variety never became widely distributed although few grapes surpass
it, or even equal it, in high quality and handsome appearance when at
its best. Diana is a seedling of Catawba and was hailed as superior to
its parent in quality, appearance and earliness. It was the last named
character that especially commended it to northern grape-growers.
Catawba can be grown in New York only in the most favored locations and
hardly at all in New England even in its southern parts. It fails in the
North because the seasons are too short for the fruit to mature. Diana
is about two weeks earlier than Catawba and it was therefore thought
that the offspring, lacking the defect of the parent, would take the
rank in the North that the older variety held in the South.
Diana bears a strong resemblance to Catawba, differing chiefly in having
a lighter color, a delicate pale red or rose, and in being less pulpy
and more juicy. Usually the bunches, too, are more compact, those of
Catawba as grown in the North being as a rule loose and sometimes
straggling. The flavor resembles that of Catawba but when well grown and
fully ripe it is more delicate and has less of the wild taste. The
grapes keep exceptionally well. But its great point of superiority over
Catawba is its earliness; it ripens from ten days to a fortnight
earlier, making possible, as said above, its culture far to the north.
The defects of Diana are as marked as its good qualities. It is
precariously tender in cold winters and in regions where Concord goes
without protection Diana must be favored. The grapes ripen unevenly,
many being green when others are mature, and berries and foliage are
both susceptible to fungi. Lastly it is in many localities a shy bearer
and is almost always capricious. During the first few years in bearing,
the fruit of Diana is very imperfect in flavor and deficient in size,
true of many grapes but particularly so of this one. The best qualities
of Diana are not brought out until the vines are seven or eight years of
age.
Perhaps no grape better illustrates the importance of local influences
and of knowledge of the peculiarities of varieties than Diana. All
grapes have their likes and dislikes but this one is capricious beyond
most others. It wants, for instance, comparatively poor, dry, gravelly
soil without any considerable amount of humus or nitrogen. On clays,
loams, or rich soils, the vines make a rank growth and the fruits are
few, late and of poor quality. So, too, it needs to be long pruned, and
to have all surplus bunches removed leaving a comparatively small crop
to mature, and these should hang until frost. To the fact that Diana is
so easily influenced must be attributed the great diversity of opinion
as to its worth, some holding it to be a most excellent variety while in
a nearby vineyard it is considered worthless.
In favorable situations Diana may be expected to make a most
satisfactory grape for the amateur and where it does especially well it
will prove a profitable variety for the local market. Its splendid
keeping qualities make it a very desirable grape for late winter. It is
even better in this respect than Catawba, one of the best keepers. While
the pulp of Diana has the meaty structure which adapts it for long
keeping its pulpiness is not objectionable as in some grapes and its
thick skin has a rich, spicy flavor. Wine made from Diana is said to be
second to none from our native grapes, equalling or surpassing that made
from Catawba.
To Mrs. Diana Crehore of Milton, Massachusetts, is due the honor of
having originated Diana. The variety was produced from seed of the
Catawba open to cross-pollination, planted about 1834. It was exhibited
before the Massachusetts Horticultural Society in 1843. The Pomological
Congress at their second meeting in 1850 placed Diana on their list as a
"new variety which promises well," and in 1854 it was included in the
American Pomological Society list of sorts recommended for general
cultivation. The demand for this grape was so keen that in 1850 it was
sold for $15 a vine.
The species of Diana is usually given as Labrusca but the Vinifera-like
berries and the intermittent tendrils indicate Vinifera and the bloom on
the shoots suggests a strain of either Bicolor or Aestivalis.
Vine vigorous, not always hardy, produces light to medium crops,
somewhat susceptible to attacks of leaf-hoppers and fungi. Canes
pubescent, long, of average number, thick to medium, light brown to
reddish-brown, covered with thin blue bloom; nodes enlarged,
slightly flattened; internodes medium to long; diaphragm thick;
pith medium to large; shoots pubescent; tendrils intermittent,
long, bifid.
Leaf-buds large, of average length, thickish, obtuse to conical,
open in mid-season. Young leaves colored on lower side and along
margin of upper side with faint carmine, the smaller leaves usually
heavily coated with thick silvery down. Leaves medium to large,
inclined to thick; upper surface variable in color ranging from
light to dark green, usually rather dull, nearly smooth to slightly
rugose; lower surface pale green, heavily pubescent; lobes vary
from three to five, terminal lobe acute; petiolar sinus moderately
deep, wide to medium, often closed and overlapping; basal sinus
shallow, not wide; lateral sinus not deep, medium to narrow; teeth
shallow, intermediate in width. Flowers fertile, open in
mid-season; stamens upright.
Fruit ripens earlier than Catawba, keeps unusually well. Clusters
medium to large, intermediate in length, rather broad, tapering to
slightly cylindrical, occasionally shouldered, the shoulder being
attached to the cluster by a rather long stem, compact to medium;
peduncle short to medium, slender; pedicel above average length,
covered with small scattering warts; brush of fair length, rather
slender, pale green. Berries somewhat irregular in size, above
medium to small, roundish to slightly ovate in compact clusters,
rather light red covered with thin lilac bloom, persistent, firm.
Skin very thick, tough, adheres slightly to the pulp, contains no
pigment, with but little astringency. Flesh pale green,
translucent, juicy, tough, fine-grained, vinous, with a little
foxiness, sweet at skin to agreeably tart at center, good in
quality. Seeds do not separate readily from the pulp unless fruit
is fully ripe, one to three, average two, intermediate in size,
breadth and length, light brown; raphe buried in a rather wide,
shallow groove; chalaza large, above center, circular, distinct.
Must 88°-90°.
DIANA HAMBURG.
(Vinifera, Labrusca, Aestivalis?)
=1.= _N. Y. Ag. Soc. Rpt._, =1864=:38. =2.= _Mag. Hort._, =31=:105,
331, 364. 1865. =3.= Thomas, =1867=:403. =4.= _Am. Jour. Hort._,
=2=:328, 329. 1867. _fig._ =5.= _N. Y. Ag. Soc. Rpt._, =1868=:224.
=6.= _Bush. Cat._, =1883=:90.
Diana Hamburg has long since passed from cultivation and was never
widely grown. Its parentage is indicated in its name. It is worth
discussion here only because it is an illustration of what can be done
in grape-breeding and because it was one of the parents of several
better known sorts chief of which is Brighton. The fruit of Diana
Hamburg is that of the European parent, while the vine is more nearly
that of Diana in appearance but quite that of Black Hamburg in
constitution, being very susceptible to disease, somewhat tender,
unproductive in our climate and ripening its fruit late.
Diana Hamburg was the first of Jacob Moore's productions, having been
raised from seed of Diana fertilized by pollen of Black Hamburg about
1860. It was first exhibited at the New York Agricultural Society
meeting in September, 1864. For a few years it attracted some attention
but soon passed from cultivation. The following description is compiled
from various sources:
Vine vigorous when not diseased; canes short-jointed. Leaves of
medium size, somewhat concave. Fruit-clusters large, compact,
shouldered. Berries above medium, slightly oval, dark red, tender,
free from pulp. Except in color, which shows a more reddish tinge,
it very closely resembles Black Hamburg. The vine is tender and
very susceptible to mildew.
DON JUAN.
(Vinifera, Labrusca.)
=1.= _Horticulturist_, =29=:329. 1874. =2.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt._,
=1875=:114. =3.= _U. S. D. A. Rpt._, =1875=:386. =4.= _Bush. Cat._,
=1883=:92. =5.= _W. N. Y. Hort. Soc. Rpt._, =36=:45. 1891.
In spite of many good characters, as high quality, attractive
appearance, and a vine above the average in vigor and hardiness, Don
Juan has not become established in American viticulture. It has been
tested by grape collectors for forty years and is now passing from even
the collections. Its chief fault in this State is that it ripens too
late.
Don Juan was originated by J. H. Ricketts of Newburgh, New York, over
thirty years ago from seed of Iona pollinated by General Marmora. The
originator claimed that Don Juan was a better grape than its parent,
Iona, but it has fallen far short of this in the vineyards of the State.
The connection of the name with the grape is not apparent.
Vine intermediate in vigor, appears hardy and productive. Canes
short, rather brittle, slightly roughened; tendrils intermittent,
bifid. Leaves medium to thin, not very large, light green. Fruit
ripens rather late, keeps well. Clusters medium to large, rather
broad, shouldered, strongly tapering, very loose. Berries large to
medium, distinctly oval, dark red, covered with dark lilac or
slightly blue bloom, strongly persistent, somewhat soft. Flesh
tender and nearly melting, vinous, resembles Black Hamburg somewhat
in flavor, good in quality.
DOWNING.
(Vinifera, Aestivalis, Labrusca.)
=1.= _Am. Hort. An._, =1871=:79. =2.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt._,
=1875=:113. =3.= _Bush. Cat._, =1883=:92. =4.= _Gar. Mon._,
=26=:366. 1884. =5.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt._, =1885=:17. =6.= _Kan.
Sta. Bul._, =28=:160. 1891. =7.= _N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt._, =11=:619.
1892. =8.= _Tenn. Sta. Bul._, Vol. =9=:176. 1896. =9.= _Mich. Sta.
Bul._, =169=:169. 1899. =10.= _U. S. D. A. Yr. Bk._, =1901=:388.
_col. pl._
CHAS. DOWNING (1). _Charles Downing_ (3, 10). RICKETTS' NO. 1 (2).
_Ricketts' No. 1_ (10).
Little known in cultivation, although it has been grown since 1870 and
has had the recommendations of our most expert horticulturists, Downing
is well worthy a place in the garden of grape-growers at least.
[Illustration: DOWNING]
Its high quality, handsome appearance, and excellence as a keeper, make
it desirable in all regions where the climate is sufficiently temperate
to allow it to withstand the winter and to develop in full its admirable
fruit characters. Added to the above qualities are fair vigor and health
of vine, while with its defects must be mentioned late ripening and
susceptibility to mildew in unfavorable seasons. When grown in most
parts of New York the vine of Downing should be laid down in the winter
or receive other protection. In most seasons, too, unremitting warfare
must be kept up with bordeaux mixture to check mildew. In appearance of
bunch and berry Downing is one of the most distinct of our varieties,
the clusters being large and well formed and the berries having the long
oval shape of a Malaga with a delicate light bloom. The flesh, too,
shows _Vitis vinifera_ in texture as well as quality while neither seeds
nor skins are as objectionable as in the best of our pure-bred American
varieties. Few amateurs realize the richness of our cultivated
grape-flora or the garden would be supplied by other varieties than
Concord, Niagara and Delaware and of these Downing would be one.
J. H. Ricketts of Newburgh, New York, originated Downing some time about
1865. It is one of the first of Ricketts' hybrids and was first known as
_Ricketts' No. 1._ The parentage is variously given as Isabella
fertilized by Muscat Hamburg, Croton fertilized by Black Hamburg, and
Israella fertilized by Muscat Hamburg.[183] The last combination is that
given by J. G. Burrows of Fishkill, New York, who was connected with J.
H. Ricketts in his work and who introduced Downing in 1883; hence it is
probably correct. Ricketts thought highly of this variety and gave it
the name of America's great pomologist, Charles Downing.
Vine variable in vigor, usually winter-kills somewhat, not very
productive, especially where it winter-kills. Canes short, few,
rather slender, nearly dark green to slightly ash-gray tinge,
surface covered with thin blue bloom, often roughened with few
small warts; nodes much enlarged, strongly flattened; internodes
medium to short; diaphragm rather thick; pith large to medium;
shoots glabrous; tendrils intermittent, of average length, bifid to
trifid.
Leaf-buds intermediate in size and thickness, short, obtuse to
nearly conical, open very late. Leaves medium to small, roundish,
thick; upper surface dark green, slightly glossy, rugose; lower
surface rather deep green with almost no pubescence; veins somewhat
distinct; lobes none to five, terminal lobe acute; petiolar sinus
of medium depth, very narrow, closed and overlapping; basal sinus
usually lacking but shallow and narrow when present; lateral sinus
shallow to medium, narrow; teeth above average in width and depth.
Flowers open late; stamens upright.
Fruit ripens a little later than Concord, often keeps until spring.
Clusters large, long, rather slender, cylindrical to slightly
tapering, uniform, sometimes loosely shouldered, variable in
compactness; peduncle short to medium, inclined to thick; pedicel
intermediate in length, slender, covered with numerous warts; brush
long, slender, greenish. Berries large to medium, distinctly oval,
dark purplish-black, glossy, covered with light blue bloom,
strongly persistent, almost firm. Skin very thick, tender, adheres
considerably to the pulp, contains almost no pigment, without
astringency. Flesh greenish or with slight yellow tinge,
translucent, very juicy, tender, fine-grained, vinous, mild, very
good in quality. The few seeds separate easily from the pulp, one
to three, average two, intermediate in size and breadth, strongly
notched, rather long, brownish; raphe obscure; chalaza of mean
size, surface frequently roughened, above center, circular to oval,
variable in distinctness.
DRACUT AMBER.
(Labrusca.)
=1.= _U. S. Pat. Off. Rpt._, =1859=:48, 66. =2.= _Gar. Mon._,
=3=:26. 1861. =3.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Cat._, =1883=:26. =4.= _N. Y.
Sta. An. Rpt._, =11=:620. 1892. =5.= _Iowa Hort. Soc. Rpt._,
=1893=:161. =6.= _Bush. Cat._, =1894=:117. =7.= _N. Y. Sta. An.
Rpt._, =17=:548, 554. 1898. =8.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Cat._, =1899=:28.
_Early Amber_ (6).
Dracut Amber receives the attention given it here chiefly because it is
a representative variety of the northern Labrusca and of the red type of
Labrusca. The fruit has no particular merit, its thick skin, coarse
pulp, seeds and rank foxy taste all being objectionable. But the vine is
very hardy and productive, and the fruit ripens early making it valuable
in the northern limits of viticulture and in other locations where a
vigorous, hardy early grape is wanted. It is of no value for the market
or for wine-making and therefore of use only for the home in the far
North, though the fact that it does not keep well is still further
against it for this purpose. The variety is of interest to the breeder
who desires a red Labrusca of the northern type.
[Illustration: DRACUT AMBER]
Asa Clement of Dracut, Massachusetts, originated Dracut Amber from
seed of a native reddish Labrusca that grew near a Catawba vine. The
seed was planted about 1855 and Mr. Clement called the resulting vine
the Amber grape. Later the new variety was introduced by Jacob W.
Manning under the name Dracut Amber. Catawba is supposed by Clement to
have been the male parent, but this is wholly conjectural and doubtful
as the botanical and horticultural characters are those of a northern
Labrusca. It was placed on the grape list of the American Pomological
Society fruit catalog in 1883 and was dropped, probably inadvertently,
in 1897, as it was replaced in 1899 and has since remained.
Vine vigorous, hardy, productive, somewhat susceptible to attacks
of leaf-hoppers. Canes long, rather numerous, medium to below in
size, darkish-brown; nodes slightly enlarged, usually flattened;
internodes medium to below in length; diaphragm of average
thickness; pith above medium size; shoots pubescent; tendrils
continuous, long, bifid to sometimes trifid.
Leaf-buds decidedly variable in size, length, and thickness,
prominent, obtuse to conical. Young leaves tinged on lower side
with bright carmine and very strongly colored along margin of upper
side with carmine. Leaves large to medium, rather thick; upper
surface dark green, dull, smoothish; lower surface pale green or
grayish, faintly cobwebby; veins indistinct; lobes three or
sometimes five in number with terminal lobe obtuse to acute;
petiolar sinus moderately deep, rather narrow to medium; basal
sinus shallow to narrow; lateral sinus usually shallow, medium to
rather wide; teeth shallow, of average width. Flowers sometimes on
plan of six, slightly sterile to fertile, open in mid-season;
stamens variable in length.
Fruit ripens earlier than Concord, does not keep well, as the
berries soon shrivel. Clusters not especially satisfactory in
general appearance, variable in size, short to medium, rather
broad, somewhat cylindrical, irregular, rarely shouldered, compact
to medium; peduncle short, slender; pedicel nearly short, of
average thickness, covered with numerous warts, enlarged at point
of attachment to berry; brush rather long, light yellowish-green.
Berries medium to large, variable in shape ranging from oval to
roundish, dull pale red or dark amber, covered with thin lilac or
faint blue bloom, often inclined to drop when overripe, soft. Skin
unusually thick, somewhat tender, adheres slightly to pulp,
contains no pigment, slightly astringent. Flesh greenish,
translucent, juicy, rather fine-grained and tough, very foxy,
moderately sweet to decidedly acid at center, inferior in quality.
Seeds adherent, two to five in number averaging three, large to
below medium, broad to medium, light brown; raphe shows only as a
groove; chalaza intermediate in size, oval, above center, rather
distinct and in a depression.
DUTCHESS.[184]
(Vinifera, Labrusca, Bourquiniana? Aestivalis?)
=1.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt._, =1877=:36. =2.= _Gar. Mon._, =22=:176.
1880. =3.= _Mass. Hort. Soc. Rpt._, =1880=:239. =4.= Downing,
=1881=:166 app. =5.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Cat._, =1881=:24. =6.= _Am.
Pom. Soc. Rpt._, =1883=:124. =7.= _Ib._, =1885=:103, 107. =8.=
_Kan. Hort. Soc. Rpt._, =1891=:126. =9.= _Kan. Sta. Bul._, =14=:87.
1890. =10.= _Ala. Sta. Bul._, =10=:9. 1890. =11.= _Gar. and For._,
=5=:512. 1892. =12.= _Can. Hort._, =17=:253, 267. 1894. =13.=
_Bush. Cat._, =1894=:117, 118. _fig._ =14.= Husmann, =1895=:32, 95,
102. =15.= _Tenn. Sta. Bul._, Vol. =9=:176, 195. 1896. =16.= _N. Y.
Sta. An. Rpt._, =15=:432. 1896. =17.= _N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt._,
=17=:529, 538, 541, 544, 548, 549, 552. 1898. =18.= _Miss. Sta.
Bul._, =56=:12. 1899. =19.= _Mo. Sta. Bul._, =46=:38, 43, 45, 46,
76. 1899. =20.= _W. N. Y. Hort. Soc. Rpt._, =44=:91. 1899. =21.=
_Mo. Hort. Soc. Rpt._, =1900=:365.
Dutchess is a variety for the amateur, always to be sought for because
of its delicious flavor, its handsome appearance, and its long-keeping
qualities. It has never been largely grown in commercial vineyards
because the vine is tender to cold and capricious as to soil and other
conditions. Moreover the berries do not ripen quite evenly and berries
and foliage are very susceptible to fungi. In soils to which it is not
adapted berries and bunches are small and the latter are loose and
straggling. But in spite of its defects Dutchess should not be discarded
by the grape-lover for there are few grapes better for the table and
that will take its place as a pure-flavored, refreshing, juicy grape. It
is sweet and rich and yet does not cloy the appetite; the flesh is
translucent, sparkling, fine-grained and tender; the seeds are small,
few and part readily from the pulp; the skin is thin yet tough enough
for good keeping but not so much so as to be objectionable in eating.
The bunches are large and compact when well grown and the berries,
though but medium sized, are attractive because of their translucency,
the touch of amber when fully ripe, and the distinctive dots so well
shown in the color-plate. Dutchess does not want an extremely rich soil
nor close pruning and the bunches should be thinned and as soon as ripe
ought to be picked as there is a tendency to crack when overripe or
exposed to the wet. Dutchess is self-fertile and therefore desirable
where only a few vines are wanted, obviating the trouble of mixed
planting for cross-pollination. The clusters are especially fine when
bagged.
[Illustration: DUTCHESS]
Dutchess is another variety from A. J. Caywood[185] of Marlboro, New
York, from seed of a white Concord seedling pollinated by mixed pollen
of Delaware and Walter planted in 1868. The white fruited maternal vine
was an offspring of Concord pollinated by Montgomery. Dutchess was
introduced by its originator about 1880. The variety was placed on the
grape list of the American Pomological Society fruit catalog in 1881
where it has since been retained.
Vine vigorous to weak, depending upon amount of winter injury,
often not hardy, an uncertain bearer, susceptible to mildew in some
localities. Canes intermediate in length and number, medium to
below in size, moderately dark brown, covered with a slight amount
of bloom, surface usually somewhat roughened; nodes slightly
enlarged and flattened; internodes short to very short; diaphragm
unusually thick; pith below average size; shoots slightly
pubescent; tendrils intermittent, short, bifid to trifid.
Leaf-buds large to medium, short, thick to medium, conical to
obtuse. Young leaves faintly tinged on lower side and along margin
of upper side with light rose-carmine. Leaves above medium to
below, irregular in outline, of average thickness; upper surface
light green, slightly glossy, moderately smooth; lower surface pale
green, pubescent; veins not distinct; leaf usually not lobed, with
terminus slightly acute; petiolar sinus of average depth, medium to
narrow; basal sinus shallow when present; lateral sinus varies from
medium in depth to a mere notch; teeth intermediate in depth and
width. Flowers fertile or nearly so, open somewhat late; stamens
upright.
Fruit ripens in mid-season, keeps and ships well. Clusters large to
medium, long, rather slender, below average width, not very
uniform, slightly tapering to cylindrical, with prominent single
shoulder, medium to compact; peduncle short to medium, not very
thick; pedicel inferior in length, quite slender, nearly smooth,
enlarged at point of attachment to fruit; brush amber-colored.
Berries of medium size, roundish to oval, pale yellowish-green
verging on amber, some berries showing a decided bronze tinge,
covered with thin gray bloom, persistent, firm. Skin sprinkled with
small dark dots, rather thin, tough, adheres to the pulp, contains
no pigment, without astringency. Flesh very pale green,
translucent, juicy, fine-grained, tender, vinous, sweet, of
pleasant flavor, quality high; on heavy clay soils the quality is
not fully developed. The seeds, which are tender and easily
crushed, separate readily from the pulp, one to two or occasionally
three, rather small, wide, short to medium, plump, moderately
sharp-pointed, brownish; raphe obscure; chalaza of average size,
roundish, above center, distinct.
EARLY DAISY.
(Labrusca.)
=1.= _Pa. Sta. Rpt._, =1892=:121. =2.= _Bush. Cat._, =1894=:119.
=3.= _Amer. Gard._, =15=:392, 445. 1894. =4.= _Ill. Hort. Soc.
Rpt._, =1904=:228. =5.= _Can. Cen. Exp. Farms Rpt._, =1905=:107,
108.
The variety has been tried thoroughly in various grape regions and
though it seemingly has no serious faults, on the other hand its good
qualities are not such as to make it more than commonplace. Its
earliness ought to commend it somewhat as the ripening period is eight
or ten days earlier than Champion or Moore Early, making it one of the
very earliest varieties. For a grape maturing at its season it both
keeps and ships well. It would seem to be as desirable, or more so, than
Hartford or Champion.
Early Daisy was originated by Mr. John Kready of Mount Joy,
Pennsylvania, in 1874, as a chance seedling in his garden. It is
supposed by many, from its general characters, to be a seedling of
Hartford.
Vine vigorous, hardy, produces fair crops. Tendrils continuous,
bifid. Leaves medium to small, light green; lower surface slightly
pubescent, cobwebby. Flowers nearly sterile. Fruit ripens as early
or earlier than Hartford and is a good shipper and keeper for an
early grape. Clusters small to medium, often blunt at ends,
slightly cylindrical, sometimes single-shouldered, compact. Berries
of medium size, roundish, rather dull black, covered with abundant
blue bloom, persistent. Skin tough, contains a large amount of
purplish-red pigment. Flesh tough, solid, slightly aromatic, rather
tart at skin to acid at center, inferior in flavor and quality.
Seeds numerous, of average size. Not good enough for dessert
purposes.
[Illustration: EARLY OHIO]
EARLY DAWN.
(Labrusca, Vinifera, Aestivalis.)
=1.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt._, =1875=:67. =2.= _Ib._, =1881=:43. =3.=
Downing, =1881=:166, app. =4.= _Bush. Cat._, =1883=:94. =5.= _Va.
Sta. Bul._, =30=:108. 1893.
Early Dawn is a black Labrusca-Vinifera hybrid of fine quality and
attractive appearance but so lacking in necessary vine characters in New
York as to be practically worthless. Although it originated in New York
it was never widely grown in this State. It is now, so far as records
show, nearly obsolete.
Dr. Wm. A. M. Culbert of Newburgh, New York, is the originator of Early
Dawn, the date of its origin being some time about 1870. It is reported
to have come from seed of Israella fertilized by Black Hamburg.
Vine a fair to strong grower, not very hardy, medium to very
productive. Canes rather long, covered with thin blue bloom;
tendrils intermittent, bifid to trifid. Leaves medium to small;
lower surface very pubescent and slightly hairy. Flowers sterile or
nearly so, open in mid-season; stamens reflexed. Fruit ripens about
two weeks earlier than Concord, keeps and ships well. Clusters
medium to large, nearly cylindrical, irregular in outline, vary
from not shouldered to a heavy single shoulder or sometimes with a
double shoulder, medium in compactness. Berries rather small,
roundish, attractive purplish-black, covered with heavy blue bloom,
persistent. Flesh very juicy, tender, slightly vinous, sprightly,
agreeably tart, variable in flavor and quality, ranging from fair
to very good. Seeds not numerous, broad, plump.
EARLY OHIO.
(Labrusca.)
=1.= _An. Hort._, =1892=:176. =2.= _N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt._, =12=:619.
1893. =3.= _Rural N. Y._, =53=:645. 1894. _fig._ =4.= _Bush. Cat._,
=1894=:119, 120. _fig._ =5.= _Wis. Sta. An. Rpt._, =13=:226. 1896.
_fig._ =6.= _Rural N. Y._, =56=:627, _fig._, 630, 823. 1897. =7.=
_N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt._, =17=:529, 548, 554. 1898.
Early Ohio is remarkable, chiefly, in being one of the earliest
commercial grapes. The fruit resembles that of Concord, of which it is
probably a seedling. The claims made for this variety that it is hardy,
vigorous and productive, have not been borne out on the Station grounds;
but on the contrary the vine is somewhat tender, is not a strong grower,
and does not bear large crops. The quality is very poor. Now that the
South is sending many grapes of high quality to northern markets at the
time Early Ohio and other grapes of its season are ripening it is
doubtful if a grape having only earliness to commend it should have a
place in our viticulture. Notwithstanding its defects Early Ohio is
grown somewhat commonly in New York though its culture is on the wane.
The original seedling of Early Ohio was found in the year 1882 in the
vineyard of R. A. Hunt, at Euclid, Ohio, between rows of Delaware and
Concord. It was introduced in 1892 by the C. S. Curtice Company, of
Portland, New York.
Vine medium to weak, often tender, usually produces medium crops.
Canes short to very short, few in number, rather slender, brownish
with a slight reddish tinge; nodes somewhat enlarged, flattened;
internodes short; diaphragm thick; pith intermediate in size;
shoots pubescent; tendrils continuous, usually short, bifid.
Leaf-buds rather small and short, inclined to slender, pointed to
conical, open in mid-season. Young leaves lightly tinged on under
side and along margin of upper side with rose-carmine. Leaves
intermediate in size, of average thickness; upper surface light
green, dull, smoothish; lower surface varies from pale green to
slight bronze, pubescent; veins fairly distinct; lobes vary from
none to three, with terminal lobe acute; petiolar sinus medium to
shallow, rather wide; basal sinus usually absent; lateral sinus
nearly shallow, wide to rather narrow; teeth shallow to sometimes
medium, somewhat narrow. Flowers fertile, open in mid-season;
stamens upright.
Fruit ripens two or three weeks earlier than Concord, some seasons
a few days earlier than Moore Early, does not keep well. Clusters
medium in size, intermediate to long, below average in thickness,
tapering, frequently not shouldered, moderately compact; peduncle
short to medium, of fair thickness; pedicel intermediate in length,
medium to rather slender, covered with few, small warts; brush
above average length, slender, tinged with red. Berries not very
uniform in size, averaging medium, roundish, purplish-black,
slightly glossy, covered with rather heavy blue bloom, persistent,
firm. Skin intermediate in thickness and toughness, adheres
slightly to the pulp, contains a moderate amount of reddish
pigment, astringent. Flesh greenish, translucent, juicy, somewhat
tough, slightly aromatic, sweet at skin but slightly acid at
center, inferior in quality. Seeds do not separate easily unless
fully ripe, one to four, average three, intermediate in size,
length, and breadth, notched, light brown with yellowish-brown
tips; raphe obscure; chalaza of fair size, slightly above center,
circular to oval, rather obscure.
EARLY VICTOR.
(Labrusca, Bourquiniana?)
=1.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt._, =1877=:44. =2.= Downing, =1881=:166,
app. =3.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt._, =1881=:34. =4.= _N. J. Hort. Soc.
Rpt._, =1881=:13. =5.= _Bush. Cat._, =1883=:96. =6.= _Am. Pom. Soc.
Cat._, =1883=:26. =7.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt._, =1885=:103, 105. =8.=
_Rural N. Y._, =45=:622, 653. 1886. =9.= _Kan. Hort. Soc. Rpt._,
=1886=:187. =10.= _Can. Hort._, =11=:287. 1888. =11.= _Mo. Hort.
Soc. Rpt._, =1889=:361, 373. =12.= _W. N. Y. Hort. Soc. Rpt._,
=36=:40. 1891. =13.= _Bush. Cat._, =1894=:121. =14.= _Mich. Sta.
Bul._, =169=:170. 1899. =15.= _N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt._, =18=:395.
1899. =16.= _Can. Hort._, =23=:217. 1900.
[Illustration: EARLY VICTOR]
Early Victor is especially worthy of notice because it is highest in
quality of the very early black grapes. When one tastes this variety at
the beginning of the grape season, he has no palate for Hartford,
Champion, Ives, Janesville, or even Moore Early, and he will be
conscious of defects in the flavor of many of the later grapes which are
supposed to have high quality. Early Victor is especially pleasing to
those who want a pure-flavored grape and object to the foxiness of our
native varieties so marked in Hartford and Champion but almost wholly
lacking in this variety. Were it but a few days earlier and bunch and
berry a little larger and more attractive, Early Victor might be the
grape _par excellence_ for home and market to begin the grape season.
The vines are hardy, healthy, vigorous, and productive, with growth and
foliage greatly resembling Hartford, which is probably one of its
parents, Delaware being the other. The bunches are small and compact and
somewhat variable in shape; the berries are about the size and shape of
those of Delaware. Its season is that of Moore Early and Hartford, or a
little later, though, like many black grapes, it colors before it is
ripe and is often picked much too green. Unfortunately the fruit is
susceptible to black-rot and a little inclined to shrivel after
ripening. Although introduced into American viticulture in 1881, Early
Victor is still little known and deserves far more general recognition
both by the amateur and the commercial grape-grower.
John Burr,[186] of Leavenworth, Kansas, originated Early Victor about
1871 and sent it out for testing in 1881. It was placed on the grape
list of the American Pomological Society fruit catalog in 1883 and is
still retained. Early Victor is said to be a seedling of Delaware
pollinated by Hartford. This, however, is mere surmise, as nothing is
known positively as to its parentage, and the statement was made
frequently by the Kansas Horticultural Society, of which Burr was a
member, that it was a seedling of Concord. It was introduced, probably
about 1887, by Stayman & Black of Leavenworth.
Vine vigorous, healthy, hardy, productive. Canes long, numerous,
rather slender, dark brown to slightly reddish-brown, surface
pubescent; nodes enlarged, usually not flattened; internodes long
to medium; diaphragm nearly thin; pith intermediate in size; shoots
pubescent; tendrils continuous, of average length, bifid to
sometimes trifid.
Leaf-buds of average size, short to medium, rather thick, often
strongly compressed, nearly obtuse to conical, open in mid-season.
Young leaves tinged lightly on upper and lower sides with
rose-carmine. Leaves medium to above in size, rather thick; upper
surface dark green, moderately smooth; lower surface nearly
whitish, heavily pubescent; veins well defined; lobes three to five
in number, terminal lobe acute; petiolar sinus intermediate in
depth and width; basal sinus shallow and moderately wide when
present; lateral sinus medium to above in depth, narrow to medium
in width; teeth of average depth and width. Flowers nearly fertile
to somewhat sterile, open in mid-season; stamens upright.
Fruit ripens with Moore Early or a little later, does not keep
well. Clusters medium to small, below average length, variable in
shape, cylindrical to tapering, frequently single-shouldered,
compact; peduncle intermediate in length and thickness; pedicel
medium to short, covered with numerous small warts; brush
wine-colored or pinkish-red. Berries small to medium, roundish to
slightly oblate, dark purplish-black, rather dull, covered with
heavy blue bloom, persistent, not very firm. Skin rather thin,
medium to tough, adheres but slightly to the pulp, contains much
red pigment, astringent. Flesh greenish-white, nearly opaque,
fine-grained, of medium toughness, aromatic, slightly vinous, not
foxy, sweet at skin but slightly acid at center, good in quality.
Seeds do not separate easily from the pulp unless the fruit is
thoroughly ripe, one to four, average three, of medium size, broad,
notched, below mean length, usually somewhat blunt, dark brown;
raphe obscure; chalaza of fair size, slightly above center,
circular, somewhat obscure.
EATON.
(Labrusca.)
=1.= _Mass. Hort. Soc. Rpt._, =1879=:161. =2.= _Ib._, =1880=:231.
=3.= _Gar. Mon._, =27=:335. 1885. =4.= _U. S. D. A. Rpt._,
=1887=:633. =5.= _Rural N. Y._, =48=:639, 641. 1889. _fig._ =6.=
_N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt._, =9=:326. 1890. =7.= _W. N. Y. Hort. Soc.
Rpt._, =36=:42. 1891. =8.= _Ill. Sta. Bul._, =28=:254. 1893. =9.=
_Bush. Cat._, =1894=:123. =10.= _Mass. Hatch Sta. Bul._, =37=:11,
14. 1896. =11.= _N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt._, =17=:529, 548, 552, 559.
1898. =12.= _Mo. Sta. Bul._, =46=:39, 42, 44, 45, 50, 54, 76. 1899.
EATON'S SEEDLING (1, 2).
[Illustration: EATON]
Eaton is a pure-bred seedling of Concord which it surpasses in
appearance but does not equal in flavor. In appearance of bunch it is
one of the handsomest of our native grapes but as a table grape it ranks
low. Its flesh is tough and stringy and, though sweet at the skin, is
acid at the seeds. It has the same foxiness that characterizes Concord
but with more juice and less richness than its parent so that it is well
described as a "diluted Concord". The skin is very similar to that of
Concord, neither thicker nor thinner, and the fruit packs, ships and
keeps about the same, though if any thing less well because of the
greater amount of juice. The season is a few days earlier than Concord.
The vine is healthy, vigorous, hardy and productive and very similar in
all botanical characters to its parent. The grapes ripen unevenly, the
flowers are self-sterile and in some locations it is a shy bearer. Eaton
has been grown for nearly forty years and has not found favor with
either the grower or the consumer and is being less and less grown,
remaining in our viticulture only as a handsome exhibition grape and an
interesting seedling of Concord.
This mammoth Concord, the Eaton, originated with Calvin Eaton of
Concord, New Hampshire, about 1868 from seed of Concord. Mr. Eaton
states that this was the best vine out of a lot of two thousand
seedlings. The new variety was purchased by John B. Moore & Son of
Concord, Massachusetts, in 1882, and was introduced by them in 1885.
Owing to Mr. Moore's death it soon passed into the hands of the T. S.
Hubbard Company, of Fredonia, New York. It at once attracted much
attention on account of its fine appearance and for a time was very
popular, its popularity declining chiefly because of the poor quality of
the fruit.
Vine vigorous, healthy, hardy, usually productive. Canes
intermediate in length and number, thick to medium, light brown
changing to darker brown at the nodes, covered with a small amount
of blue bloom; nodes enlarged, slightly flattened; internodes short
to medium; diaphragm of average thickness; pith large to medium;
shoots pubescent; tendrils continuous, rather long, bifid to
trifid.
Leaf-buds medium to below in size, short, of nearly mean thickness,
conical to pointed, open in mid-season. Young leaves lightly tinged
on under side and along margin of upper side with carmine. Leaves
healthy, large, often roundish, thick; upper surface dark green, of
average smoothness; lower surface tinged with bronze, heavily
pubescent; veins distinct; lobes three when present, with terminal
lobe acute; petiolar sinus medium to shallow, rather wide; basal
sinus usually lacking; lateral sinus shallow, narrow, often
notched; teeth shallow to medium, not very wide. Flowers partly
fertile to somewhat sterile, open early; stamens upright.
Fruit ripens slightly before Concord, keeps and ships only fairly
well. Clusters large to medium, short to above medium, often very
broad, blunt, slightly tapering, usually single-shouldered but
sometimes double-shouldered, compact to medium; peduncle short to
medium, thick; pedicel medium to rather long, thick, nearly smooth,
wide at point of attachment to berry; brush slender, pale green.
Berries rather uniform in size, averaging large, roundish, black,
not glossy, covered with heavy blue bloom, persistent, firm. Skin
intermediate in thickness, rather tough, adheres considerably to
the pulp, contains much purplish-red pigment, slightly astringent.
Flesh greenish, translucent, juicy, rather tough, slightly stringy
and foxy, nearly sweet at skin but quite acid at center, fair in
quality, ranking below Concord. Seeds rather adherent, one to four
in number, average two or three, above mean size, inclined to
broad, notched, intermediate in length, plump, somewhat blunt,
light brown; raphe buried in a rather wide, shallow groove; chalaza
nearly large, slightly above center, irregularly circular to oval,
obscure.
(I) ECLIPSE.
(Labrusca.)
=1.= _Ill. Hort. Soc. Rpt._, =1899=:216. =2.= _Ib._, =1904=:228.
=3.= _Rural N. Y._, =65=:852. 1906. =4.= _Ib._, =66=:24, 344, 412.
1907.
RIEHL'S NEW EARLY GRAPE (3). RIEHL'S NO. 10 (1, 2). _Riehl's No.
10_ (4).
There are two grapes bearing the name Eclipse, the origin and history of
both of which are briefly set forth below. Of the two, Riehl's Eclipse
alone is deemed worthy of general discussion, the other, a green variety
of this name, having passed out of cultivation if it were ever grown in
New York.
[Illustration: ECLIPSE]
The grape under consideration, known for some years as _Riehl's No. 10_,
is a comparatively new candidate for pomological honors, not having been
named and introduced as Eclipse until 1906. It has not been grown
largely in New York and the East and we can therefore say but little of
it other than to describe it as it grows on the Station grounds and to
state that in the West, Illinois in particular, it is most highly
recommended. At Geneva the Eclipse is very like the Concord, one of its
grandparents, it being a seedling of Niagara, differing chiefly in being
earlier and of better quality. Bunches and berries are a little smaller
than Concord. The vines are hardy, healthy and productive, promising
well for commercial plantations. In Illinois it is said to hang on the
vines long after it is ripe without deterioration and not to crack in
wet weather. The color-plate and the description given below show the
Eclipse as it grows at this Station and if the grape-grower wishes a
variety answering to the general characters so depicted, the Eclipse is
certainly worthy a trial in New York.
E. A. Riehl of Alton, Illinois, is the originator of Eclipse, the date
of its origin being about 1890. He states that this is one of the
seedlings from a lot of Niagara seed which was probably cross-pollinated
by other varieties. The variety was introduced in 1906 by the Stark
Brothers Nurseries and Orchards Company, Louisiana, Missouri.
Vine vigorous, hardy, productive. Canes medium to above in length
and number, intermediate in size, rather dark reddish-brown; nodes
slightly enlarged; internodes of average length; diaphragm thick;
pith large to medium; shoots pubescent; tendrils continuous,
somewhat long, bifid.
Leaf-buds medium to nearly small, short, inclined to slender,
pointed to conical, open in mid-season. Young leaves colored on
lower side only, prevailing color pale green with slight
rose-carmine tinge. Leaves medium to large, of average thickness;
upper surface dark green, intermediate in smoothness; lower surface
whitish with slight bronze tinge, heavily pubescent, veins well
defined; lobes none to three with terminal lobe acute to acuminate;
petiolar sinus deep, medium to narrow; basal sinus usually lacking;
lateral sinus of average depth, rather narrow, often notched; teeth
medium to shallow, nearly narrow. Flowers sterile, open in
mid-season; stamens reflexed.
Fruit ripens slightly earlier than Concord, keeps fairly well.
Clusters intermediate in size, below average length, medium to
rather broad, tapering to cylindrical, frequently
single-shouldered, moderately compact; peduncle nearly short, thick
to medium; pedicel short, somewhat thick, covered with numerous
small warts; brush long, pale green. Berries large to medium,
slightly oval, rather dull black, covered with abundant blue bloom,
persistent, firm. Skin intermediate in thickness, tender, adheres
but slightly to the pulp, contains a small amount of wine-colored
pigment, somewhat astringent. Flesh pale green, translucent, juicy,
tender, rather fine-grained, foxy, sweet next the skin to agreeably
tart at center, resembles Concord very closely in flavor, good in
quality. Seeds separate very easily from the pulp, one to four,
average two or three, of mean size, somewhat short, broad to
medium, distinctly notched, rather blunt, brownish; raphe buried in
a deep groove; chalaza of average size, slightly above center to
nearly central, circular to nearly pear-shaped, distinct.
(II) ECLIPSE.
(Labrusca, Vinifera.)
=1.= _Mo. Hort. Soc. Rpt._, =1889=:372. =2.= _Ib._, =1892=:269.
=3.= _Bush. Cat._, =1894=:123. =4.= _Va. Sta. Bul._, =94=:139.
1898. =5.= _Mo. Sta. Bul._, =46=:39. 1899.
This Eclipse was produced by John Burr of Leavenworth, Kansas, about
1880, from mixed seed. It attracted some attention in the Middle West,
where the fruit was exhibited at various meetings but failed to attain
favor in the vineyard. It is now practically obsolete.
Vine vigorous, injured in severe winters, variable in
productiveness, somewhat susceptible to mildew. Canes long to
medium, of average number, thick; internodes long; tendrils
continuous to intermittent, bifid to sometimes trifid. Leaves not
healthy, large to medium, of average greenness; lower surface
grayish-white. Flowers partly sterile; stamens upright. Fruit
ripens a little later than Diamond, keeps well. Clusters medium to
small, of average length, frequently single-shouldered, medium to
broad, compact to medium. Berries large to medium, roundish to
oblate, light green often with tinge of yellow, covered with thin
gray bloom, persistent. Skin thin, of average toughness, covered
with scattering, small, reddish-brown dots. Flesh tender, vinous,
sprightly, less sweet than Niagara, good to very good in quality.
Seeds separate easily from the pulp, one to four, average three,
above medium in size, intermediate in length and width; raphe
obscure.
ELDORADO.
(Labrusca, Vinifera.)
=1.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt._, =1881=:33. =2.= _Rural N. Y._, =45=:622.
1886. =3.= _Ib._, =51=:681, 726. 1892. =4.= _N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt._,
=11=:621. 1892. =5.= _Bush. Cat._, =1894=:123. =6.= _Col Sta.
Bul._, =29=:22. 1894. =7.= _Rural N. Y._, =56=:822. 1897. =8.= _N.
Y. Sta. An. Rpt._, =17=:530, 541, 544, 548, 554. 1898. =9.= _Ib._,
=18=:375, 387, 396. 1899. =10.= _Ill. Hort. Soc. Rpt._, =1902=:224.
Eldorado is one of the best flavored of all early green grapes but
unfortunately it has defects which have kept it from becoming popular
and it is now rapidly passing from cultivation. It is delicately
flavored, with a very distinct aroma and taste; the flesh is tender,
melting and sweet from skin to seeds, all qualities rarely found in an
early grape. The season is about that of Moore Early, a time when there
are few other really good white grapes. Eldorado is a full sister of
Lady Washington and is if anything better flavored than that most
excellent variety. These two grapes are secondary hybrids of Labrusca
and Vinifera, Concord being the native parent. The vines inherit most of
the good qualities of Concord but Eldorado does not inherit Concord's
ability to set fruit well; even with cross-pollination it sometimes
fails to bear and is not worth growing unless planted in a mixed
vineyard. The clusters are so often small and straggling under the best
possible conditions that the variety cannot be highly recommended to the
amateur yet its delightful flavor and its earliness may commend it to
some.
J. H. Ricketts of Newburgh, New York, produced Eldorado some time about
1870 from seed of Concord fertilized by Allen's Hybrid. It was
introduced by the originator about 1881 and is still offered for sale by
a few nurserymen. Eldorado has been somewhat commonly grown in gardens
and collections in the East but does not succeed in the West.
Vine usually a strong grower, hardy except in severe winters, an
uncertain bearer. Canes long, not very numerous; tendrils
intermittent to rarely continuous, bifid to trifid. Leaves below
medium to large, irregularly roundish, dark green, rugose on older
leaves; lower surface tinged with bronze, pubescent. Flowers
sterile, open medium late; stamens reflexed. Fruit ripens earlier
than Concord, keeps well. Clusters do not always set perfectly and
are quite variable in size, frequently single-shouldered, not
uniform in compactness. Berries large to medium, roundish,
yellowish-green changing to a golden yellow, covered with thin gray
bloom. Flesh tender, slightly foxy, sweet from skin to center,
mild, high flavored, good to very good in quality. Seeds
intermediate in size and length, blunt.
ELSINBURGH.
(Vinifera, Aestivalis.)
=1.= _Amer. Farmer_, =9=:221. 1827. =2.= Prince, =1830=:176. =3.=
Downing, =1845=:255. =4.= Elliott, =1854=:245. =5.=
_Horticulturist_, =12=:458. 1857. =6.= Phin, =1862=:254. =7.= _Am.
Pom. Soc. Cat._, =1862=:90. =8.= Husmann, =1866=:120. =9.= _Am.
Pom. Soc. Rpt._, =1881=:38. =10.= _Bush. Cat._, =1883=:94. =11.=
_N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt._, =13=:603. 1894. =12.= _Ib._, =17=:530, 548,
554. 1898.
_Blue Elsingburg_ (2). _Elsenburgh_ (2). _Elsinboro_ (4, 10, 11).
ELSINGBURG (7). _Elsinburg_ (6). ELSINBOROUGH (6). _Elsinborough_
(2, 3, 4). _Missouri Bird's Eye_ (8). _Smart's Elsinburgh_ (3, 4).
_Smart's Elsingborough_ (2, 10, 11).
Elsinburgh dates back nearly a century and is now rarely cultivated,
having long since been replaced by better varieties. It is certainly not
known in New York now and it is doubtful if it was ever much grown as it
fruits very sparingly in the North and is but half hardy in the latitude
of this State. In quality it is one of the best of the Aestivalis
grapes, having a pure, rich, vinous, spicy flavor without a trace of
foxiness. It would undoubtedly add variety to any amateur's vineyard
and might prove of value in grape-breeding, otherwise it is not worth
growing; it undoubtedly makes a very good red wine.
The origin of Elsinburgh is very uncertain. It was named after the
township, Elsinborough, Salem County, New Jersey. In this neighborhood
it was much raised at an early day. From here it was sent to various
parts of the country. Whether it originated in this section or whether
it was introduced at a still earlier date from elsewhere is unknown. It
was brought into notice by a Dr. Hulings. Although Elsinburgh has long
since ceased to be of importance, it is still offered for sale by an
occasional nurseryman. It was placed on the grape list in the American
Pomological Society fruit catalog in 1862 and removed in 1891.
Elsinburgh is of especial interest as being the probable parent of
Delaware. The variety shows Bourquiniana or Aestivalis in flavor and
texture of fruit, in texture and pubescence of leaf, and the bloom on
young canes; its tenderness and susceptibility to mildew suggest
Vinifera.
Vine weak to moderately vigorous, not very hardy, produces light
crops. Canes short to medium, slender, covered with thin blue
bloom; tendrils intermittent, bifid to trifid. Leaves small to
medium, variable in color; lower surface hairy and slightly
pubescent. Flowers nearly fertile, open very late; stamens upright.
Fruit ripens early in October. Clusters medium to large, usually
single-shouldered, loose to medium. Berries small, roundish, black,
covered with blue bloom, contain but little pulp. Flesh vinous,
sweet, quality good. Seeds few, small.
ELVICAND.
(Candicans, Riparia, Labrusca.)
=1.= _An. Hort._, =1892=:176. =2.= _Bush. Cat._, =1894=:123. =3.=
_Am. Pom. Soc. Cat._, =1897=:19. =4.= _Tex. Sta. Bul._, =48=:1149,
1156. 1898. =5.= _Ib._, =56=:276. 1900.
Introduced some twenty years ago, Elvicand has not found a place in the
viticulture of the North. It is interesting because of its parentage,
having in it the blood of three species: Riparia, Labrusca and
Candicans, and might prove valuable in breeding work, as starting a new
and somewhat distinct group of grapes. There has been much complaint of
this variety being unproductive but Munson states that this is due to
short pruning and that it will bear heavily with very long pruning. It
is too late in season for New York.
The variety was originated by T. V. Munson of Denison, Texas, from seed
of Elvira accidentally fertilized by pollen of _Vitis candicans_. It was
introduced by the originator in 1893, and was placed on the grape list
in the American Pomological Society fruit catalog in 1897, where it has
since been retained. It was dropped from the originator's catalog eight
years ago.
Vine vigorous and hardy. Shoots and under side of leaves showing
much white cottony pubescence. Leaves large to medium, shallowly
three-lobed. Flowers self-fertile. Clusters small, rather open.
Berries of medium size, round, dark purple, somewhat sweet to
subacid with slight Candicans flavor. Seeds large. Season late. Not
a table grape.
ELVIRA.
(Riparia, Labrusca.)
=1.= _Mo. Hort. Soc. Rpt._, =1873=:53. =2.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt._,
=1875=:40, 67. =3.= _Mass. Hort. Soc. Rpt._, =1880=:237. =4.= _Am.
Pom. Soc. Rpt._, =1881=:38. =5.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Cat._, =1881=:24.
=6.= _Ill. Hort. Soc. Rpt._, =1883=:75. =7.= _Bush. Cat._,
=1883=:97. _col. pl. and fig._ =8.= Husmann, =1895=:83, 93, 175.
=9.= _N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt._, =17=:530, 548, 555, 559. 1898. =10.=
_Tex. Sta. Bul._, =56=:270. 1900. =11.= _Mo. Hort. Soc. Rpt._,
=1902=:82. =12.= _Ib._, =1906=:65, 66, 67.
Though it has never attained great popularity in New York or in the
North, Elvira, soon after its introduction in Missouri about thirty-five
years ago, was carried to the very pinnacle of popularity as a wine
grape. The qualities which commended it were its great productiveness,
in which character it is hardly surpassed in favorable locations by any
other of our native grapes; its earliness, ripening in the North with
Concord; its exceedingly good health, being almost free from cryptogamic
diseases and having almost no touch of black-rot in the average season
even in the Southwest; its great vigor as shown by a strong stocky
growth and ample foliage; and, lastly, almost perfect hardiness even as
far north as Canada. Its good qualities are offset by one or two defects
which have caused it to lose in popularity as time has gone by until now
it is not as widely grown as some of its seedlings. The most noticeable
of its defects is its thin skin which bursts easily, thus wholly
debarring it from distant markets. Beside this, its flavor and
appearance, as it grows here, are not sufficiently good to make it a
table grape and it can be used only for wine for which purpose it is
much valued, though its habit of cracking in the bunch is sometimes much
against it as a wine grape. The wine made from Elvira is light,
containing comparatively little alcohol, and by those wine-makers who do
not dislike a slight foxiness in flavor, it is considered very good,
improving with age and being well adapted for blending with more highly
flavored wines.
At the beginning of the reconstruction period in France, Elvira was used
more or less as a resistant stock and somewhat as a direct producer but
within a few years it was condemned and abandoned for either purpose and
is now known in France[187] only in varietal vineyards.
Elvira is a seedling of Taylor, a Riparia-Labrusca hybrid, and shows
well the peculiarities and general characters of the group of which
Taylor is supposed to be the parent. Of the numerous hybrid Riparia
grapes, Elvira seems to have given the best coign of vantage for
breeding work and is the parent of a number of worthy pure-bred and
cross-bred varieties. While it is to the species to which Elvira belongs
that we must look for our hardiest grapes, this variety and most of its
progeny are not suited to northern conditions, not because of tenderness
to cold, but because they must have a long season for maturity and to
attain their best quality. Riparia is largely used as a resistant stock
in combating phylloxera, and Elvira and other similar hybrid offspring
are almost proof against this pest.
Elvira was originated by Jacob Rommel of Morrison, Missouri, from seed
of Taylor which some say was pollinated by Martha. It was planted in
1863 and fruited for the first time in 1869. Bush & Son & Meissner
introduced the variety in 1874. It was placed on the grape list of the
American Pomological Society fruit catalog in 1881 where it is still
retained. Its great popularity in Missouri was largely due to the energy
with which it was advertised by certain prominent viticulturists, they
having been most favorably impressed with it because of its withstanding
the severe cold of the winter of 1873 without protection. Husmann, in
particular, spoke of Elvira in the highest terms and recommended its
cultivation. Its popularity spread from Missouri to the islands and the
Ohio shore of Lake Erie but scarcely reached New York. In all of these
regions its culture is now on the wane.
[Illustration: ELVIRA]
Vine vigorous, hardy, healthy, produces very heavy crops, more
productive than Concord. Canes of average length, numerous, medium
to below in thickness, rather dark brown, deepening in color at the
enlarged and flattened nodes; internodes short to medium;
diaphragm rather thin; pith intermediate in thickness; shoots
slightly pubescent; tendrils continuous, of average length, trifid
to bifid.
Leaf-buds nearly medium in size, short to medium in length, thick,
conical to nearly obtuse, open in mid-season. Young leaves tinged
faintly with carmine on the lower side only. Leaves rather large,
medium to somewhat thin; upper surface light green, older leaves
dull but younger leaves glossy, smooth to medium; lower surface
pale green, slightly pubescent, hairy. Veins rather distinct; lobes
none to three with terminus acute to acuminate; petiolar sinus deep
to medium, inclined to narrow, sometimes closed and overlapping;
basal sinus usually lacking; lateral sinus shallow, often notched;
teeth medium to rather deep, somewhat wide. Flowers fertile or
nearly so, open moderately early; stamens upright.
Fruit ripens about with Concord, does not keep well. Clusters
intermediate in size, above medium to short, of average breadth,
cylindrical, usually single-shouldered, compact; peduncle short to
medium, rather thick; pedicel not long, of average thickness,
nearly smooth; brush short, greenish-yellow with brownish tinge.
Berries average medium in size, roundish to slightly oblate, often
misshapen on account of compactness, greenish with yellow tinge,
rather dull, covered with a fair amount of gray bloom, not always
persistent, rather firm. Skin very thin, tender, adheres slightly
to the pulp, contains no pigment, somewhat astringent. Flesh
greenish, juicy, fine-grained, tender, slightly foxy, sweet, not
acid at the center, somewhat flat in flavor, of fair quality. Seeds
separate easily from the pulp, one to four, average three, medium
to nearly large, medium to broad, intermediate in length, blunt,
often plump, medium to dark brown; raphe obscure or nearly so;
chalaza of average size, slightly above center, pear-shaped, rather
distinct. Must 88°.
EMPIRE STATE.
(Riparia, Labrusca, Vinifera?)
=1.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt._, =1881=:66. =2.= _Mass. Hort. Soc. Rpt._,
=1882=:227. =3.= _Ohio Hort. Soc. Rpt._, =1882=:46. =4.= _Bush.
Cat._, =1883=:99. =5.= _Gar. Mon._, =26=:272, 364. 1884. =6.= _W.
N. Y. Hort. Soc. Rpt._, =31=:110. 1886. =7.= _Rural N. Y._,
=46=:20, 495. 1887. =8.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt._, =1887=:97, 125. =9.=
_Ohio Hort. Soc. Rpt._, =1887-8=:85, 169. =10.= _Mo. Hort. Soc.
Rpt._, =1889=:370. =11.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Cat._, =1889=:24. =12.= _N.
Y. Sta. An. Rpt._, =13=:603. 1894. =13.= _Bush. Cat._, =1894=:125.
=14.= _Col. Sta. Bul._, =29=:22. 1894. =15.= _Ohio Hort. Soc.
Rpt._, =1894-5=:11. =16.= _Tenn. Sta. Bul._, Vol. =9=:180. 1896.
=17.= _N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt._, =17=:530, 541, 544, 548, 552. 1898.
Empire State competes with Niagara, Diamond and Pocklington for
supremacy among green grapes in commercial vineyards, probably taking
fourth place the country over. The variety is equally vigorous in
growth, just as free from predaceous parasites, whether fungi or
insects, and upon vines of the same age it is as productive but is a
little less hardy and the grapes are not as attractive in appearance as
the other varieties named. In particular the clusters are small in some
localities, a defect which can be overcome only by severe pruning or by
thinning. The quality is very good, much better than Niagara, somewhat
better than Pocklington and nearly as good as Diamond. It approaches the
flavor of the Old World grapes, its slight wild taste suggesting one of
the Muscats rather than the foxiness of the Niagara. Empire State is
esteemed for the table wherever known and is in demand for wine-making,
the wine from it being most excellent for champagne according to reports
from the Keuka champagne-makers. Empire State ripens a little earlier
than Niagara, hangs long upon the vine and keeps well after picking and
without losing flavor. The variety is quite distinct in its
horticultural as well as its botanical characters.
This somewhat remarkable white grape was originated by James H. Ricketts
of Newburgh, New York. The variety was fruited for the first time in
1879. The originator says that it came from seed of Hartford pollinated
by Clinton but this parentage has been questioned by many viticulturists
as it does not show characters of either of the reputed parents. A very
general supposition is that the variety is a hybrid between Clinton and
some variety of Vinifera, the characters of the fruit in particular
indicating such breeding. Empire State was bought from the originator by
George A. Stone of Rochester for $4,000, a record price for an American
grape. It was introduced about 1884 and was placed on the grape list of
the American Pomological Society fruit catalog in 1889, where it still
remains.
Vine a fair to good grower, usually healthy, in some locations
appears somewhat tender, moderately productive to productive. Canes
short, medium to few, nearly slender, brownish; nodes slightly
enlarged, not flattened; internodes short to medium; diaphragm of
average thickness; pith of medium size; shoots pubescent; tendrils
intermittent, intermediate in length, bifid.
Leaf-buds small to medium, of average length, rather slender,
pointed to conical, open moderately late. Young leaves tinged with
faint trace of red on under side, prevailing color greenish. Leaves
small to medium, of fair thickness; upper surface light green,
slightly glossy, smooth to somewhat rugose; lower surface tinged
with bronze, heavily pubescent; veins distinct; lobes three to five
when present, with terminal lobe acuminate; petiolar sinus medium
to deep, narrow, often closed and overlapping; basal sinus variable
in depth and width; lateral sinus deep, narrow to medium, often
distinctly enlarged at base; teeth medium to deep, above average
width. Flowers fertile, open moderately late; stamens upright.
[Illustration: EMPIRE STATE]
Fruit somewhat variable in season of ripening averaging a few days
earlier than Niagara, keeps well. Clusters large to below medium,
long, rather slender, cylindrical to slightly tapering, frequently
single-shouldered, medium to compact; peduncle variable, often
characteristically long, rather thick; pedicel not uniform in
length, slender, covered with numerous small warts; brush short,
light green. Berries variable in size averaging medium to below,
inclined to roundish, pale yellowish-green, covered with some gray
bloom, persistent, moderately firm. Skin medium to thick, variable
in toughness, adheres but slightly to the pulp, contains no
pigment, with slight astringency. Flesh pale yellowish-green,
translucent, very juicy, fine-grained, rather tender, sweet next
the skin but somewhat acid at center, agreeably flavored, good to
very good in quality. Seeds adhere slightly to the pulp, one to
four, average two, small, broad, notched, rather short, blunt,
plump, brownish; raphe obscure; chalaza small, roundish to ovate,
slightly above center, distinct.
ESSEX.
(Labrusca, Vinifera.)
=1.= _U. S. D. A. Rpt._, =1864=:127, 136. =2.= _Mass. Hort. Soc.
Rpt._, =1865=:40. =3.= Strong, =1866=:341. =4.= _Am. Jour. Hort._,
=3=:146. 1868. =5.= _Horticulturist_, =24=:126. 1869. =6.= _Am.
Pom. Soc. Cat._, =1869=:42. =7.= _Grape Cult._, =1=:181. 1869. =8.=
_Ill. Sta. Bul._, =28=:254. 1893. =9.= _N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt._,
=17=:530, 548, 555. 1898.
ROGERS' NO. 41 (1, 2, 3, 4). _Rogers' No. 41_ (5, 6, 7).
When well grown Essex is so similar to Barry, Wilder and Herbert, all
being Rogers' hybrids, that it is doubtful if it is worth cultivation
more especially as it is not as easily grown as the above sorts. Its
fruit is almost identical with Barry, though the bunches do not equal
that variety in size, but the vine is not as desirable, being only
half-hardy, not productive, with sterile flowers and not setting fruit
well even in mixed vineyards.
For an account of the origin and parentage of Essex see "Rogers'
Hybrids." Essex, then known as _Rogers' No. 41_, is first mentioned
separately from the other hybrids about 1865. There appears to have been
some confusion in the numbers, as some of the early describers speak of
the grape as red, others black. The name Essex was given by Mr. Rogers
in 1869, in honor of Essex County, Massachusetts. The same year it was
placed on the grape list of the American Pomological Society fruit
catalog, where it was retained until 1895, when it was dropped. It is
still to be found in many varietal vineyards but is now offered for sale
by but few nurserymen.
Vine vigorous, not always hardy, produces good crops. Canes
vigorous, intermediate in number and thickness; tendrils continuous
to intermittent, trifid to bifid. Leaves medium to above in size,
irregularly roundish; lower surface thinly pubescent. Flowers
sterile or nearly so, open in mid-season or slightly later; stamens
reflexed. Fruit ripens about with Concord or slightly later, an
excellent keeper, in good condition some seasons until February.
Clusters medium to nearly large, broad with a rather small, short,
single shoulder, usually compact. Berries large to above medium,
roundish to oval, frequently compressed, dark purplish-black,
covered with abundant blue bloom, not firm. Flesh moderately tender
and soft, vinous, sweet next the skin to acid at center, agreeable
in flavor, good to very good in quality. Seeds large, long, often
with enlarged neck; chalaza small, frequently with shallow,
radiating furrows, strongly above center.
ESTER.
(Labrusca.)
=1.= _An. Hort._, =1889=:101. =2.= _Rural N. Y._, =51=:686, 863.
1892. =3.= _Bush. Cat._, =1894=:125. =4.= _N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt._,
=14=:279. 1895. =5.= _Ib._, =17=:530, 548, 555. 1898. =6.= _Mich.
Sta. Bul._, =194=:57. 1901. =7.= _Kan. Sta. Bul._, =110=:239. 1902.
Ester is a white seedling of Concord, whether pure-bred or cross-bred is
not known, which resembles its parent in vine and in flavor of fruit. It
has several defects which make it less valuable than many other better
known white grapes and is therefore not recommended for New York. Its
defects appear in the description given below.
The variety was originated by E. W. Bull of Concord, Massachusetts, from
seed of Concord. It was introduced by George S. Josselyn of Fredonia,
New York, in 1889. Bull named this variety in honor of his mother who
spelled her name Ester, in the old New England way, and not "Esther" as
commonly found in grape literature.
Vine variable in vigor and productiveness, usually hardy. Canes
short to medium, slender, covered with considerable pubescence;
tendrils continuous, rarely intermittent, bifid to trifid. Leaves
small, light green; lower surface tinged with bronze, pubescent.
Flowers nearly fertile, open in mid-season; stamens upright. Fruit
ripens about with Concord, not a good keeper. Clusters medium to
above in size and compactness. Berries medium to large, roundish,
pale yellowish-white, covered with thin gray bloom, inclined to
drop considerably from pedicel. Skin covered with scattering brown
dots, thin, somewhat tender, inclined to crack. Flesh moderately
tender and vinous, sweet, variable in flavor and quality ranging
from fair to very good.
ETTA.
(Riparia, Labrusca.)
=1.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt._, =1881=:33. =2.= _Mo. Hort. Soc. Rpt._,
=1883=:43. =3.= _Bush. Cat._, =1883=:98. _fig._ =4.= _Kan. Hort.
Soc. Rpt._, =1890=:23, app. =5.= _N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt._, =10=:496.
1891. =6.= _Ill. Sta. Bul._, =28=:263. 1893. =7.= _Ark. Sta. Bul._,
=39=:30. 1896. =8.= _N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt._, =17=:530, 545, 547, 555,
559. 1898. =9.= _Tex. Sta. Bul._, =48=:1149, 1156. 1898. =10.=
_Mich. Sta. Bul._, =177=:44. 1899. =11.= _Ga. Sta. Bul._, =53=:43.
1901. =12.= _Kan. Sta. Bul._, =110=:244. 1902.
_Elvira Seedling No. 3_ (3). ROMMEL'S ETTA (4, 12). _Rommel's No.
3_ (1).
In appearance, taste and texture of flesh Etta is very similar to Elvira
of which it is a seedling. The small yellowish clusters which
characterize Elvira are almost exactly reproduced in Etta differing
chiefly in often having a shoulder quite as large as the main bunch
itself, and in having, for most palates, a better flavor, lacking the
slight foxiness of Elvira. The vine is very vigorous, hardy, and
productive to a fault. The fruit ripens late, at the time of Catawba,
and too late to make the variety of value for New York. Etta is not a
good table grape and, as with its parent, makes only a fair grade of
white wine but this can be produced in such quantity as to give the
variety value in producing a wine for blending with more highly flavored
products.
The tendency of Elvira to crack and overbear caused the originator of
that variety, Jacob Rommel of Morrison, Missouri, to try for a grape
without these faults and the result was Etta from seed of Elvira. It was
first exhibited in 1879 as _Elvira Seedling No. 3_ and was awarded the
premium as a seedling wine grape at the Mississippi Valley Horticultural
Society meeting in St. Louis in 1880. It has never become popular in the
East, probably on account of its late ripening. In Missouri Etta is
generally considered to be, all characters taken into account, a better
grape than Elvira, falling below it in but one particular, resistance to
black-rot.
Vine vigorous to very vigorous, hardy except in severe winters,
productive. Canes long, rather numerous, about average size, nearly
light to medium dark brown; tendrils continuous, bifid. Leaves
healthy, above medium to large, thickish; upper surface dark green,
slightly glossy, nearly smooth; lower surface pale green, somewhat
cobwebby; veins rather distinct. Flowers fertile or nearly so, open
medium early; stamens upright.
Fruit ripens late, two or three weeks after Concord, keeps fairly
well. Clusters medium to small, rather short and broad, irregularly
cylindrical, usually with a short, medium-sized single shoulder
but sometimes so heavily shouldered as to form a double bunch, very
compact. Berries medium to small, roundish to frequently compressed
on account of compactness of cluster, rather pale green, sometimes
with a faint yellow tinge, dull, covered with thin gray bloom,
shatter considerably when overripe, firm. Skin thin, tender,
contains no pigment. Flesh juicy, fine-grained, somewhat tough and
stringy, slightly foxy, neither rich nor high-flavored, sweet at
skin to tart at center, mild, intermediate in flavor and quality.
Seeds separate from the pulp quite easily, medium to above in size
and width, long to medium, somewhat plump and blunt, brownish;
raphe buried in a broad, shallow groove; chalaza of medium size,
oval, nearly central, moderately distinct.
EUMELAN.
(Labrusca, Vinifera, Aestivalis.)
=1.= _Rec. of Hort._, =1866=:38. =2.= Mead, =1867=:220. =3.=
Fuller, =1867=:241. =4.= _Am. Jour. Hort._, =8=:144, 299. 1870.
=5.= Barry, =1872=:418. =6.= _Mich. Pom. Soc. Rpt._, =1872=:543,
555. =7.= _Ill. Hort. Soc. Rpt._, =1875=:393. =8.= _Am. Pom. Soc.
Cat._, =1875=:24. =9.= _Bush. Cat._, =1883=:99. _fig._ =10.= _Wis.
Hort. Soc. Rpt._, =1885=:174. =11.= _W. N. Y. Hort. Soc. Rpt._,
=36=:43. 1891. =12.= _Va. Sta. Bul._, =94=:134. 1898. =13.= _N. Y.
Sta. An. Rpt._, =17=:530, 545, 546, 548, 549, 552. 1898. =14.=
_Tex. Sta. Bul._, =56=:271. 1900.
WASHINGTON (1). _Washington_ (3).
Eumelan was introduced about forty years ago, with the general opinion
among the leading viticulturists of the time that it was one of the best
black grapes that had been brought to the notice of grape-growers. It
seems now, as one studies its characters, to show an association of as
great a number of valuable good qualities and as few objectionable ones
as almost any other of our black grapes, yet the variety is now but
little grown. Briefly summarized, its good qualities are: Vines above
the average in vigor, hardiness and productiveness, remarkable for their
short-jointed wood; clusters and berries well-formed, of good size and
the latter a handsome black with fine bloom, making a very attractive
cluster of grapes; flesh tender, seemingly dissolving into wine-like
juice under slight pressure; the flavor is pure without a trace of
foxiness, rich, sweet, and vinous, making a very delicious and
refreshing fruit, though the large seeds are somewhat objectionable.
Eumelan makes a very good red wine. The season of ripening is such that
the variety may be called early, yet it keeps much better than most of
the other grapes maturing with it and becomes, therefore, a mid-season
and late grape as well as an early one. It neither cracks nor shells
badly, and ships very well.
[Illustration: EUMELAN]
It is more difficult to name its defects. So far as we can discover,
these are susceptibility to mildew, sterile flowers, and difficulty in
propagation. Unquestionably the latter character has greatly hindered
its culture, as the vines can be had only at extra expense and
nurserymen are loath to grow it at all. Eumelan can at least be
recommended to amateur growers and for the garden and it is well worth
further trial by grape-growers.
Eumelan is a chance seedling which grew from seed about 1847 in the yard
of a Mr. Thorne at Fishkill Landing, New York. About 1860 it fell into
the hands of Dr. C. W. Grant of Iona Island and was introduced by him in
1867. By some it is supposed to be a seedling of Isabella. Bush gives
the species as Aestivalis. Munson states, however, that he can see
nothing in it but Labrusca and Vinifera. Labrusca seems to be indicated
very plainly by the texture of the fruit and by the seeds, Vinifera
possibly by a general appearance of the vine difficult to define and
also by the tendency to mildew. Besides this, however, there are the
bluish bloom on shoots and canes, the pigment beneath the skin, the
spicy taste in the berries, and the difficulty of propagation from
cuttings, all of which are difficult to account for except by
recognizing the presence of Aestivalis or Bicolor blood.
Vine vigorous to medium, hardy, medium to productive, inclined to
mildew. Canes intermediate in length, numerous, of average
thickness, covered with considerable blue bloom; nodes enlarged,
flattened; internodes short to medium; diaphragm thick; pith about
medium size; shoots glabrous; tendrils intermittent, rather long,
trifid to bifid.
Leaf-buds large, long, rather thick, conspicuous, obtuse to
conical, open in mid-season. Young leaves heavily tinged on under
side and lightly tinged along margin of upper side with bright
carmine. Leaves medium to large, of average thickness; upper
surface rather dark green, glossy, smooth to medium; lower surface
pale green, not pubescent; veins distinct; lobes usually three in
number with terminal lobe acute to acuminate; petiolar sinus medium
to deep, variable in width; basal sinus usually lacking; lateral
sinus shallow to medium, rather narrow or often a mere notch; teeth
inclined to shallow, usually above medium in width. Flowers
sterile, open in mid-season; stamens reflexed.
Fruit ripens before mid-season, keeps frequently until late winter.
Clusters of average size, long to medium, rather slender, slightly
tapering to cylindrical, often with a long, loose, single shoulder,
variable in compactness; peduncle medium to long, of average size;
pedicel somewhat short, rather slender, covered with few small
warts, wide at point of attachment to fruit; brush short, stubby,
pale green. Berries medium in size, roundish to frequently
compressed, black, glossy, covered with abundant blue bloom,
persistent, firm. Skin intermediate in thickness, tough, rather
adherent to the pulp, contains a moderate amount of wine-colored
pigment, slightly astringent. Flesh somewhat dark green, juicy,
fine-grained, nearly tender, stringy, not foxy, rather spicy and
aromatic with Aestivalis flavor, sweet, ranks good or higher in
quality. Seeds adhere slightly to the pulp, one to four, average
three, above medium to large, rather wide, intermediate in length,
somewhat blunt, plump, brownish; raphe obscure; chalaza oval to
circular, slightly above center, rather distinct. Must 93°-100°.
(=I=) =EUREKA.=
(Labrusca.)
=1.= _Mag. Hort._, =27=:6. 1861. =2.= _Gar. Mon._, =6=:371. 1864. =3.=
_Mag. Hort._, =33=:205. 1867. =4.= _Am. Hort. An._, =1871=:80. =5.=
_Bush. Cat._, =1883=:98.
BOGUE'S EUREKA (2).
No good descriptions of this variety are extant, and it does not appear
to have been widely tested. Eureka resembles the Isabella very closely
in both fruit and vine. The fruit ripens about two weeks earlier, is
somewhat more tender in pulp, more compact in the bunch, and with the
vine of greater vigor.
Eureka was originated by S. Folsom of Attica, Wyoming County, New York,
some time in the fifties, and was introduced a few years later by Bogue
& Son, nurserymen, of Genesee County. It is said to be a seedling of
Isabella, resembling the parent very closely, except for being earlier
in ripening. It is now practically out of cultivation, and was never
superior to its reputed parent in desirable characters.
(=II=) =EUREKA.=
(Bourquiniana, Labrusca, Vinifera.)
=1.= _Mo. Hort. Soc. Rpt._, =1889=:372. =2.= _Ib._, =1890=:156. =3.=
_Ib._, =1891=:128. =4.= _Ib._, =1892=:268. =5.= _Am. Gard._, =13=:85.
1892. =6.= Husmann, =1895=:33.
The second variety to receive the name Eureka is said to be a seedling
of Delaware raised by Dr. Stayman some time about 1880. It does not
appear ever to have been disseminated except to a few of Dr. Stayman's
personal friends. It is very rare in varietal vineyards and hardly known
to nurserymen. The variety as it grows in New York is surpassed by its
parent in practically all desirable horticultural characters.
Vine a strong grower, usually rather tender, produces medium to
good crops. Canes long, numerous, slender; tendrils intermittent,
bifid to trifid. Leaves medium to above in size, variable in
color; lower surface pale green; pubescence often distributed in
flecks. Fruit ripens soon after Concord, does not keep well.
Clusters above medium to medium in size and length,
single-shouldered to sometimes double-shouldered, of average
compactness. Berries intermediate in size, roundish, attractive
dark red, covered with heavy lilac or slightly blue bloom, inclined
to shell somewhat from pedicel. Skin thin, rather tender, inclined
to crack. Flesh moderately juicy and tough, aromatic, nearly sweet
next the skin to acid at center, vinous, desirable in flavor, good
in quality. Seeds small to medium, of average width and length,
nearly sharp-pointed.
EXCELSIOR.
(Vinifera, Labrusca.)
=1.= _Mass. Hort. Soc. Rpt._, =1880=:237. =2.= _Bush. Cat._, =1883=:100.
=3.= _Miss. Sta. An. Rpt._, =3=:36. 1890. =4.= _Tex. Sta. Bul._,
=48=:1150, 1156. 1898.
According to the originator, James H. Ricketts, Excelsior was "the
finest grape in his collection." The grapes are delicious, having the
flavor of Black Hamburg; the flesh characters are good, the pulp being
melting and juicy yet holding together and having sugar enough to give
keeping quality; neither seeds nor skins are objectionable; the grapes
are handsome in appearance; but unfortunately the variety ripens too
late to make it of much value in New York. At best it is suitable only
for the amateur and, as with all of the varieties which Ricketts sent
out, it is adapted to few localities and must have the best care in all
respects.
Excelsior came from seed of Iona fertilized with pollen of some unknown
Vinifera. The variety was introduced in the autumn of 1882. Excelsior is
to-day rather rare in varietal vineyards and is apparently not offered
for sale by any nurserymen.
Vine moderately vigorous, not always hardy, medium to productive.
Canes long, numerous, rather thick; tendrils intermittent, bifid.
Leaves large to below medium, sometimes rugose; lower surface
pubescent. Fruit ripens later than Concord, keeps well. Clusters
unusually large, long, broad, frequently with a heavy double
shoulder, loose. Berries large to medium, oval to nearly roundish,
dark red covered with thin lilac bloom, very persistent, rather
soft. Skin thick, tough, adheres considerably to the pulp. Flesh
very juicy, rather soft, granular, sweet and sprightly, high in
flavor, good to best in quality, closely resembling Black Hamburg
in many characters. Seeds medium in size, rather blunt, sometimes
with a short enlarged neck.
FAITH.
(Riparia, Labrusca.)
=1.= _Ill. Hort. Soc. Rpt._, =1881=:164. =2.= _Bush. Cat._, =1883=:100.
=3.= _Mo. Hort. Soc. Rpt._, =1883=:43. =4.= _Rural N. Y._, =45=:622,
640. 1886. =5.= _Ind. Hort. Soc. Rpt._, =1889=:85. =6.= _N. Y. Sta. An.
Rpt._, =11=:623. 1892. =7.= _Ill. Sta. Bul._, =28=:263. 1893. =8.=
_Tenn. Sta. Bul._, Vol. =9=:180. 1896. =9.= _N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt._,
=17=:530, 548, 555. 1898.
Though spoken of as a desirable grape in many other regions Faith is of
little or no value in New York. It is very unattractive in appearance as
it grows in this State, both in cluster and in berry, the clusters being
small and variable and the berries small and of unattractive color. The
quality of the fruit is not high and there are many other white sorts
which surpass it as a table grape, more especially Diamond which ripens
at the same time. If it has any preeminently good character for this
region it is productiveness but this cannot offset its mediocre
characters. Another fault is that the blossoms put forth so early that
they often suffer from spring frosts.
Faith is of the same breeding and from the same originator, Jacob Rommel
of Morrison, Missouri, as Etta, both having come from seed of Elvira.
This seedling was introduced to the public about 1881 and though an
excellent grape it is hardly the equal of Etta and has never been able
to compete with that variety. It was named in honor of Jacob Faith, a
prominent Missouri viticulturist.
Vine medium to vigorous, hardy except in severe winters, usually
healthy, variable in productiveness. Canes long to medium,
numerous; tendrils continuous, bifid. Leaves large to medium, dark
green; lower surface grayish-green, thinly pubescent. Flowers
sterile to partly fertile, open medium early; stamens upright.
Fruit ripens about with Diamond or slightly earlier, does not keep
well. Clusters above medium to small, variable in length, usually
slender, often heavily single-shouldered, loose. Berries quite
small, roundish, dull green, frequently with yellow tinge changing
to pale amber, covered with abundant gray bloom, persistent, rather
soft. Flesh moderately juicy, nearly tender, agreeably flavored,
sweet next the skin to somewhat tart at center, fair to good in
quality. Seeds numerous, of average size, broad.
FERN MUNSON.
(Lincecumii, Vinifera, Labrusca.)
=1.= _N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt._, =11=:623. 1892. =2.= _Bush. Cat._,
=1894=:127. =3.= Husmann, =1895=:130. =4.= _Kan. Sta. Bul._,
=73=:182, 184. 1897. =5.= _Ill. Hort. Soc. Rpt._, =1897=:206. =6.=
_Va. Sta. Bul._, =94=:134. 1898. =7.= _Tex. Sta. Bul._, =48=:1150,
1157. 1898. =8.= _N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt._, =17=:530, 548, 555. 1898.
=9.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Cat._, =1899=:29. =10.= _Tex. Sta. Bul._,
=56=:277. 1900. =11.= _Kan. Sta. Bul._, =110=:247. 1902. =12.= _Mo.
Hort. Soc. Rpt._, =1904=:302, 305.
_Admirable_ (11). FERN (2, 5). _Fern Munson_ (2). _Hilgarde_ (4).
_Munson's No. 76_ (4).
Fern Munson is not adapted to northern regions, forty degrees north
latitude being its limit of adaptation according to Munson,[188] its
originator. Nevertheless when it has ripened in New York the fruit has
shown some very good characters, as attractive appearance, agreeable
quality, and unobjectionable seeds and skin. The vines are vigorous and
productive but the foliage is not remarkably healthy in the Station
vineyard though it has been very abundant.
This variety was originated by T. V. Munson of Denison, Texas, from seed
of Post-oak which has been variously stated to have been pollinated by
Triumph, mixed pollen of Triumph and Herbemont, and by Catawba. Which of
these is correct we cannot say. The seed was planted in 1885 and the
variety was introduced by the originator in 1893. It was placed on the
grape list of the American Pomological Society fruit catalog in 1899,
where it still remains. Dickens, of Kansas, states that this variety was
formerly disseminated under the name of Admirable but this appears to be
a mistake as Admirable is invariably given as having recurved stamens
while the stamens of Fern Munson are erect.
Vine vigorous, not always hardy, usually produces as good or
sometimes better crops than Concord. Canes long, medium or above in
number, medium to thick, rather dark brown with faint red tinge;
tendrils intermittent, bifid. Leaves large and thick; upper surface
rugose and often heavily wrinkled; lower surface dull, pale green
with slight bronze tinge, faintly pubescent; veins quite obscure.
Flowers semi-fertile, open very late; stamens upright.
Fruit ripens later than Concord, appears to keep well. Clusters
medium to large, not very long, variable in width, irregularly
tapering to rather cylindrical, usually single-shouldered, variable
in compactness, often with many abortive fruits. Berries medium to
large, roundish to slightly flattened, dark purplish-black, rather
glossy, covered with thin blue bloom, strongly persistent, firm.
Skin thin, tough, contains a small amount of wine-colored pigment,
rather astringent. Flesh juicy, tough and solid, becoming tender as
it reaches maturity, fine-grained, vinous, briskly sub-acid to
acid, ranking good in quality when properly ripened. Seeds adhere
somewhat to the pulp, medium in size, rather broad, of average
length; raphe shows as a small cord; chalaza central to slightly
above center, obscure.
FLORENCE.
(Labrusca, Vinifera, Bourquiniana?)
=1.= _Bush. Cat._, =1894=:127.
The fact that the Florence here described has been discarded by all
vineyardists is presumptive evidence that the variety has little
intrinsic value and this proves to be the case in New York. Neither
fruit nor vine characters are such that the Station can recommend it. It
is doubtful if the variety is longer worthy of preservation.
Florence is one of the productions of A. J. Caywood of Marlboro, New
York, from seed of Niagara pollinated by Dutchess. But little is known
of its time of origin or of its introduction. It is very rare in
varietal vineyards and not known to nurserymen.
Canes medium to above in length, often somewhat slender, slightly
roughened and pubescent; tendrils intermittent, bifid. Stamens
upright. Fruit ripens slightly earlier than Niagara, does not keep
well. Clusters above medium in size, rather long to medium,
sometimes slightly single-shouldered, loose. Berries large to above
medium, roundish, green often with tinge of yellow, covered with
thin gray bloom, nearly persistent. Flesh slightly tough and solid,
aromatic, agreeably sweet next the skin to rather tart at center,
good to very good in quality. Seeds few, intermediate in size and
length, plump.
GAERTNER.
(Vinifera, Labrusca.)
=1.= _U. S. D. A. Rpt._, =1863=:548. =2.= _Horticulturist_, =24=:126.
1869. =3.= _Am. Jour. Hort._, =5=:263. 1869. =4.= _Bush. Cat._,
=1894=:127. =5.= _Tenn. Sta. Bul._, Vol. =9=:180. 1896. =6.= _Va. Sta.
Bul._, =94=:137. 1898. =7.= _N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt._, =17=:530, 548, 555,
559. 1898.
ROGERS' NO. 14 (1). _Rogers' No. 14_ (2, 3, 4, 5).
When at its best Gaertner is probably surpassed in appearance and in
quality by no other one of Rogers' hybrids. Fruit and clusters are large
and handsomely colored making a showy grape which attracts attention
wherever shown and which sells in fancy fruit stores at the highest
price. The plant is vigorous, productive, and as hardy as any of the
primary hybrids between Labrusca and Vinifera. In view of its good
qualities Gaertner has not received the attention it deserves from
either the amateur or the commercial grape-grower, probably because it
is more capricious as to soils than some others of its related hybrids
and that to have it in perfection it must have the very best care. As a
market grape it has the faults of ripening somewhat unevenly and of
shipping rather poorly because of a thin tender skin. As with nearly all
of the hybrids of its kind it keeps well and this, with the desirable
qualities above noted, makes it a splendid grape for the home vineyard
where in favorable situations it may be expected to bear annual crops of
most excellent grapes. Gaertner is often compared with Massasoit, the
two varieties being very similar in fruit characters, but Gaertner is of
distinctly better quality than Massasoit.
Gaertner was originated by E. S. Rogers of Salem, Massachusetts, and the
early history of the variety will be found under "Rogers' Hybrids." It
was first mentioned separately from the other seedlings of Rogers about
1865 under the name _Rogers' No. 14_. In 1869, at the request of the
Lake Shore Grape Association, Rogers gave names to certain of his
productions which had previously been known by numbers only. One of the
varieties then named was Gaertner, in honor of the German botanist of
this name. It has never been as popular as some of the other Rogers'
hybrids and is to-day offered for sale by but few nurserymen.
Vine medium to vigorous, usually hardy except in severe winters,
produces fair to good crops. Canes rather long; intermediate in
number, medium to below in size, vary in color from dark
reddish-brown to ash-gray tinge, surface covered with thin blue
bloom; tendrils continuous, bifid to trifid. Leaves medium to above
in size, often rather roundish; upper surface moderately dark
green, intermediate in thickness; lower surface pale green,
pubescent; veins distinct. Flowers sterile, open moderately late;
stamens reflexed.
Fruit ripens about with Concord, matures unevenly, keeps only
fairly well. Clusters above medium to medium in size, short to
medium, cylindrical to slightly tapering, usually with a fair-sized
single shoulder but sometimes double-shouldered, rather loose, with
many abortive fruits. Berries large to below medium, roundish to
sometimes slightly oval, light to dark red, rather glossy, covered
with a moderate amount of lilac bloom, persistent, intermediate in
firmness. Skin medium to thin, inclined to tender, contains no
pigment. Flesh very pale green, juicy, fine-grained, somewhat
tough, slightly stringy, agreeably vinous, sweet at skin to tart at
center, good to very good in quality. Seeds separate from the pulp
rather easily, large to above medium, intermediate in length, broad
to medium, distinctly notched, sometimes with a very short enlarged
neck, brownish; raphe obscured in a deep groove; chalaza of average
size, above center to nearly central, oval to roundish, somewhat
obscure.
GENEVA.
(Vinifera, Labrusca.)
=1.= _An. Hort._, =1889=:101. =2.= _Rural N. Y._, =48=:49, 50, _fig._,
165. 1889. =3.= _W. N. Y. Hort. Soc. Rpt._, =35=:180. 1890. =4.= _N. Y.
Sta. An. Rpt._, =9=:330. 1890. =5.= _Rural N. Y._, =50=:691. 1891. =6.=
_Ib._, =51=:607, 655. 1892. =7.= _N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt._, =11=:623. 1892.
=8.= _Rural N. Y._, =52=:71, 122, 655. 1893. =9.= _Bush. Cat._,
=1894=:128. =10.= _N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt._, =17=:530, 548, 555. 1898. =11.=
_Mich. Sta. Bul._, =169=:170. 1899.
Jacob Moore's Geneva is another secondary hybrid between Labrusca and
Vinifera in which the Labrusca blood predominates. In quality it is
somewhat below any of the other grapes put out by Moore and is surpassed
by so many other grapes of its season that it has never become popular
though it has much to recommend it. Thus it is vigorous, though not
quite hardy, only fairly productive, with ample foliage which is very
healthy. The berries and clusters are attractive. The color is more
nearly transparent than any other of our grapes and there is so little
bloom that the grapes are a beautiful lustrous green often becoming
iridescent in sunlight. It is pure in flavor but somewhat insipid. The
berries cling well to the stem and the fruit keeps exceptionally well.
Geneva was originated by Jacob Moore, Brighton, Monroe County, New York,
from seed planted in 1874 of a hybrid vine fertilized by Iona. The
maternal vine was from seed of a wild Labrusca fertilized with Muscat
Alexandria. The variety was introduced by the R. G. Chase Company, of
Geneva. It is still quite commonly found in varietal vineyards and is
listed by a few grape nurserymen. Geneva seems to have succeeded
somewhat better to the south of New York and is notably better in
quality when grown in lower latitudes.
Vine moderately vigorous to vigorous, not very hardy, healthy,
produces smaller crops than Concord. Canes intermediate in length
and number, covered with slight blue bloom; tendrils intermittent
to continuous, bifid to trifid. Leaves medium in size, light
green; lower surface grayish-white, pubescent. Flowers nearly
sterile to partly fertile, open medium late; stamens upright. Fruit
ripens soon after Niagara, ships well and keeps into the winter.
Clusters medium to above in size, of average width, often blunt at
ends, usually not shouldered, intermediate in compactness, with
many abortive fruits. Berries medium to large, slightly oval or
obovate, dull green changing to a faint yellow tinge, covered with
thin gray bloom. Flesh pale green, tender and soft, vinous, nearly
sweet at skin to tart at center, fair to good in quality but not
equal to some other white grapes of the same season. Seeds
intermediate in size and length.
GLENFELD.[189]
(Labrusca.)
=1.= _N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt._, =11=:624. 1892. =2.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Cat._,
=1897=:19. =3.= _N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt._, =17=:530, 548, 555. 1898.
Grown in the Station vineyard since 1889, Glenfeld has made a somewhat
favorable impression because of its excellent quality but it seems not
to have been well received throughout the State and it is doubtful if it
has more than a local reputation about the place of its origin. It is
equaled or surpassed, however, by many other varieties of its season in
vine characters and there is therefore little need that it should be
longer perpetuated, though it may be worthy a place in the garden.
Glenfeld was found on the place of George J. Magee of Watkins, New York.
Mr. Magee reports that the vine was on the place when he purchased it
and the former owner knew nothing of it. The variety was locally
supposed to be a seedling of Concord. It was sent to this Station for
testing in 1889. For some reason it was placed upon the grape list of
the American Pomological Society fruit catalog for 1897. Such action was
hardly justified, as the variety had never been tested except in one or
two neighborhoods, and it was taken off at the next meeting.