Manual of American Grape-Growing Part 44

_Jordan, Moyer's Early Red_

Moyer is almost a counterpart of its parent, Delaware. Were it not that the variety is from one to two weeks earlier than Delaware, and somewhat hardier, hence better adapted for cold regions, it could have no place in viticulture. Compared with Delaware, the vine is hardly as vigorous and is less productive, but is freer from rot and mildew. The bunches are much like those of Delaware but have the fault of setting fruit imperfectly even when cross-pollination is a.s.sured; the berries are a little larger, of much the same color and of like flavor, rich, sweet, with pure vinousness and without a trace of foxiness. The fruit keeps well, ships well and does not crack nor sh.e.l.l. Moyer is well established in Canada, proving perfectly hardy wherever Concord is grown, possibly standing even more cold. W. H. Read, Port Dalhousie, Ontario, raised the original vine of Moyer, about 1880, from seed of Delaware fertilized by Miller's Burgundy.

Vine vigorous, hardy, healthy, unproductive. Canes numerous, slender, dull, dark reddish-brown; nodes enlarged, flattened; internodes short; tendrils continuous, long, bifid or trifid.

Leaves small; upper surface dark green, dull, smooth; lower surface pale green or with faint blue tinge, heavily p.u.b.escent; lobes two to five with terminus acute; petiolar sinus shallow; basal sinus shallow when present; lateral sinus shallow, narrow; teeth very shallow, narrow. Flowers self-sterile, open early; stamens reflexed.

Fruit early, keeps well but loses color if kept too long. Cl.u.s.ters small, short, slender, tapering, sometimes single-shouldered; pedicel short with small warts; brush yellowish-green. Berries small, oblate, dark red with faint bloom, persistent, firm; skin tough, free, astringent; flesh translucent, juicy, tender, fine-grained, vinous; good to very good. Seeds free, one to four, broad, short, very blunt, brown with yellow tinge at tips.

MUSCATEL

(Vinifera)

_White Frontignan_

This old and standard sort is rather commonly grown in some of the grape regions of California to follow Cha.s.selas Golden. It might be tried with some show of success in favored grape regions in the East.

The description is compiled.

Vine of medium size, vigorous, healthy; canes strong, spreading, reddish-brown with short internodes. Leaves of medium size, thin, five-lobed; glabrous except on the lower sides of the well-marked ribs where a few hairs show. Bunches long, cylindrical, regular, compact; berries round, golden-yellow becoming amber; flavor sweet, rich, aromatic, peculiar; quality very good. Season late mid-season, keeps and ships well.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PLATE x.x.xI.--Worden (2/3).]

MUSCAT HAMBURG

(Vinifera)

Muscat Hamburg (Plate XXV) is an old European grape well known in some parts of America in greenhouse graperies, since it is one of the best for forcing. All who know the beautiful fruits of this variety grown in forcing-houses will want to test it out of doors, where at the Geneva, New York, Experiment Station, they have done well, many cl.u.s.ters attaining a weight of a pound and a half to two pounds. The accompanying plate, the fruit much less than half natural size, shows what a fine grape Muscat Hamburg is. One is struck with wondering admiration at a vine laden with these grapes growing alongside Concord, Niagara or Delaware. The quality is delectable, the quintessence of the flavors and aromas which make the grape a favorite fruit. The grapes keep long and retain their form, size, color and rich, delicate flavor almost to the end. This variety is a treasure to the amateur; and the professional who wants another grape for local markets should try grafting over a few vines of some native to this sort, following the directions given in Chapter X in caring for the vines.

Vines vigorous, tender, need protection during the winter; canes long, numerous, slender to medium, light brown, darker at the nodes which are enlarged and flattened. Leaves medium to large, intermediate in thickness; upper surface light green, dull; lower surface pale green, faintly p.u.b.escent, densely hairy.

Fruit ripens in October, ships and keeps well; cl.u.s.ters very large, long, broad, tapering, single or double-shouldered. Berries large, firm, oval, very dark purplish-red, covered with lilac bloom, very persistent; skin thick, adheres strongly to the pulp; flesh pale green, translucent, meaty, very juicy, tender, vinous, musky, sweet, rich; very good to best; seeds separating easily from the pulp, large.

MUSCAT OF ALEXANDRIA

This is possibly the leading table- and raisin-grape of the Pacific slope. From the literature or from a visit to vineyards, one cannot make out whether one or several varieties are grown under the name.

Probably there are several strains grown under the distinctive name "Muscat" which applies to these sweet, light yellow, musky grapes.

This is one of the standard sorts to force indoors but requires too long a season for out of doors in the East. The following description is compiled:

Vine short, straggling, bushy, sometimes forming a bush rather than a vine, very productive; wood gray with dark spots, short-jointed. Leaf round, five-lobed; bright green above, lighter green below. Bunches long and loose, shouldered; berry oblong, light yellow and transparent when fully mature, covered with white bloom; flesh firm, crisp; flavor sweet and very musky; quality good. Season late, the laterals producing a second and sometimes even a third crop.

NIAGARA

(Labrusca, Vinifera)

Niagara (Plate XXVI) is the leading American green grape, holding the rank among grapes of this color that Concord maintains among black varieties. It is, however, a less valuable grape than Concord, and it is doubtful whether it should be ranked much higher than several other green grapes. In vigor and productiveness, when the two grapes are on equal footing as to adaptability, Niagara and Concord rank the same.

In hardiness of root and vine, Niagara falls short of Concord; it cannot be relied on without winter protection where the thermometer falls below zero. Niagara has much of the foxiness of the wild Labrusca, distasteful to many palates. Both bunches and berries of Niagara are larger than those of Concord and are better formed, making a handsomer fruit if the colors are liked equally well. The fruit sh.e.l.ls as badly as that of Concord and does not keep longer. Both vine and fruit of Niagara are more susceptible to fungal diseases than those of Concord, especially to black-rot, which proves a veritable scourge with this variety in unfavorable seasons. Niagara was produced by C. L. Hoag and B. W. Clark, Lockport, New York, from seed of Concord fertilized by Ca.s.sady planted in 1868.

Vine vigorous, lacking in hardiness, very productive. Canes long, thick, reddish-brown deepening in color at the nodes which are enlarged and slightly flattened; internodes long, thick; tendrils continuous, long, bifid or trifid. Leaves large, thick; upper surface glossy, dark green, smooth; lower surface pale green, p.u.b.escent; lobes three to five with terminus acute; petiolar sinus of medium depth and width; basal sinus shallow, wide, often toothed; lateral sinus wide, frequently toothed; teeth shallow, variable in width. Flowers self-fertile, open in mid-season; stamens upright.

Fruit mid-season, keeps well. Cl.u.s.ters large, long, broad, tapering, frequently single-shouldered, compact; pedicel thick with a few, small, inconspicuous warts; brush pale green, long.

Berries large, oval, pale yellowish-green with thin bloom, persistent, firm; skin thin, tender, adherent, astringent; flesh light green, translucent, juicy, fine-grained, tender, foxy; good.

Seeds free, one to six, deeply notched, brown.

NOAH

(Vulpina, Labrusca)

Noah is little grown at present outside of Missouri, where it is still planted somewhat. Noah and Elvira are often confused but there are very marked differences. The cl.u.s.ters of Elvira are smaller, the berries are more foxy in taste, and the skins are more tender and crack more readily than do those of Noah. The large, dark, glossy green leaves make the vines of this variety very handsome. As with Elvira and other varieties of this group, Noah is of little value in the North. It originated with Otto Wa.s.serzieher, Nauvoo, Illinois, from seed of Taylor planted in 1869.

Vine vigorous, doubtfully hardy, productive. Canes long, thick, dark brown, surface roughened; nodes enlarged, flattened; tendrils continuous, bifid or trifid. Leaves large; upper surface dark green, glossy, smooth; lower surface pale green, thinly p.u.b.escent; leaf usually not lobed with terminus ac.u.minate; petiolar sinus deep, wide; basal sinus lacking; lateral sinus very shallow when present; teeth shallow, wide. Flowers semi-fertile, open early; stamens upright.

Fruit late mid-season, does not ship nor keep well. Cl.u.s.ters variable in size, cylindrical, single-shouldered, compact; pedicel short with a few small warts; brush short, brown. Berries small, round, light green tinged with yellow, dull with thin bloom, firm; skin adherent to pulp; flesh yellowish-green, translucent, juicy, tough, fine-grained, vinous, sprightly; good. Seeds adherent, one to four, dark brown.

NORTHERN MUSCADINE

(Labrusca)

That this variety, together with Lucile, Lutie and other grapes with the foxy taste strongly marked, has not become popular, in spite of good vine characters, is evidence that the American public do not desire such grapes. In appearance of fruit, Northern Muscadine is much like Lutie, the two being distinguished from other grapes by an unmistakable odor. A serious defect of the fruit is that the berries shatter badly as soon as they reach maturity. Taken as a whole, the vine characters of this variety are very good and offer possibilities for the grape-breeder. The variety originated at New Lebanon, New York, and was brought to notice by D. J. Hawkins and Philemon Stewart of the Society of Shakers about 1852.

Vine vigorous, productive, healthy, hardy. Canes slender, dark brown, heavily p.u.b.escent; tendrils continuous, bifid, dehisce early. Leaves large, round, thick; upper surface dull, rugose; lower surface dark bronze, heavily p.u.b.escent. Flowers self-fertile, open in mid-season; stamens upright.

Fruit early mid-season, does not keep well. Cl.u.s.ters medium in size, short, occasionally single-shouldered, compact. Berries large, oval, dark amber with thin bloom, drop badly from the pedicel; skin tough, adherent, astringent; flesh pale green, juicy, fine-grained, tender, soft, very foxy, sweet; poor in quality. Seeds free, numerous, large, broad, faintly notched, long, brown.

NORTON

(aestivalis, Labrusca)

Norton is one of the leading wine-grapes in eastern America, the fruit having small value for any other purpose than wine or, possibly, grape-juice. The vine is hardy but requires a long, warm season to reach maturity so that it is seldom grown successfully north of the Potomac. Norton thrives in rich alluvial clays, gravels or sands, the only requisite seemingly being a fair amount of fertility and soil warmth. The vines are robust; very productive, especially on fertile soils; as free, or more so, from fungal diseases as any other of our native grapes; and are very resistant to phylloxera. The bunches are of but medium size and the berries are small. The grapes are pleasant eating when fully ripe, rich, spicy and pure-flavored but tart if not quite ripe. The variety is difficult to propagate from cuttings and to transplant, and the vines do not bear grafts well. The origin of Norton is uncertain, but it has been under cultivation since before 1830, when it was first described.

Vine very vigorous, healthy, half-hardy, productive. Canes long, thick, dark brown with abundant bloom; nodes much enlarged; internodes long; tendrils intermittent, occasionally continuous, long, bifid, sometimes trifid. Leaves large, irregularly round; upper surface pale green, dull, rugose; lower surface pale green, p.u.b.escent; leaf usually not lobed with terminus acute; petiolar sinus deep, narrow, sometimes closed and overlapping; basal sinus usually absent; lateral sinus shallow or a mere notch when present. Flowers self-fertile, late; stamens upright.

Fruit late, keeps well. Cl.u.s.ters medium in size, short, broad, tapering, single-shouldered, compact; pedicel slender with a few warts; brush dull, wine-colored. Berries small, round-oblate, black, glossy with heavy bloom, persistent, soft; skin thin, free with much dark red pigment; flesh green, translucent, juicy, tender, spicy, tart. Seeds free, two to six, small, brown.

OPORTO

(Vulpina, Labrusca)

Oporto was at one time in demand as a wine grape because its wine resembled in color and flavor that from Oporto. The variety is now scarcely known, being inferior in most of its horticultural characters to others of its species, but might be valuable in breeding for some of its characters. The vine is very hardy, unusually free from fungal diseases, is very resistant to phylloxera and has been used in France as a phylloxera-resistant grafting-stock. The juice is very thick and dark, a deep purple, hence suitable for adding color to wine or grape-juice. The origin of Oporto is unknown. It was brought into cultivation about 1860 by E. W. Sylvester, Lyons, New York.

Vine very vigorous, hardy, healthy, variable in productiveness.

Canes long, reddish-brown; nodes enlarged, flattened; internodes long, diaphragm thin; tendrils continuous, bifid. Stamens reflexed.