Manual of American Grape-Growing Part 46

(Labrusca, Vinifera)

Prentiss is a green grape of high quality, once well known and generally recommended, but now going out of cultivation because the vine is tender to cold, lacks in vigor, is unproductive, uncertain in bearing and is subject to rot and mildew. There are vineyards in which it does very well and in such it is a remarkably attractive green grape, especially in form of cl.u.s.ter and in color of berry, in these respects resembling the one-time favorite, Rebecca, although not so high in quality as that variety. Its season is given as both before and after Concord. Prentiss always must remain a variety for the amateur and for special localities. It originated with J. W. Prentiss, Pulteney, New York, about 1870 from seed of Isabella.

Vine weak. Canes thick, light to dark brown; tendrils continuous, bifid. Leaves small, thick; upper surface light green, rugose in the older leaves; lower surface pale green, p.u.b.escent. Flowers self-fertile, mid-season; stamens upright.

Fruit variable in season, about with Concord, keeps well. Cl.u.s.ter medium in size, tapering, sometimes with a single shoulder, compact. Berries medium in size, oval, light green with a yellow tinge, thin bloom, persistent, firm; skin tough, without pigment; flesh pale green, juicy, foxy; good. Seeds adherent, numerous, notched, short, sharp-pointed, dark brown.

PURPLE CORNICHON

(Vinifera)

_Black Cornichon_

By virtue of attractive appearance and excellent shipping qualities of the fruit, this variety takes high place among the commercial grapes of California. Late ripening is another quality making it desirable, while its curious, long, curved berries add novelty to its attractions. The fruit does not take high rank in quality. The description has been compiled.

Vine very vigorous, healthy and productive; wood light brown striped with darker brown, short-jointed. Leaves large, longer than wide, deeply five-lobed; dark green above, lighter and very hairy below; coa.r.s.ely toothed; with short, thick petiole. Bunches very large, loose or sometimes scraggly, borne on long peduncles; berries large, long, more or less curved, dark purple, spotted, thick-skinned, borne on long pedicels; flesh firm, crisp, sweet but not rich in flavor; quality good but not high. Season late, keeps and ships well.

REBECCA

(Labrusca, Vinifera)

In the middle of the last century, when grape-growing was in the hands of the connoisseurs, Rebecca was one of the sterling green varieties.

It is wholly unsuited for commercial vineyards and for years has been disappearing gradually from cultivation. The fruit is exceptionally fine, consisting of well-formed bunches and berries, the latter handsome yellowish-white and semi-transparent. In quality, the grapes are of the best, with a rich, sweet flavor and pleasing aroma. But the vine characters condemn Rebecca for any but the amateur. The vines lack in hardiness and vigor, are susceptible to mildew and other fungi and are productive only under the best conditions. The original vine was an accidental seedling found in the garden of E. M. Peake, Hudson, New York, and bore its first fruit in 1852.

Vine weak, sometimes vigorous, doubtfully hardy. Canes long, numerous, slender, dull brown, deepening in color at the nodes; tendrils continuous or intermittent, bifid or trifid. Leaves variable in size; upper surface dark green, dull, rugose; lower surface grayish-green, p.u.b.escent. Flowers self-fertile; stamens upright.

Fruit late mid-season, ships and keeps well. Cl.u.s.ters small, short, cylindrical, rarely with a small, single shoulder, compact.

Berries of medium size, oval, green with yellow tinge verging on amber, thin gray bloom, persistent, firm; skin thin, without pigment; flesh pale green, very juicy, tender, melting, vinous, a little foxy, sweet; good to very good. Seeds free, short, narrow, blunt, brown.

RED EAGLE

(Labrusca, Vinifera)

Red Eagle is a pure-bred seedling of Black Eagle which it resembles in all characters except color of fruit. Vine and fruit exhibit the characters found in Rogers' hybrids. It takes high rank as a grape of quality and can be recommended for the garden. The variety originated with T. V. Munson, Denison, Texas, and was sent out in 1888.

Vine medium in vigor and hardiness, productive. Canes few, slender, dark brown with heavy bloom; nodes prominent, flattened; tendrils continuous or intermittent, long, bifid. Leaves thick; upper surface light green, dull, rugose; lower surface grayish-green, p.u.b.escent; lobes three to five with terminus obtuse; petiolar sinus deep, narrow, sometimes closed and overlapping; basal sinus wide; lateral sinus deep, wide; teeth deep, wide. Flowers semi-fertile, late; stamens upright.

Fruit early mid-season, keeps well. Cl.u.s.ters small, broad, tapering, single-shouldered, sometimes double-shouldered, loose with many abortive berries; pedicel very long, slender; brush green with brown tinge. Berries variable in size, round, light to very dark red with heavy bloom, persistent, soft; skin thick, tender, adherent with some red pigment; flesh green, transparent, juicy, very tender, melting, slightly foxy, tart; very good. Seeds free, one to five, large, long, blunt, light brown.

REGAL

(Labrusca, Vinifera)

Regal is an offspring of Lindley, which it greatly resembles. The fruit is attractive in appearance and high in quality. A seemingly insignificant fault might make Regal undesirable in a commercial vineyard; the cl.u.s.ters are borne so close to the wood that it is difficult to harvest the fruit and avoid injury to the berries next to the wood. The variety is worthy of extensive culture in vineyards and gardens. Regal originated with W. A. Woodward, Rockford, Illinois, in 1879.

Vine vigorous, hardy, healthy, very productive. Canes intermediate in length and size, numerous, dark reddish-brown. Tendrils intermittent, bifid or trifid. Leaves large; upper surface green, glossy and rugose; lower surface pale green with a bronze tinge, strongly p.u.b.escent. Flowers self-fertile, mid-season; stamens upright.

Fruit mid-season, keeps well. Cl.u.s.ters small, broad, cylindrical, usually with a short single shoulder, sometimes double-shouldered, very compact. Berries large, round, purplish-red with faint bloom, persistent. Skin thin, tough, without pigment. Flesh pale green, very juicy, fine-grained, tender, musky; good. Seeds free, numerous, long, narrow, notched, blunt with a short neck, brown.

REQUA

(Labrusca, Vinifera)

This is one of Rogers' hybrids which equals other grapes of its color and season. The grapes are attractive in cl.u.s.ter and berry and are of very good quality but are subject to rot and ripen too late for northern regions. The variety was named Requa in 1869, it having been previously known as No. 28.

Vine vigorous, hardy except in severe winters, medium in productiveness. Canes long, thick; tendrils continuous or intermittent, trifid or bifid. Leaves medium in size, dark green, often thick and rugose; lower surface grayish-green, p.u.b.escent.

Flowers semi-fertile, late; stamens reflexed.

Fruit late, keeps long. Cl.u.s.ters large, cylindrical, often with a long, single shoulder, compact. Berries large, oval, dark, dull red covered with thin bloom, strongly adherent; skin thin, tough, adherent; flesh pale green, tender, stringy, vinous, foxy, sweet; good to very good. Seeds adherent, medium in size and length, broad, blunt.

ROCHESTER

(Labrusca, Vinifera)

The fruit of Rochester is a large-cl.u.s.tered red grape, handsome and very good in quality. The vine is a strong grower, productive and free from diseases. The variety is difficult to propagate and, therefore, not in favor with nurserymen. The grapes are sweet, rich and vinous but should be used as soon as ripe, as they do not keep well and the berries quickly shatter from the bunch. As an attractive early red grape, Rochester is worth a place in the garden and in favored locations for a special market. Ellw.a.n.ger and Barry, Rochester, New York, in 1867 grew Rochester from mixed seed of Delaware, Diana, Concord and Rebecca.

Vine vigorous, hardy, productive. Canes long, dark reddish-brown; nodes enlarged, flattened; internodes short; tendrils intermittent, long, bifid or trifid. Leaves large; upper surface light green, glossy, smooth; lower surface grayish-green, p.u.b.escent; lobes one to three with terminus acute; petiolar sinus deep; basal sinus absent; lateral sinus shallow; teeth shallow.

Flowers fertile, mid-season; stamens upright.

Fruit does not keep well. Cl.u.s.ters large, broad, tapering, usually single-shouldered, compact; pedicel short, slender with few warts; brush slender, yellowish-brown. Berries medium, oval, purplish-red, dull with thin, lilac bloom, drop from the pedicel, soft; skin thick, tough, inclined to crack, free, without pigment, astringent; flesh pale green, transparent, juicy, tender, fine-grained, vinous, sweet; good to very good. Seeds free, one to three, large, short, broad, dark brown.

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

ROMMEL

(Labrusca, Vulpina, Vinifera)

Rommel is rarely cultivated in the North, because the vines lack in robustness, hardiness and productiveness and are susceptible to the leaf-hopper; and the grapes do not attain high quality and crack as they ripen. The bunch and berry are attractive in form, size and color. At its best, Rommel is a good table-grape and makes a fine white wine. It is worth growing in the South. T. V. Munson, Denison, Texas, originated Rommel in 1885, from seed of Elvira pollinated by Triumph, and introduced it in 1889.

Vine vigorous in the South. Canes long, numerous, thick, reddish-brown, surface roughened; nodes enlarged, often flattened; internodes short; tendrils intermittent, long, bifid or trifid.

Leaves medium in size, round, thick; upper surface light green, dull, rugose; lower surface pale green, free from p.u.b.escence but slightly hairy; leaf not lobed, terminus acute to ac.u.minate; petiolar sinus deep, narrow, often closed and overlapping; basal sinus lacking; lateral sinus shallow when present; teeth deep.

Flowers semi-fertile, late; stamens upright.

Fruit mid-season, ships and keeps well. Cl.u.s.ters medium to short, broad, cylindrical, single-shouldered, compact; pedicel slender, smooth; brush short, pale green. Berries large, roundish, light green with a yellow tinge, glossy, persistent, firm; skin thin, cracks badly, tender, adherent, without pigment or astringency; flesh greenish, translucent, juicy, tender, melting, stringy, sweet; fair to good. Seeds free, one to four, broad, sharp-pointed, plump, brown.

ROSAKI

(Vinifera)

Rosaki is a table-and raisin-grape of southeastern Europe and Asia Minor. According to some of the California nursery companies, it is grown in that state under the name Dattier de Beyrouth, although it would seem from French descriptions that there is a separate, very late variety of the latter name. Rosaki is similar to Malaga and there is a possibility that in some of the warmer parts of the East, it may be grown commercially as a subst.i.tute for the latter. The variety seems to be little grown on the Pacific slope.