Part 31 (1/2)

Vine vigorous, hardy, productive, susceptible to mildew. Canes long, numerous, thick, dark brown with heavy bloom; nodes flattened; shoots glabrous; tendrils intermittent, bifid or trifid. Leaves large; upper surface light green, glossy, smooth; lower surface pale green, p.u.b.escent; lobes one to three, terminus acute; petiolar sinus deep, narrow, sometimes closed and overlapping; basal sinus usually lacking; lateral sinus shallow, narrow; teeth shallow. Flowers open in mid-season, self-sterile; stamens reflexed.

Fruit mid-season, keeps well. Cl.u.s.ters short, very broad, tapering, often subdividing into several parts, compact; pedicel with small warts. Berries large, oval, dark purplish-black, glossy, covered with heavy bloom, adherent; skin thin, tough, adherent; flesh pale green, translucent, tender, stringy, vinous, pleasant-flavored; good. Seeds adherent, one to five, large, deeply notched, with enlarged neck, brown.

BEACON

(Lincec.u.mii, Labrusca)

Another of T. V. Munson's hybrids is Beacon. It is not well adapted to northern regions but does very well in the South. The vine is vigorous and bears a handsome, compact ma.s.s of foliage which retains its color and freshness through drouths and heat. Munson grew Beacon in 1887 from seed of Big Berry (a variety of Lincec.u.mii) pollinated by Concord, the vine bearing first in 1889.

Vine vigorous, precariously hardy, productive. Canes short, slender, light brown. Leaves healthy, thick, dark green, sometimes rugose; veins showing indistinctly through the slight p.u.b.escence of the lower surface. Flowers open in mid-season, on plan of five or six, self-fertile.

Fruit mid-season, keeps well. Cl.u.s.ters large, long, slender, cylindrical, usually high-shouldered, compact. Berries variable in size, round, purplish-black, dull with heavy bloom, firm; skin tough, adherent with a large amount of purplish-red pigment, astringent; flesh tender, aromatic, spicy, vinous, mildly subacid; good. Seeds free, large, broad, blunt, notched.

BERCKMANS

(Vulpina, Labrusca, Bourquiniana)

In Berckmans we have the fruit of Delaware on the vine of Clinton. The berry and bunch resemble Delaware in shape; the fruit is of the same color; bunch and berry are larger; the grapes keep longer; the flesh is firmer but the quality is not so good, the flesh lacking tenderness and richness in comparison with Delaware. The vine of Berckmans is not only more vigorous, but is less subject to mildew than that of Delaware. The vine characters are not, however, as good as those of Clinton. The variety is poorly adapted to some soils, and on these the grapes do not color well. In spite of many good qualities, Berckmans is but an amateur's grape. The name commemorates the viticultural labors of P. J. Berckmans, a contemporary and friend of A. P. Wylie, of Chester, South Carolina, who originated the variety. Berckmans came from Delaware seed fertilized by Clinton, the seed having been sown in 1868.

Vine vigorous, hardy, productive. Canes long, numerous, slender, dark brown; nodes prominent, flattened; internodes short; shoots glabrous; tendrils intermittent, long, bifid. Leaves small, thin; upper surface light green, smooth; lower surface pale green, glabrous; lobes one to three, terminal one acute; petiolar sinus shallow, wide; basal sinus usually lacking; lateral sinus shallow.

Flowers open early, self-fertile; stamens upright.

Fruit ripens with Delaware. Cl.u.s.ters shouldered, compact, slender; pedicel long, slender with few warts; brush short, light green.

Berries small, oval, Delaware-red, darker when well ripened, covered with thin bloom, persistent; skin thin, tough, adherent, astringent; flesh pale yellowish-green, translucent, fine-grained, tender, melting, vinous, sweet, sprightly; very good. Seeds free, one to four, small, broad, blunt, brown.

BLACK EAGLE

(Labrusca, Vinifera)

The fruit of Black Eagle is of the best, but the vine lacks in vigor, hardiness and productiveness and is self-sterile. Bunch and berry are large and attractive. The season is about with Concord. Black Eagle has wholly failed as a commercial variety, and its several weaknesses prevent amateurs from growing it widely. The variety originated with Stephen W. Underhill, Croton-on-Hudson, New York, from seed of Concord pollinated by Black Prince. It fruited first in 1866.

Vine vigorous, precariously hardy, unproductive. Canes rough, thick, reddish-brown with light bloom; nodes enlarged, flattened internodes long; tendrils continuous, long, bifid or trifid.

Leaves thick; upper surface dark green, glossy, smooth to rugose; lobes five; terminal lobe acute; petiolar sinus deep; lateral sinus wide, narrowing towards top, deep. Flowers open in mid-season, self-sterile; stamens reflexed.

Fruit mid-season, keeps well. Cl.u.s.ters large, long, tapering, single-or double-shouldered, compact; pedicel long, slender with few warts; brush short, pale green. Berries variable in size, oval, black, glossy with thick bloom; skin tender, thin, adherent with wine-colored pigment; flesh pale green, translucent, tender, vinous; good. Seeds free, one to four, large.

BLACK HAMBURG

(Vinifera)

Black Hamburg (Plate VI) is an old European sort, long the mainstay in forcing-houses in Belgium, England and America and now popular out of doors in California. It is an excellent table-grape but, while it keeps well, its tender skin does not permit its being s.h.i.+pped far, especially when grown out of doors. The vine is subject to disease.

The following description of the fruit is made from grapes grown in the greenhouse:

Bunches very large, often a foot in length and weighing several pounds; very broad at the shoulder and gradually tapering to a point; compact, oftentimes too compact; berries very large, round or slightly round-oval; skin rather thick; dark purple becoming black at full maturity; flesh firm, juicy, sweet and rich; quality very good or best. Season early in the forcing-house but rather late out of doors.