Part 35 (1/2)

Fruit late, keeps well. Cl.u.s.ters large, broad, tapering, occasionally shouldered, compact; pedicel covered with small warts; brush slender, pale green. Berries medium in size, slightly ovate, light red covered with thin bloom, persistent, firm; skin thick, tough, slightly adherent; flesh pale green, translucent, juicy, tough, fine-grained, vinous, good. Seeds adherent, one to three, light brown.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PLATE XXVI.--Niagara (2/3).]

DOWNING

(Vinifera, aestivalis, Labrusca)

Downing is well worthy a place in the garden because of the high quality, handsome appearance and good keeping qualities of the grapes.

Added to these qualities of the fruits are fair vigor and health of vine. When grown as far north as New York, the vine should be laid down in the winter or receive other protection. In most seasons, unremitting warfare must be kept up to check mildew. In appearance of bunch and berry, Downing is distinct, the cl.u.s.ters being large and well-formed and the berries having the oval shape of a Malaga. The flesh, also, shows _Vitis vinifera_ in texture and quality, while neither seeds nor skins are as objectionable as in pure-bred American varieties. J. H. Ricketts, Newburgh, New York, first grew Downing about 1865.

Vine tender to cold, unproductive. Canes short, few, slender, dark green with an ash-gray tinge, surface covered with thin bloom, often roughened with a few small warts; nodes much enlarged, strongly flattened; internodes short; tendrils intermittent, bifid or trifid. Leaves small, round, thick; upper surface dark green, glossy, rugose; lower surface dark green, glabrous; lobes one to five, terminal lobe acute; petiolar sinus narrow, closed and overlapping; basal sinus shallow and narrow when present; lateral sinus shallow, narrow; teeth wide, deep. Flowers open late; stamens upright.

Fruit late, keeps until spring. Cl.u.s.ters large, long, slender, cylindrical, sometimes loosely shouldered; pedicel slender, covered with numerous warts; brush long, slender, green. Berries large, markedly oval, dark purplish-black, glossy, covered with light bloom, strongly persistent, firm; skin thick, tender, adherent; flesh green with a yellow tinge, translucent, very juicy, tender, fine-grained, vinous, mild; very good in quality.

Seeds free, one to three, notched, long, brown.

DRACUT AMBER

(Labrusca)

Dracut Amber is representative of the red type of Labrusca. The fruit has no particular merit, its thick skin, coa.r.s.e pulp, seeds and foxy taste all being objectionable. However, the vine is very hardy, productive, and ripens its fruit early so that this variety becomes valuable in locations where a vigorous, hardy, early grape is wanted.

Asa Clement, Dracut, Ma.s.sachusetts grew Dracut Amber from seed planted about 1855.

Vine vigorous, hardy, productive. Canes long, numerous, dark brown; nodes enlarged, flattened; tendrils continuous, long, bifid or trifid. Leaves large, thick; upper surface dark green, dull, smooth; lower surface pale green, cobwebby; lobes three to five with terminal one obtuse; petiolar sinus deep, narrow; basal sinus shallow, wide; teeth shallow. Flowers on plan of six, semi-fertile, mid-season.

Fruit early, season short. Cl.u.s.ters short, broad, cylindrical, irregular, rarely shouldered, compact; pedicel short, covered with warts; brush long, light yellowish-green. Berries medium to large, oval, dull pale red or dark amber, covered with thin bloom, soft; skin very thick, tender, adherent, astringent; flesh green, translucent, juicy, tough, very foxy; inferior in quality. Seeds adherent, two to five, large, broad, light brown.

DUTCHESS

(Vinifera, Labrusca, Bourquiniana? aestivalis?)

Dutchess (Plate XIII) is not grown largely in commercial vineyards because of several faults, as: the vine is tender to cold; the berries do not ripen evenly; berries and foliage are susceptible to fungi; and in soils to which it is not adapted, berries and bunches are small. In spite of these defects, Dutchess should not be discarded by the grape-lover, for there are few grapes of higher quality. The grapes are sweet and rich, yet do not cloy the appet.i.te; although of but medium size, they are attractive, being a beautiful amber color with distinctive dots; 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; and the bunches are large and compact when well grown. The variety is self-fertile and, therefore, desirable when only a few vines are wanted. The cl.u.s.ters are especially fine when bagged. A. J. Caywood, Marlboro, New York, grew Dutchess from seed of a white Concord seedling pollinated by mixed pollen of Delaware and Walter. The seed was planted in 1868.

Vine vigorous, an uncertain bearer. Canes dark brown with light bloom, surface roughened; nodes enlarged, flattened; internodes short; tendrils intermittent, short, bifid or trifid. Leaves irregular in outline; upper surface pale green, p.u.b.escent; leaf entire with terminus acute; petiolar sinus narrow; basal sinus shallow when present; lateral sinus medium in depth or a mere notch. Flowers self-fertile, open late; stamens upright.

Fruit mid-season, keeps and s.h.i.+ps well. Cl.u.s.ters large, long, slender, tapering with a prominent single shoulder; pedicel slender, smooth; brush amber-colored. Berries of medium size, round, pale yellow-green verging on amber, some showing bronze tinge with thin bloom, persistent, firm; skin sprinkled with small dark dots, thin, tough, adherent; flesh pale green, translucent, juicy, fine-grained, tender, vinous, sweet, of pleasant flavor; quality high. Seeds free, one, two or occasionally three, small, short, sharp-pointed, brown.

EARLY DAISY

(Labrusca)

The qualities of Early Daisy render the variety more than commonplace.

Its earliness commends it, the ripening period being 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 s.h.i.+ps well. Early Daisy would seem to be as desirable as Hartford or Champion. The variety originated with John Kready, Mount Joy, Pennsylvania, in 1874, as a seedling of Hartford.

Vine vigorous, hardy, produces fair crops. Canes of medium length, numerous, slender, reddish-brown; nodes enlarged, flattened; tendrils continuous, bifid. Leaves small, light green; upper surface rugose; lower surface slightly p.u.b.escent, cobwebby; lobes wanting or faintly three; petiolar sinus deep, narrow; teeth shallow, narrow. Flowers nearly self-sterile.