Part 40 (1/2)

ISABELLA

(Labrusca, Vinifera)

_Alexander, Black Cape, Christie's Improved Isabella, Conckling's Wilding, Constantia, Dorchester, Gibb's Grape, Hensell's Long Island, Payne's Early, Helene, Woodward_

Isabella (Plate XX) is now of little more than historical interest, it having been one of the mainstays of American viticulture. In appearance, the fruit of Isabella is fully as attractive as that of any black grape, the cl.u.s.ters being large and well formed and the berries glossy black with thick bloom. The flavor is good, but the thick skin and muskiness in taste are objectionable. The grapes keep and s.h.i.+p well. Isabella is surpa.s.sed in vine characters by many other kinds, notably Concord, which has taken its place. The l.u.s.trous green, ample foliage which remains late in the season, and the vigor of the vine, make this variety an attractive ornamental, well adapted for growing on arbors, porches and trellises. The origin of Isabella is not known. It was obtained by William Prince, Flus.h.i.+ng, Long Island, about 1816 from Mrs. Isabella Gibbs, Brooklyn, New York.

Vine vigorous, hardy, productive. Canes short, numerous with heavy p.u.b.escence, thick, light brown; nodes enlarged, flattened; internodes short; tendrils continuous, long, bifid or trifid.

Leaves thick; upper surface dark green, smooth, glossy; lower surface whitish-green, heavily p.u.b.escent; lobes three when present with terminal lobe obtuse; petiolar sinus shallow, narrow, often closed, overlapping; basal sinus usually wanting; lateral sinus shallow, narrow, frequently notched; teeth shallow, wide. Flowers self-fertile, open in mid-season; stamens upright.

Fruit late, keeps and s.h.i.+ps well. Cl.u.s.ters large, cylindrical, frequently single-shouldered; pedicel slender, smooth; brush long, yellowish-green. Berries medium to large, oval, black with heavy bloom, persistent, soft; skin thick, tough, adherent, astringent; flesh pale green, translucent, juicy, fine-grained, tender, meaty, some foxiness, sweet; good. Seeds one to three, large, broad, distinctly notched, short, brown with yellow tips.

ISABELLA SEEDLING

(Labrusca, Vinifera)

Isabella Seedling is an early, vigorous, productive offspring of Isabella. In fruit characters it greatly resembles its parent, but ripens its crop earlier and has a more compact bunch. Like that of its parent, the fruit is of good quality and keeps remarkably well. This seedling is now grown more than Isabella and, while not of any considerable commercial importance, is far more deserving attention as a market grape than some of the poorly flavored kinds more generally grown. There are several varieties under this name. Two are mentioned by Warder; one of Ohio and one of New York origin. The Isabella Seedling here described originated with G. A. Ensenberger, Bloomington, Illinois, in 1889.

Vine vigorous, healthy, hardy, productive. Canes long, thick, dark brown, often with a red tinge, with thin bloom; nodes prominent, flattened; internodes long; tendrils intermittent or continuous, bifid. Leaves healthy, large, thick; upper surface green, dull; lower surface pale green or grayish-green, occasionally with a tinge of bronze, p.u.b.escent. Flowers self-fertile; stamens upright.

Fruit early, keeps well. Cl.u.s.ters large, long, slender, cylindrical, usually single-shouldered, loose, compact. Berries large, oval, often pear-shaped, dull black with thick bloom, persistent, soft; skin thick with some red pigment; flesh pale green, juicy, tender, coa.r.s.e, vinous; good. Seeds numerous, free, large, broad, notched, dark brown.

ISRAELLA

(Labrusca, Vinifera)

Israella came from C. W. Grant contemporaneously with Iona and was heralded as the earliest good grape in cultivation. For several years after its introduction, it was widely tried but was almost everywhere discarded because of the poor quality and unattractive appearance of the fruit and lack of vigor, hardiness and productiveness in the vine.

Grant grew Israella from seed of Isabella planted in 1885.

Vine lacking in vigor, unproductive. Canes slender, dark brown; nodes enlarged, flattened; internodes short; tendrils continuous, bifid. Leaves large; upper surface light green, dull, rugose; lower surface pale green, p.u.b.escent; lobes one to five, faint; petiolar sinus deep, narrow; teeth shallow, sharp; stamens upright.

Fruit late, keeps well. Cl.u.s.ters large, of medium length and breadth, tapering, often single-shouldered, compact, frequently with many abortive fruits. Berries of medium size, round-oval, black or purplish-black with thin bloom, inclined to drop, soft; skin thick, tough with a large amount of purplish-red pigment; flesh pale green, juicy, stringy, mild, sweet from skin to center; fair in quality. Seeds free, medium in size, notched, blunt, light brown, often covered with grayish warts.

IVES

(Labrusca, aestivalis)

_Ives' Madeira, Ives' Seedling, Kittredge_

Ives has a high reputation as a grape for making red wine, being surpa.s.sed only by Norton for this purpose. The vine is hardy, healthy, vigorous and fruitful. The fruit is poor in quality, colors long before ripe, has a foxy odor, and the flesh is tough and pulpy. The bunches are compact, with well-formed, jet-black grapes, which make them attractive. The vine is easily propagated and is adapted to any good grape soil, but is so rampant in growth that it is difficult to manage. The variety is not widely cultivated. Ives was grown by Henry Ives from seed planted in 1840 in his garden in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Vine vigorous, hardy, healthy, productive. Canes long, thick, reddish-brown with thin bloom; nodes enlarged, flattened; internodes short; tendrils continuous, bifid or trifid. Leaves large; upper surface dark green, dull, rugose; lower surface pale green, p.u.b.escent; lobes three to five when present with terminal one acute; petiolar sinus deep, narrow, sometimes closed and overlapping; basal sinus shallow; lateral sinus narrow; teeth shallow.

Fruit late mid-season, keeps well. Cl.u.s.ters large, tapering, frequently single-shouldered, compact, often with numerous abortive berries; pedicel slender with numerous small warts; brush short, slender, pale with a reddish-brown tinge. Berries oval, jet-black with heavy bloom, very persistent, firm; skin tough, adherent, wine-colored pigment, astringent; flesh pale green, translucent, juicy, fine-grained, tough, foxy; good. Seeds adherent, one to four, small, often abortive, broad, short, blunt, plump, brown.

JAMES