Part 40 (2/2)
(Rotundifolia)
James is one of the largest of the Rotundifolia grapes and probably the best general-purpose variety of this species. The vine is noted for vigor and productiveness. It cannot be grown north of Maryland. It thrives in sandy loam soils with clay subsoil. The variety was found by B. W. M. James, Pitt County, North Carolina. It was introduced about 1890 and was placed on the grape list of the American Pomological Society fruit catalog in 1899.
Vine vigorous, healthy, productive. Canes slender, numerous, long, slightly trailing. Leaves of medium size, thick, smooth, leathery, cordate, as broad as long, with a serrate margin. Flowers open late; stamens reflexed.
Fruit ripens late, hangs on the vine for three weeks, keeps well.
Cl.u.s.ters small, containing from four to twelve berries, irregular, loose. Berries large, three-fourths to one and one-fourth inches in diameter, round, blue-black, marked with specks; skin thick, tough. Pulp juicy, sweet; good in quality.
JANESVILLE
(Labrusca, Vulpina)
Endowed with a const.i.tution enabling it to withstand cold to which most other grapes succ.u.mb, Janesville has made a place for itself in far northern localities. Moreover, the grapes ripen early, being about the first to color although they are not ripe until some time after coloring. The vine also is healthy, vigorous and productive. The fruit, however, is worthless when better sorts can be grown. The cl.u.s.ters and berries are small, the grapes are pulpy, tough, seedy, have a thick skin and a disagreeable acid taste. Janesville was grown by F. W. Loudon, Janesville, Wisconsin, from chance seed planted in 1858.
Vine vigorous, hardy, healthy, productive. Canes spiny, numerous, dark brown; nodes flattened; internodes long; tendrils intermittent or continuous, long, bifid or trifid. Leaves small, thin; upper surface glossy, smooth; lower surface pale green, lightly p.u.b.escent; leaf usually not lobed with terminus acute; petiolar sinus narrow, often closed and overlapping; basal and lateral sinuses lacking; teeth shallow. Flowers self-fertile, open very early; stamens upright.
Fruit early, keeps well. Cl.u.s.ters small, short, cylindrical, usually single-shouldered, compact; pedicel short, slender, covered with small, scattering warts; brush dark wine color.
Berries round, dull black with heavy bloom, persistent, firm; skin thick, tough, adherent with dark wine-colored pigment, astringent; flesh pale reddish-green, translucent, juicy, tough, coa.r.s.e, vinous, acid; fair in quality. Seeds adherent, one to six, large, broad, angular, blunt, dark brown.
JEFFERSON
(Labrusca, Vinifera)
Jefferson (Plate XXI) is an offspring of Concord crossed with Iona, and resembles Concord in vigor, productiveness and healthiness of vine, and Iona in color and quality of fruit. The vine produces its fruit two weeks later than Concord and is not as hardy, faults that debar it from taking high rank as a commercial grape. Fortunately the vines yield readily to laying down for winter protection so that even in commercial plantations it is not difficult to prevent winter injury. The bunches of Jefferson are large, well-formed, compact with berries of uniform size and color. The flesh is firm yet tender, juicy with a rich, vinous flavor and a delicate aroma which persists even after the berries have dried into raisins. The fruit s.h.i.+ps and keeps well, the berries adhering to the cl.u.s.ter and the fruit retaining its freshness into late winter. Jefferson is widely distributed and is well known by viticulturists in eastern America. It is not particular as to localities, if the season be long and the climate temperate, and thrives in all soils. The variety originated with J. H. Ricketts, Newburgh, New York; it fruited first in 1874.
Vine vigorous, healthy, doubtfully hardy, productive. Canes short, numerous, light to dark brown; nodes enlarged, round; internodes short; tendrils intermittent, short, bifid or trifid. Leaves healthy; upper surface light green, older leaves rugose; lower surface pale green, strongly p.u.b.escent; leaf usually not lobed with terminus acute; petiolar sinus narrow, sometimes closed and overlapping; basal sinus usually absent; lateral sinus shallow, often a mere notch; teeth regular, shallow. Flowers self-fertile, open late; stamens upright.
Fruit late, keeps and s.h.i.+ps well. Cl.u.s.ters large, cylindrical, usually single-shouldered, sometimes double-shouldered, compact; pedicel short, slender with a few inconspicuous warts; brush long, slender, pale yellowish-green. Berries medium in size, oval, light and dark red, glossy with thin bloom, persistent, very firm; skin thick, tough, free, slightly astringent; flesh light green, translucent, juicy, coa.r.s.e-grained, tender, vinous; good to best.
Seeds free, one to four, broad, short, blunt, plump, brown.
JESSICA
(Labrusca, Vinifera)
Jessica is an early, hardy, green grape. The fruit is sweet, rich, sprightly and almost free from foxiness, but is unattractive and does not keep well. The cl.u.s.ters and berries are small, and the cl.u.s.ters are too loose for a good grape. Jessica may be commended for earliness and hardiness and is, therefore, desirable, if at all, in northern regions. William H. Read, Port Dalhousie, Ontario, grew Jessica from seed planted some time between 1870 and 1880.
Vine medium in vigor, healthy, hardy, productive. Canes long, thick, dark brown with red tinge; nodes enlarged, flattened; internodes short; tendrils continuous or intermittent, bifid or trifid. Leaves small; upper surface dark green, glossy, often rugose; lower surface pale green, very p.u.b.escent; lobes three; petiolar sinus narrow; teeth shallow, narrow. Flowers self-fertile, open in mid-season; stamens upright.
Fruit very early. Cl.u.s.ters small, slender, tapering, usually single-shouldered. Berries small, round, light green, often tinged with yellow, covered with thin bloom, persistent, soft; skin thin, adherent, faintly astringent; flesh pale green, transparent, juicy, tender, soft, sprightly, sweet; good. Seeds adherent, medium to broad, notched, brown.
JEWEL
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