Part 44 (1/2)

_Jordan, Moyer's Early Red_

Moyer is almost a counterpart of its parent, Delaware. Were it not that the variety is from one to two weeks earlier than Delaware, and somewhat hardier, hence better adapted for cold regions, it could have no place in viticulture. Compared with Delaware, the vine is hardly as vigorous and is less productive, but is freer from rot and mildew. The bunches are much like those of Delaware but have the fault of setting fruit imperfectly even when cross-pollination is a.s.sured; the berries are a little larger, of much the same color and of like flavor, rich, sweet, with pure vinousness and without a trace of foxiness. The fruit keeps well, s.h.i.+ps well and does not crack nor sh.e.l.l. Moyer is well established in Canada, proving perfectly hardy wherever Concord is grown, possibly standing even more cold. W. H. Read, Port Dalhousie, Ontario, raised the original vine of Moyer, about 1880, from seed of Delaware fertilized by Miller's Burgundy.

Vine vigorous, hardy, healthy, unproductive. Canes numerous, slender, dull, dark reddish-brown; nodes enlarged, flattened; internodes short; tendrils continuous, long, bifid or trifid.

Leaves small; upper surface dark green, dull, smooth; lower surface pale green or with faint blue tinge, heavily p.u.b.escent; lobes two to five with terminus acute; petiolar sinus shallow; basal sinus shallow when present; lateral sinus shallow, narrow; teeth very shallow, narrow. Flowers self-sterile, open early; stamens reflexed.

Fruit early, keeps well but loses color if kept too long. Cl.u.s.ters small, short, slender, tapering, sometimes single-shouldered; pedicel short with small warts; brush yellowish-green. Berries small, oblate, dark red with faint bloom, persistent, firm; skin tough, free, astringent; flesh translucent, juicy, tender, fine-grained, vinous; good to very good. Seeds free, one to four, broad, short, very blunt, brown with yellow tinge at tips.

MUSCATEL

(Vinifera)

_White Frontignan_

This old and standard sort is rather commonly grown in some of the grape regions of California to follow Cha.s.selas Golden. It might be tried with some show of success in favored grape regions in the East.

The description is compiled.

Vine of medium size, vigorous, healthy; canes strong, spreading, reddish-brown with short internodes. Leaves of medium size, thin, five-lobed; glabrous except on the lower sides of the well-marked ribs where a few hairs show. Bunches long, cylindrical, regular, compact; berries round, golden-yellow becoming amber; flavor sweet, rich, aromatic, peculiar; quality very good. Season late mid-season, keeps and s.h.i.+ps well.

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

MUSCAT HAMBURG

(Vinifera)

Muscat Hamburg (Plate XXV) is an old European grape well known in some parts of America in greenhouse graperies, since it is one of the best for forcing. All who know the beautiful fruits of this variety grown in forcing-houses will want to test it out of doors, where at the Geneva, New York, Experiment Station, they have done well, many cl.u.s.ters attaining a weight of a pound and a half to two pounds. The accompanying plate, the fruit much less than half natural size, shows what a fine grape Muscat Hamburg is. One is struck with wondering admiration at a vine laden with these grapes growing alongside Concord, Niagara or Delaware. The quality is delectable, the quintessence of the flavors and aromas which make the grape a favorite fruit. The grapes keep long and retain their form, size, color and rich, delicate flavor almost to the end. This variety is a treasure to the amateur; and the professional who wants another grape for local markets should try grafting over a few vines of some native to this sort, following the directions given in Chapter X in caring for the vines.

Vines vigorous, tender, need protection during the winter; canes long, numerous, slender to medium, light brown, darker at the nodes which are enlarged and flattened. Leaves medium to large, intermediate in thickness; upper surface light green, dull; lower surface pale green, faintly p.u.b.escent, densely hairy.

Fruit ripens in October, s.h.i.+ps and keeps well; cl.u.s.ters very large, long, broad, tapering, single or double-shouldered. Berries large, firm, oval, very dark purplish-red, covered with lilac bloom, very persistent; skin thick, adheres strongly to the pulp; flesh pale green, translucent, meaty, very juicy, tender, vinous, musky, sweet, rich; very good to best; seeds separating easily from the pulp, large.

MUSCAT OF ALEXANDRIA

This is possibly the leading table- and raisin-grape of the Pacific slope. From the literature or from a visit to vineyards, one cannot make out whether one or several varieties are grown under the name.

Probably there are several strains grown under the distinctive name ”Muscat” which applies to these sweet, light yellow, musky grapes.

This is one of the standard sorts to force indoors but requires too long a season for out of doors in the East. The following description is compiled:

Vine short, straggling, bushy, sometimes forming a bush rather than a vine, very productive; wood gray with dark spots, short-jointed. Leaf round, five-lobed; bright green above, lighter green below. Bunches long and loose, shouldered; berry oblong, light yellow and transparent when fully mature, covered with white bloom; flesh firm, crisp; flavor sweet and very musky; quality good. Season late, the laterals producing a second and sometimes even a third crop.

NIAGARA

(Labrusca, Vinifera)

Niagara (Plate XXVI) is the leading American green grape, holding the rank among grapes of this color that Concord maintains among black varieties. It is, however, a less valuable grape than Concord, and it is doubtful whether it should be ranked much higher than several other green grapes. In vigor and productiveness, when the two grapes are on equal footing as to adaptability, Niagara and Concord rank the same.

In hardiness of root and vine, Niagara falls short of Concord; it cannot be relied on without winter protection where the thermometer falls below zero. Niagara has much of the foxiness of the wild Labrusca, distasteful to many palates. Both bunches and berries of Niagara are larger than those of Concord and are better formed, making a handsomer fruit if the colors are liked equally well. The fruit sh.e.l.ls as badly as that of Concord and does not keep longer. Both vine and fruit of Niagara are more susceptible to fungal diseases than those of Concord, especially to black-rot, which proves a veritable scourge with this variety in unfavorable seasons. Niagara was produced by C. L. Hoag and B. W. Clark, Lockport, New York, from seed of Concord fertilized by Ca.s.sady planted in 1868.