Part 44 (2/2)

Vine vigorous, lacking in hardiness, very productive. Canes long, thick, reddish-brown deepening in color at the nodes which are enlarged and slightly flattened; internodes long, thick; tendrils continuous, long, bifid or trifid. Leaves large, thick; upper surface glossy, dark green, smooth; lower surface pale green, p.u.b.escent; lobes three to five with terminus acute; petiolar sinus of medium depth and width; basal sinus shallow, wide, often toothed; lateral sinus wide, frequently toothed; teeth shallow, variable in width. Flowers self-fertile, open in mid-season; stamens upright.

Fruit mid-season, keeps well. Cl.u.s.ters large, long, broad, tapering, frequently single-shouldered, compact; pedicel thick with a few, small, inconspicuous warts; brush pale green, long.

Berries large, oval, pale yellowish-green with thin bloom, persistent, firm; skin thin, tender, adherent, astringent; flesh light green, translucent, juicy, fine-grained, tender, foxy; good.

Seeds free, one to six, deeply notched, brown.

NOAH

(Vulpina, Labrusca)

Noah is little grown at present outside of Missouri, where it is still planted somewhat. Noah and Elvira are often confused but there are very marked differences. The cl.u.s.ters of Elvira are smaller, the berries are more foxy in taste, and the skins are more tender and crack more readily than do those of Noah. The large, dark, glossy green leaves make the vines of this variety very handsome. As with Elvira and other varieties of this group, Noah is of little value in the North. It originated with Otto Wa.s.serzieher, Nauvoo, Illinois, from seed of Taylor planted in 1869.

Vine vigorous, doubtfully hardy, productive. Canes long, thick, dark brown, surface roughened; nodes enlarged, flattened; tendrils continuous, bifid or trifid. Leaves large; upper surface dark green, glossy, smooth; lower surface pale green, thinly p.u.b.escent; leaf usually not lobed with terminus ac.u.minate; petiolar sinus deep, wide; basal sinus lacking; lateral sinus very shallow when present; teeth shallow, wide. Flowers semi-fertile, open early; stamens upright.

Fruit late mid-season, does not s.h.i.+p nor keep well. Cl.u.s.ters variable in size, cylindrical, single-shouldered, compact; pedicel short with a few small warts; brush short, brown. Berries small, round, light green tinged with yellow, dull with thin bloom, firm; skin adherent to pulp; flesh yellowish-green, translucent, juicy, tough, fine-grained, vinous, sprightly; good. Seeds adherent, one to four, dark brown.

NORTHERN MUSCADINE

(Labrusca)

That this variety, together with Lucile, Lutie and other grapes with the foxy taste strongly marked, has not become popular, in spite of good vine characters, is evidence that the American public do not desire such grapes. In appearance of fruit, Northern Muscadine is much like Lutie, the two being distinguished from other grapes by an unmistakable odor. A serious defect of the fruit is that the berries shatter badly as soon as they reach maturity. Taken as a whole, the vine characters of this variety are very good and offer possibilities for the grape-breeder. The variety originated at New Lebanon, New York, and was brought to notice by D. J. Hawkins and Philemon Stewart of the Society of Shakers about 1852.

Vine vigorous, productive, healthy, hardy. Canes slender, dark brown, heavily p.u.b.escent; tendrils continuous, bifid, dehisce early. Leaves large, round, thick; upper surface dull, rugose; lower surface dark bronze, heavily p.u.b.escent. Flowers self-fertile, open in mid-season; stamens upright.

Fruit early mid-season, does not keep well. Cl.u.s.ters medium in size, short, occasionally single-shouldered, compact. Berries large, oval, dark amber with thin bloom, drop badly from the pedicel; skin tough, adherent, astringent; flesh pale green, juicy, fine-grained, tender, soft, very foxy, sweet; poor in quality. Seeds free, numerous, large, broad, faintly notched, long, brown.

NORTON

(aestivalis, Labrusca)

Norton is one of the leading wine-grapes in eastern America, the fruit having small value for any other purpose than wine or, possibly, grape-juice. The vine is hardy but requires a long, warm season to reach maturity so that it is seldom grown successfully north of the Potomac. Norton thrives in rich alluvial clays, gravels or sands, the only requisite seemingly being a fair amount of fertility and soil warmth. The vines are robust; very productive, especially on fertile soils; as free, or more so, from fungal diseases as any other of our native grapes; and are very resistant to phylloxera. The bunches are of but medium size and the berries are small. The grapes are pleasant eating when fully ripe, rich, spicy and pure-flavored but tart if not quite ripe. The variety is difficult to propagate from cuttings and to transplant, and the vines do not bear grafts well. The origin of Norton is uncertain, but it has been under cultivation since before 1830, when it was first described.

Vine very vigorous, healthy, half-hardy, productive. Canes long, thick, dark brown with abundant bloom; nodes much enlarged; internodes long; tendrils intermittent, occasionally continuous, long, bifid, sometimes trifid. Leaves large, irregularly round; upper surface pale green, dull, rugose; lower surface pale green, p.u.b.escent; leaf usually not lobed with terminus acute; petiolar sinus deep, narrow, sometimes closed and overlapping; basal sinus usually absent; lateral sinus shallow or a mere notch when present. Flowers self-fertile, late; stamens upright.

Fruit late, keeps well. Cl.u.s.ters medium in size, short, broad, tapering, single-shouldered, compact; pedicel slender with a few warts; brush dull, wine-colored. Berries small, round-oblate, black, glossy with heavy bloom, persistent, soft; skin thin, free with much dark red pigment; flesh green, translucent, juicy, tender, spicy, tart. Seeds free, two to six, small, brown.

OPORTO

(Vulpina, Labrusca)

Oporto was at one time in demand as a wine grape because its wine resembled in color and flavor that from Oporto. The variety is now scarcely known, being inferior in most of its horticultural characters to others of its species, but might be valuable in breeding for some of its characters. The vine is very hardy, unusually free from fungal diseases, is very resistant to phylloxera and has been used in France as a phylloxera-resistant grafting-stock. The juice is very thick and dark, a deep purple, hence suitable for adding color to wine or grape-juice. The origin of Oporto is unknown. It was brought into cultivation about 1860 by E. W. Sylvester, Lyons, New York.

Vine very vigorous, hardy, healthy, variable in productiveness.

Canes long, reddish-brown; nodes enlarged, flattened; internodes long, diaphragm thin; tendrils continuous, bifid. Stamens reflexed.

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