Part 46 (1/2)

(Labrusca, Vinifera)

Prentiss is a green grape of high quality, once well known and generally recommended, but now going out of cultivation because the vine is tender to cold, lacks in vigor, is unproductive, uncertain in bearing and is subject to rot and mildew. There are vineyards in which it does very well and in such it is a remarkably attractive green grape, especially in form of cl.u.s.ter and in color of berry, in these respects resembling the one-time favorite, Rebecca, although not so high in quality as that variety. Its season is given as both before and after Concord. Prentiss always must remain a variety for the amateur and for special localities. It originated with J. W. Prentiss, Pulteney, New York, about 1870 from seed of Isabella.

Vine weak. Canes thick, light to dark brown; tendrils continuous, bifid. Leaves small, thick; upper surface light green, rugose in the older leaves; lower surface pale green, p.u.b.escent. Flowers self-fertile, mid-season; stamens upright.

Fruit variable in season, about with Concord, keeps well. Cl.u.s.ter medium in size, tapering, sometimes with a single shoulder, compact. Berries medium in size, oval, light green with a yellow tinge, thin bloom, persistent, firm; skin tough, without pigment; flesh pale green, juicy, foxy; good. Seeds adherent, numerous, notched, short, sharp-pointed, dark brown.

PURPLE CORNICHON

(Vinifera)

_Black Cornichon_

By virtue of attractive appearance and excellent s.h.i.+pping qualities of the fruit, this variety takes high place among the commercial grapes of California. Late ripening is another quality making it desirable, while its curious, long, curved berries add novelty to its attractions. The fruit does not take high rank in quality. The description has been compiled.

Vine very vigorous, healthy and productive; wood light brown striped with darker brown, short-jointed. Leaves large, longer than wide, deeply five-lobed; dark green above, lighter and very hairy below; coa.r.s.ely toothed; with short, thick petiole. Bunches very large, loose or sometimes scraggly, borne on long peduncles; berries large, long, more or less curved, dark purple, spotted, thick-skinned, borne on long pedicels; flesh firm, crisp, sweet but not rich in flavor; quality good but not high. Season late, keeps and s.h.i.+ps well.

REBECCA

(Labrusca, Vinifera)

In the middle of the last century, when grape-growing was in the hands of the connoisseurs, Rebecca was one of the sterling green varieties.

It is wholly unsuited for commercial vineyards and for years has been disappearing gradually from cultivation. The fruit is exceptionally fine, consisting of well-formed bunches and berries, the latter handsome yellowish-white and semi-transparent. In quality, the grapes are of the best, with a rich, sweet flavor and pleasing aroma. But the vine characters condemn Rebecca for any but the amateur. The vines lack in hardiness and vigor, are susceptible to mildew and other fungi and are productive only under the best conditions. The original vine was an accidental seedling found in the garden of E. M. Peake, Hudson, New York, and bore its first fruit in 1852.

Vine weak, sometimes vigorous, doubtfully hardy. Canes long, numerous, slender, dull brown, deepening in color at the nodes; tendrils continuous or intermittent, bifid or trifid. Leaves variable in size; upper surface dark green, dull, rugose; lower surface grayish-green, p.u.b.escent. Flowers self-fertile; stamens upright.

Fruit late mid-season, s.h.i.+ps and keeps well. Cl.u.s.ters small, short, cylindrical, rarely with a small, single shoulder, compact.

Berries of medium size, oval, green with yellow tinge verging on amber, thin gray bloom, persistent, firm; skin thin, without pigment; flesh pale green, very juicy, tender, melting, vinous, a little foxy, sweet; good to very good. Seeds free, short, narrow, blunt, brown.

RED EAGLE

(Labrusca, Vinifera)

Red Eagle is a pure-bred seedling of Black Eagle which it resembles in all characters except color of fruit. Vine and fruit exhibit the characters found in Rogers' hybrids. It takes high rank as a grape of quality and can be recommended for the garden. The variety originated with T. V. Munson, Denison, Texas, and was sent out in 1888.

Vine medium in vigor and hardiness, productive. Canes few, slender, dark brown with heavy bloom; nodes prominent, flattened; tendrils continuous or intermittent, long, bifid. Leaves thick; upper surface light green, dull, rugose; lower surface grayish-green, p.u.b.escent; lobes three to five with terminus obtuse; petiolar sinus deep, narrow, sometimes closed and overlapping; basal sinus wide; lateral sinus deep, wide; teeth deep, wide. Flowers semi-fertile, late; stamens upright.

Fruit early mid-season, keeps well. Cl.u.s.ters small, broad, tapering, single-shouldered, sometimes double-shouldered, loose with many abortive berries; pedicel very long, slender; brush green with brown tinge. Berries variable in size, round, light to very dark red with heavy bloom, persistent, soft; skin thick, tender, adherent with some red pigment; flesh green, transparent, juicy, very tender, melting, slightly foxy, tart; very good. Seeds free, one to five, large, long, blunt, light brown.

REGAL

(Labrusca, Vinifera)

Regal is an offspring of Lindley, which it greatly resembles. The fruit is attractive in appearance and high in quality. A seemingly insignificant fault might make Regal undesirable in a commercial vineyard; the cl.u.s.ters are borne so close to the wood that it is difficult to harvest the fruit and avoid injury to the berries next to the wood. The variety is worthy of extensive culture in vineyards and gardens. Regal originated with W. A. Woodward, Rockford, Illinois, in 1879.

Vine vigorous, hardy, healthy, very productive. Canes intermediate in length and size, numerous, dark reddish-brown. Tendrils intermittent, bifid or trifid. Leaves large; upper surface green, glossy and rugose; lower surface pale green with a bronze tinge, strongly p.u.b.escent. Flowers self-fertile, mid-season; stamens upright.