1853.J ^ 271 



vata, Rafinesque's American Manual of Grape Vines. Vulg. Fox grape, Isa- 

 bella and Catawba grape. 



Stem large and tall. Leaves widely cordate, sublobately-angled or distinctly 

 three or five lobed ; acuminate, irregularly eroso-dentate, above smooth, beneath 

 irregularly reticulate, beneath densely tomentose or velvety ; the pubescence 

 of various length, hoary or rufescent. Berries large, ? of an inch in diameter, 

 round or oval. 



The commonest form of this species has thick leaves, with a rather long 

 pubescence beneath ; the racemes are small, rarely with more than five or six 

 berries on each; these are round, often oblate, black or red colored, acid and 

 austere, frequently occasioning soreness of the lips and fauces of those who eat 

 them. Another variety much cultivated under the names of Isabella, Catawba, 

 and twenty other unmeaning names, has the leaves thinner, the pubescence un- 

 derneath much shorter and more velvety, the racemes large, long and dense, the 

 berries more or less oval, red or black, very sweet and agreeable to the taste, 

 with a peculiar flavor, by some called musky. This is much cultivated in sonne 

 parts of the Union, and wine of a fine quality is made from it. But like all the 

 grapes of America the fruit is so watery that it is thought necessary to add sugar 

 to the must, not considering that the must before fermentation can be made of 

 any strength with regard to the sugar contained in it, by boiling, as is done in 

 some parts of the country with apple and pear juice. 



The best of all the varieties of this species is the w'hite fruited, which does 

 not differ in its leaf from that first described ; the rncennes are, however, large, 

 long and dense, the berries white or green with a slight coppery tinge on the 

 side exposed to the sun. It is, perhaps, the best grape indigenous to America 

 which has been found in the Northern States. It is very sweet, and has but 

 little of the peculiar flavor which almost all the others have, and is entirely free 

 from all acridity. 



2. V. TENUiFOLiA. Foliis tenuibus, lato-cordatis simplicibus, trilobis aut 

 quinquelobis acuminatis irregulariter dentatis, glabris interdum siibtus arach- 

 noideo-villosis, nervis rufo-pubescentibus. Racemis parvis,baccis magnis, rotun- 

 dis, viridibus paulo glaucescentibus, ingratis acidis. 



Hah. In New Jersey, formerly very common in the vicinity of Trenton, but 

 now not to be found. 



Stem tolerably large and tall; leaves thin, widely cordate, simple or three or 

 five lobed: acuminate, irregularly dentate, smooth, sometimes arachnoideo- 

 villous beneath ; the nerves and veins always furnished with a rufous pubescence. 

 Racemes small, berries large, '8 of an inch in diameter, green, a little glaucous, 

 disagreeably acid. 



3. V. jESTiVALis. Foliis lato-cordatis sublobato-angulatis, tri vel quinquelobis, 

 acuminatis irregulariter serratis aut dentatis, dentibus mucronatis, supra glabris 

 aut paulo arachnoideis, subtus arachnoideo-villosis plus minus fuscis, interdum 

 subglabris, junioribus densius villosis. Racemis parvis, baccis parvulis nigris 

 acidis. 



Hub. In Carolina and Georgia. V. aestivalis, Michaux and Rafinesque. V. 

 labrusca, Walter and Elliot. Vulg. Fox grape. 



Stem large and lofty; leaves widely cordate, sublobately angled, sometimes 

 distinctly and deeply three and five lobed ; acuminate irregularly dentate or ser- 

 rate, with the teeth mucronate, above smooth or a little arachnoidal, especially 

 in the younger state, beneath more or less fuscous, arachnoideo-villous, some- 

 times subglabrous, the youngest one more densely villous. Racemes rather small; 

 berries rather small, '4 of an inch in diame'er, black, generally very acid. 



These three species have a general resemblance to each other, but, as appears 

 from the descriptions, are sufliciently distinct. 



4. V. BRACTEATA. Foliis cordatis, acuminatis, quinquelobis, sinubis latis 

 profundis, irregnlariter dentatis dentibus acutis muticis, supra glabris, subtns 

 nervis rufo-pubescentibus. Florum fasciculis bracteatis. Racemis longis com- 

 positis laxis, baccis parvis nigris. 



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