468 WOODY PLANTS OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



smooth or slightly pubescent above ; abundantly white, downy 

 or woolly, and ferruginous along the veins, beneath; down 

 often tawny ; principal veins 5, and, with the secondary veins 

 and veinlets, prominent; young leaves with a rusty down, par- 

 ticularly on the nerves and veins, on both surfaces. Tendrils 

 slender, once or twice divided. The racemes of flowers are 

 short, with usually one short branch, the flowers crowded in 

 umbels. 



The fruit of this vine varies much in size, color, and time of 

 maturity, as well as in taste. The berries are from one half to 

 three quarters of an inch in diameter. 



One of the most remarkable varieties is the Summer White 

 Grape or Early White. In appearance, it presents some pecu- 

 liarities. The leaves are on rather long, bristly and downy foot- 

 stalks, with a rusty down closely covering the under surface. 

 The fruit is two thirds or three quarters of an inch in diameter, 

 round, pale green, or of the translucent color of the Malaga 

 grape, when just ripe, afterwards turning red. It is, in some 

 varieties, very agreeable to the taste. It ripens in the last of 

 July and in August and September. I have gathered some 

 of this variety in the woods, decidedly superior to the Isabella 

 grape. 



Another very common variety is the Early or Summer Fox 

 Grape. Of this the fruit is about seven eighths of an inch in 

 diameter, of a very deep glossy purple, almost black, with a 

 bluish bloom, pleasant to the taste, ripe in the end of August 

 or in September. 



A more common variety is the late Fox Grape. This has a 

 dark purple, almost black, berry, quite large, sometimes nearly 

 an inch in diameter, but of an austere, disagreeable taste. 



There are many other varieties. From the seeds of grapes 

 of this kind have been produced the Isabella, the Catawba, 

 Bland's Grape, the Schuylkill, the Elsinburgh, and others. It 

 promises much from the effects of cultivation. 



