GRAPES FOli THE MI1>I)I,K W KST. 4, 



to be by the various piowers in almost every state and territory, who 

 welcomed it with hopeful expectations that it would be something of the 

 vinefera type, yet perfectly hardy. 



It has not met the expectations of the grape growers in that it is not 

 adapted to as many soils and conditions as are some of the varieties 

 which it must compete with, and if grown in localities in which it is not 

 particularly adapted, this variety lacks productiveness. It lacks that 

 cosmopolitan peculiarity of the Concord. The fruit attains its full color 

 before it is ripe, and since it is; often marketed in this condition by ig- 

 norant growers, its quality has been imfavorably criticised. Besides, it 

 must be severely pruned or it will bear itself to death. It means that if 

 a grower wishes to get the best results, he must give this grape special 

 attention and not treat it as he would any of the types like the Concord, 

 which have a very elastic constitution and give fairly good results even 

 if treated rather shabbily. The trouble with us is that we do not give 

 the Campbell's Early and many other varieties of superior merit the spe- 

 cial care that is in vogue among the European vineyardists who grow 

 their varieties so successfully. Mr. Alexander, formerly near Peru, in 

 speaking about the Duchess variety, tells us that grapes can be laid down 

 and covered with soil for .$12 per acre and that the product of twelve of 

 these vines would pay the bill. This gives us an idea of what could be 

 done if we simply practice a little more special care. We should not 

 condemn grapes as worthless that have not been given proper treatment. 



The Worden is a seedling of the Concord, originated by Schuyler 

 Worden of Minetta, Oswego county, New York, in 1863. It was intro- 

 duced by J. A. Place of Oswego, New York, a prominent horticulturist 

 and friend of Worden. This variety has a larger berry and bunches, is 

 of better quality, and from a week to ten days earlier than the Concord. 

 In hardiness, health, vigor, and productiveness it equals its parent. Oc- 

 casionally it will do better than the Concord, but in its adaptation to soil 

 and other conditions it is more particular. 



The Worden is the best known and the most meritorious of the many 

 products of the Concord, in that it possesses many of the good qualities 

 and lacks some of the poorer ones of its parent. 



This variety, however, has some grave defects. Often a very profit- 

 able crop can not be marketed due to the cracked fruits. When the Con- 

 cord cracks in unfavorable weather, the berries can partly or wholly heal 

 over this injury, but the Worden has a thin skin, and besides lacking the 

 faculty of overcoming its injuries by the growing over of the cracks, it 

 has a softer pulp. Then, there is more juice, which impairs the shipping 

 and keeping qualities. This variety also loses its beiTies badly, especially 

 when over-ripe and in certain peculiar seasons. It does not hang well 

 on the vines; hence it ought to be harvested promptly, then it can sell 

 for a better price than the Concord providing it is used for immediate 

 consumption. As said before, the fruit ripens one or two weeks earlier 

 than Concord, but does not keep long. The clusters are large medium 

 to long, broad, tapering to cylindrical, usually single shouldered, and 



