THE GRAPE 167 



off causes the berries to become smeared and gives them an unat- 

 tractive appearance. Under favorable conditions, the vines 

 attain great size and when grown on arbors without pruning, 

 cover a large area. Rotundifolia is remarkably resistant to the 

 attacks of all insects and fungal diseases. Phylloxera do not 

 attack its roots, and it is as resistant as any other American 

 species to this pest. The vines are grown from cuttings only 

 with difficulty, and this prevents the use of this species as a 

 resistant stock. There is great difficulty in crossing Rotundi- 

 folia with other species, but several hybrids are now on record. 



Labrusca Grapes 



By far the greater part of the native grapes grown in North 

 America belong to V. Labrusca. The berries of this species are 

 largest, most attractive in color, and best flavored. The habitat 

 is in the part of America where agriculture first advanced to the 

 state in which fruits were wanted. The domesticated forms of 

 this grape have recently been separated as V. Lahniscana, the 

 Labruseans. 



244. The botanical characters of V. Labrusca. — This is the 

 Fox and the Skunk grape of the eastern part of North America 

 between the Atlantic Ocean and the Alleghany Mountains from 

 Maine to Georgia. Occasionally it breaks out of its usual range 

 and is found west of the region outlined. As a species, V. 

 Lahriisca is very distinct although sometimes confounded with 

 Y. cestivalis, from which, however, by comparing the descrip- 

 tions it can be distinguished easil}^ 



2. Vitis Lalirusca, Linn. (Plate XV) Vine vigorous, stocky; shoots 

 cylindrical, densely pubescent; diaphragms thick; tendrils continuous, bifid 

 or trifid. Leaves with long cordate stipules; leaf -blade large, thick, broadly 

 cordate or round; entire or 3-lobed, frequently notched; sinuses rounded; 

 petiolar sinus V-shaped; margin with shallow, acute-pointed, scalloped 

 teeth; upper surface glabrous when mature; lower surface covered wjth 

 dense pubescence, more or less Avhitish on young leaves, dun-colored when 

 mature. Clusters usually shouldered, compact; pedicels thick; peduncle 

 short. Berries round; skin thick, covered with bloom, with strong foxy 

 aroma. Seeds two to four, large, distinctly notched, beak short ; chalaza 

 oval, indistinct, showing as a depression; raphe a groove. 



Two types of the species may be distinguished. Vines are 

 found in the woods of New Engrland which resemble Concord 



