Kis sYsn:MAUc roMoLocy 



or Nia«;:ara vci-y closely in hoth vine and fruit, except that the 

 grapes are mucli smaller in si/e and more seedy. There are also 

 the hirjjre-fruited foxy Lahriiseas, usually with reddisli ])erries, 

 represented by such cultivated varieties as Northern Muscadine, 

 Dracut Amhei-, Lutie, and others. Labrusca is peculiar amongst 

 American grapes in showing black-, white-, and red-fruited 

 forms of wild vines. 



245. The pomological characters of the Labrusca grapes. — 

 The grapes of Labrusca are large and usually handsomely 

 colored. The skin is thick, covering a layer of adhering tiesh, 

 which gives the impression of its being thicker than it actually 

 is; the berry is variable in tenderness, sometimes tough, but in 

 many cultivated varieties is so tender that it cracks in trans- 

 portation. The skin of this species usually has a peculiar aroma, 

 generally spoken of as foxy, and a slightly acid astringent taste. 

 The center of the berry is occupied by dense pulp, more or less 

 stringy, with considerable acid close to the seeds. ]\Iany object 

 to the foxy taste and aroma of the grapes of this species, but, 

 nevertheless, the most popular American varieties are more or 

 less foxy. 



Labrusca submits well to vineyard culture, is fairly vigorous, 

 and generally productive. It grows readily from cuttings, 

 and in hardiness is intermediate betw-een Vulpina and ^sti- 

 valis. The roots are soft and fleshy, and in some localities sub- 

 ject to attacks of phylloxera. In the w^ild vines, the fruit is 

 inclined to drop when ripe. This defect is know^n among grape- 

 growers as ''shattering" or "shelling," and is a serious weak- 

 ness in some varieties. Labrusca is said to be more sensitive 

 to mildew and black-rot than any other American species. In 

 the South, and in some parts of the ^liddle West, the leaves 

 of all varieties of Labrusca sunburn and shrivel in the latter 

 part of the summer. 



246. Classification of Labrusca grapes. — Of the 2000 native 

 grapes that have been named in North America, possibly 1500 

 are Labrusca or contain so much Labrusca blood that they are 

 put in this species. It is seemingly impossible to classify these 

 varieties. About all that can be done is to divide them in 

 groups in accordance with the color, flavor, size, and season 

 of the fruits. 



