VARIETIES OF GRAPES 371 



Etta 



(Vulpina, Labrusca) 



111 appearance, taste and texture of fruit, Etta is very similar 

 to Elvira, of which it is a seedling. The small, yellow clusters 

 which characterize Elvira are reproduced in Etta, which differs 

 cliiefly in liaving a shoulder quite as large as the main bunch 

 itself and in having a better fla^'or, lacking the slight foxiness of 

 Elvira. The vine is very vigorous, hardy, and is productive 

 to a fault. The fruit ripens with that of Catawba. The 

 tendency of Elvira to crack and overbear influenced the 

 originator of that variety, Jacob Rommel, ^Forrison, Missouri, 

 to try for a grape without these faults, and the result was Etta 

 from seed of Elvira. The fruit was first exhibited in 1879. 



Vine very vigorous, hardy, productive. Canes long, numerous, 

 light to dark brown ; tendrils continuous, bifid. Leaves large, thick ; 

 upper surface dark green, glossy, smooth ; lower surface pale green, 

 somewhat cobwebby. Flowers self -fertile, early ; stamens upright. 



Fruit late, keeps well. Clusters small, short, broad, irregularly 

 cylindrical, usually with a short, single shoulder but sometimes so 

 heavily shouldered as to form a double bunch, very compact. Berries 

 small, round, pale gi'een, dull "with thin bloom, shattering when over- 

 ripe, firm ; skin thin, tender ; flesh juicy, fine-grained, tough, stringy, 

 slightly foxy, mild ; fair in quality. Seeds free, long, blunt, brown. 



EUMELAN 



(Labrusca, Vinifera, .^stivalis) 



The good qualities of Eumelan are : vines above the average 

 in vigor, hardiness and productiveness; clusters and berries 

 well formed, of good size and handsome color; flesh tender, 

 dissolving into wine-like juice under slight pressure; and pure 

 flavor, rich, sweet, vinous. The season is early, yet the fruit 

 keeps much better than that of most other grapes maturing 



