414 MANUAL OF AMERICAN GRAPE-GROWING 



and presents an attractive appearance. Jacob Rommel, 

 Morrison, Missouri, grew this variety about 1875 from seed 

 of Taylor fertilized by Ives. 



Vine vigorous and hardy, ('anes long, thick, dark brown with thin 

 bloom ; nodes enlarged, flattened ; internodes long ; tendrils contin- 

 uous, long, bifid. Leaves thick ; upper surface light green, dull, 

 smooth ; lower surface grayish-white, pubescent ; lobes three when 

 present with terminus acute ; petiolar sinus wide ; basal sinus lacking ; 

 lateral sinus shallow when present ; teeth deep. Flowers semi-fertile, 

 open in mid-season ; stamens upright. 



Fruit mid-season, keeps well. Clusters small, short, tapering, 

 single-shouldered, the shoulder being connected to the bunch by a long 

 stem, compact ; pedicel short, slender, smooth ; brush red. Berries 

 small, oval, often compressed, black, glossy with abundant bloom, per- 

 sistent, firm ; skin thin, tough, adherent, astringent ; flesh green, 

 translucent, juicy, fine-grained, tender, melting, vinous, sweet ; fair 

 to good. Seeds free, one to five, small, broad, faintly notched, short, 

 plump, brown. 



Moore Early 



(Labrusca) 



Moore Early (Plate XXIV) is the standard grape of its season. 

 Its fruit cannot be described better than as an early Concord. 

 The vines are readily distinguishable from those of Concord, 

 differing chiefly in being less productive. To grow the variety 

 satisfactorily, the soil must be rich, well-drained and loose, 

 must be frequently cultivated, and the vines should be pruned 

 severely. The bunches of ]\Ioore Early are not as large as 

 those of Concord and are less compact ; the berries shell rather 

 more easily, and the skin cracks more readily. The 

 flesh characters and the flavor are essentially those of Con- 

 cord, although the quality is not as high as in the older variety. 

 The quality is, however, much higher than that of Champion 

 and Hartford, its chief competitors, and ^'arieties which it 

 should replace. Moore Early is by no means an ideal grape 

 for its season, but until something better is introduced it will 

 probably remain the best early commercial sort. Captain 



