284 THE GRAPES OF NEW YORK. 



HARTFORD. 



(Labnisca, Vinifera?) 



1. Mag. Hon., 18:114. 1852. 2. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1856:36, 165. 3. Mag. Hort., 24:131. 

 1858. 4. Horticulturist, 13:122, 166. 1858. 5. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1862:90. 6. Am. Pom. Soc. 

 Rpt., 1862:136, 140. 7. !b., 1881:117, iig, 123, 136, 138, 153. 154, 158, 162, 16S. 8. Bush. Cat., 

 1883:103. 9. .V. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., g-.^ij. 1890. 10. Va. Sta. Bui, 94:1 iS- 189S. 11. N. Y.Sta. 

 An. Rpt.. 17:531, 541, 544, 548, 552, 555. 1898. 12. Mo. Sta. Bid., 46:39, 42, 44, 46. 1899. 



Hartford Prolific (i, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. 8). Steele's Seedling (4). 



For many years Hartford was looked upon as one of the standard 

 early black grapes, if not the standard. It is now being very largely super- 

 seded, and greatly to the betterment of viticulture, by other grapes of its 

 season of better quality, though it is still quite commonly grown in New 

 York at least. It is probable that for many years there will be locations in 

 which Hartford may be profitably cultivated (some in which it alone will 

 be worth growing), and purposes for which it may be recommended. The 

 many good characters of the vine make it a desirable grape for breeding 

 work. 



The vine of Hartford can be well characterized by its good qualities 

 but the fruit is best described through its faults. The plants are vigorous, 

 prolific, healthy, and the fruit is borne early in the season, ripening from a 

 week to two weeks in advance of the Concord. After Concord the 

 Hartford is one of the most fruitful of American grapes. The canes are 

 remarkable for their stoutness and for the crooks at the joints. The bunches 

 are not unattractive (the color-plate fails to do them justice as to size 

 and color), but the quality of the fruit is low, even for an early grape where 

 the highest quality is hardly expected. The flesh is pulpy and unpleas- 

 ant to eat while the flavor is both too insipid and too foxy to be good. 

 Because of its poor quality, now that there are so many really good early 

 grapes, Hartford should be discarded. But there is another reason for 

 ceasing its culture. The berries shell badly either on the vine or when 

 packed for shipping, so that the fruit neither ships, packs, nor keeps well. 

 The competition of the southern states from which later and better varie- 

 ties can be shipped to northern cities to compete with Hartford is still 

 another reason for the passing of this variety from commercial cultivation. 

 Still other faults are that it colors a long while before it is ripe; and it is 



