THE GRAPES OF NEW YORK. 301 



IDEAL. 



(Labrusca, Vinifera, Bourquiniana.) 



I. Kan. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1886:187. 2. Mo. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:155. 3. lb., 1891:128. 4. 

 Bush. Cat.. 1894:140. 5. ///. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1897:16. 6. Va. Sta. Bui, 94 = 137. 1898. 7. Mo. 

 Stci. Bui., 46:39, 42, 44, 46, 55. 1899. 8. Budil-IIansen, 2:380. 1902. 



Burr No. 9 (i). 



Ideal is a handsome seedling of the Delaware, from which it differs 

 chiefly in being much larger in bunch and berry, attaining in both of these 

 characters nearly the size of Catawba. In Kansas and Missouri it is most 

 highly recommended, not only for the high quality of the fruit, ranking 

 with Delaware in quality, but because of vigorous, healthy, productive 

 vines. But ii. New York, on the Station grounds at least, the vines are 

 precariously hardy and not sufficiently fruitful, healthy nor vigorous to 

 warrant a very high recommendation for the variety. Were the variety 

 of recent introduction it might be recommended for trial but it has been 

 grown for more than twent>' years and has, therefore, been well tried and 

 has not proved of general value. It may be worth planting for home use. 



Originated by John Burr of Leavenworth, Kansas, over thirty years 

 ago from seed of Delaware, the attention of the public was attracted to 

 Ideal about 1890, first by glowing descriptions of the variety from the 

 originator and his friend and co-worker. Dr. Stayman, and later by reports 

 from various persons who had tested the variety. It does not appear to 

 have ever been regularly introduced but was sent to various persons for 

 testing by whom it was distributed. It is now found only in the occasional 

 variety vineyard and apparently not offered for sale by any nurserymen. 

 Ideal is better known, and possibly succeeds better in the West than in the 

 East. 



Vine medium to vigorous, not always hardy, productive, but yielding smaller crops 

 than Concord; tendrils intermittent, bifid to trifid. Canes long, numerous, rather 

 slender. Leaves medium to large, variable in color; lower surface pale green, slightly 

 pubescent and cobwebby. Fruit ripens about with Delaware, keeps only fairly well. 

 Clusters large to above medium, long to medium, often rather broad and heavily shoul- 

 dered, intermediate in compactness. Berries large, roundish, attractive dark red, 

 covered with abundant lilac bloom, often with tinge of blue, usually persistent, firm. 

 Flesh greenish, moderately tender, aromatic, nearly sweet next the skin to acid at center, 

 good to very good in quality. Seeds adherent, large, plump. 



