430 THE GRAPES OF NEW YORK. 



seasons there is a decided tendency to shell or shatter if the fruit is overripe. 

 Worden is very popular in New York and the North both for commercial 

 plantations and the garden It is a more desirable inhabitant of the garden 

 and for nearby markets, because of higher quality, than Concord, and under 

 conditions well suited to it, is better as a commercial variety, as it is hand- 

 somer as well as of better quality. In the markets it ought to sell for a 

 Ihgher price than Concord if desired for immediate consumption and if it 

 can be prompth- harvested, as it does not hang well on the vines. In many 

 markets Worden is sold as Concord and has the effect of extending the 

 Concord season. Its earlier season is against it for a commercial variety 

 in the great Chautaucjua Grape Belt of New York and with the defects 

 mentioned will j^revent its taking the place of Concord to a great 

 degree. 



The Worden was originated by Schuyler Worden of Minetto, Oswego 

 County, New York, from seed of Concord planted about 1863 It bore 

 its first fruit when four years old. Its history is peculiar in that it was for 

 many years unappreciated, being confused with Concord, which was fre- 

 quently sent out as Worden. It was placed on the grape list of the American 

 Pomological Society fruit catalog in 1881, where it still remains. The 

 variety was given its name by J. A. Place of Oswego, New York, a local 

 horticulturist of some note and a friend of Worden. 



Vine vigorous, hardy, healthy, productive, yielding as heav}- crops as Concord. 

 Canes above medium in size and number, thick, dark brown with reddish tinge ; nodes 

 enlarged, flattened; internodes intermediate in length; diaphragm thick; pith of fair 

 size; shoots pubescent; tendrils continuous, somewhat slender, bifid, sometimes 

 trifid. 



Leaf-buds small, short, slender, pointed, open in mid-season. Young leaves tinged 

 on under side and along extreme margin of upper side with light rose-caiTnine. Leaves 

 healthy, large, thick; upper surface dark green, glossy, smooth; lower surface light 

 bronze, pubescent; leaf usually not lobed ; petiolar sinus of average depth, medium to 

 wide, often urn-shaped; teeth shallow, medium in width. Flowers fertile, open in mid- 

 season or earlier; stamens upright. 



Fruit ripens one or two weeks earlier than Concord, does not keep long. Clusters 

 large, medium to long, broad, tapering to cylindrical, usually single-shouldered, some- 

 what compact; peduncle short, thick; pedicel of medium length, slender, covered with 

 few small warts; brush long, light green. Berries large, roundish to oval, dark purplish- 

 black to black, glossy, covered with heavy blue bloom, not always persistent, moderately 



