DELAWARE GRAPE. 



DELAWARE GRAPE.* 



Two years aj^o, wc fjavc expression to the opinion tliat tliis country was on the 

 eve of uttainingmuch bettor hardy p^rapos tlian we then possessed. This lias come 

 sooner than was anticipated, and in a different way, not so much hy liyljridization 

 as l)y accident. The Rebecca and Delaware have both originated in the same 

 way ; they may be said to have been accidental discoveries. The efforts of the 

 hybridizer have yet to be heard from. 



Mr. C. Downing gives the report of the origin of the Delaware from the opinion 

 of Mr. A. Thompson, of Delaware, Ohio, iluis: " That it was an accidental seed- 

 lincr, as it is free from mildew, never prematurely losing its leaves, and seeming to 

 luxuriate in our climate, which cannot be said of any foreign variety with which 

 we are acquainted. 



" Bunch, small, very compact, and generally shouldered. Berries, smallish, 

 round when not compressed. Skin, thin, of a beautiful light-red or flesh color, 

 very translucent, passing to a wine color by long kee])ing. It is without hardness 

 or acidity in its pulp, exceedingly sweet, but sprightly, vinous, and aromatic. * * 

 It is a vigorous grower, an early and profuse bearer, and probably more hardy 

 than Isabella or Catawba. In the garden of Mr. Thompson, where all other kinds 

 were nearly destroyed by the unprecedented cold of 1855 and 1856, this alone was 

 uninjured. It ripens nearly or quite three weeks before the Isabella. Its bunches 

 and berries are very greatly increased in size by high culture." 



This is a high character ; probably not too high. Our artist has drawn the 

 accompanying figure from the largest and most shouldered bunch forwarded to us 

 by Mr. George W. Campbell, of Delaware, Ohio. Mr. Campbell remarks that 

 this bunch was not fully colored — perhaps not quite ripe — having grown partially 

 in the shade. He also finds the vines free from mildew, more hardy than the Isa- 

 bella, Catawba, or Diana, and he, too, believes it to be an accidental seedling. 



The vine is not so vigorous in its growth, especially while young, as the Isabella 

 or Catawba, but more so than the Rebecca ; it makes new shoots of fifteen or 

 twenty feet in length, and a vine of Mr. Campbell's ripened one hundred bunches 

 in its fourth year. 



Mr. Henry C. Noble, of Columbus, Ohio, writes thus respecting the Delaware : — 



" Columbus, Ohio, Nov. 3, 1857. 



"Editor Hoeticclturist : In your November number, you speak justly in higli praise of 

 the ' Delaware Grape,' yet, for a proper appreciation of its x>uculiarities, a few notes fVom 

 experience may not be out of place. In the spring of 1854, I procured a vine from Mr. 

 Thompson, of Delaware, Ohio (the gentleman who introduced it into notice), and planted 

 it with great care. Tlie first season it grew about twelve inches. It is a peculiarity of this 

 variety worthy of notice, that no treatment will make it grow rapidly the first season after 

 transplanting; and sometimes it grows quite slowly for several years. It may be as well, 

 in this connection, to speak of the difficulties of propagating it. It will not be a favorite of 

 nurserymen. Out of thirty cuttings set out last spring, under the most favorable circum- 

 stances, but five or six grew at all, and none of these made more than a few leaves of growth. 

 Such plants are too weak to endure severe weather. The true way to propagate this variety 

 is by layering. The layers become stout and good the second year. 



" To return to my experience. The second year, my vine produced two fine, healthy 

 shoots, about ten feet long. These ripened their wood early and well, notwithstanding the 

 season was very wet. The succeeding winter (1855-6) was very severe here (24° below 

 zero), but the cold only destroyed a few buds about the centre of the vine. My Catawbas 

 and Isabellas, in the same yard, and more protected, were very seriously damaged. The 

 third year, one branch was layered, and the other trained for fruit. The layer produced six 



* See Frontispiece. 



