422 



The Journal of Heredity 



for large clusters, a little progress is to 

 be expected. IMost varieties ripen 

 with siiflicient uii.iformity if the weather 

 is normal at blooming time. 



RDSULTS FRO.M HYBRIDIZING 



So far the results from hybridization 

 work are mainly in technique. The 

 Muscadine grapes are so distinct and 

 uncongeii.ial to the other species of the 

 grape family that hybridization is 

 exceedingly difficult — so difficult, in 

 fact, that the production of hybrids 

 between V. rotttndifolia and Euvitis 

 species is considered an important 

 result worthy of reporting, even though 

 the hybrids have not yet fruited. 



The difficulties to be encountered 

 can be inferred from the experience of 

 those who have given the matter most 

 attention. J. Van Buren, of Clarks- 

 ville, Ga., working prior to 186cS, 

 failed completely in the attempt. Dr. 

 Peter Wylie, of Chester, S. C, working 

 about the same time as Van Buren, 

 produced several supposed Scupper- 

 nong hybrids which were lost to horti- 

 culture owing to a series of misfortunes, 

 including the killing frost of April, 

 1S72. T. V. Munson, of Denison, Tex., 

 produced a few varieties which though 

 predominantly Muscadine in character 

 are supposed to be hybrids with V. 

 lincecumii. Only four or five years ago 

 a ])rominent State horticulturist made 

 the statemcn.t that it was impossible 

 to secure V. roHindi folia x V. vinifcra 

 h\'brids. After two years' efTort to 

 ]jro(luce hybrids of the Miiscadinia and 

 Euvitis species the North Carolina 

 experiment station reported, in Tech- 

 nical Bulletin No. 10, complete failure 

 with the exception of one weak plant, 

 which was described when three years 

 old as "-still alive." A number of 

 amateurs to whom we have sent ])ollen 

 have all reported failure. The efforts 

 of the U. S. Department of Agriculture 

 were attended by failure until methods 

 had been perfected and information 

 regarding congeniality obtained. Since 

 then, in addition to i)roducing hybrids 

 with various native grape si)ecies, the 

 Department has produced the first 

 known hybrids between I', rotundi folia 

 and the Eurojx'an grapes, V. vinifcra. 



The De]:)artment's first efforts in this 

 field, in 1911, resulted in complete 

 failure. The next year one supposed 

 hybrid was secured, a cross of Eden 9 

 and Flame Tokay cf, which has now 

 fruited two years. While it is distinct 

 from other IVIuscadine seedlings ot 

 Kden parentage, it is predominantly 

 Muscadine in character and shows no 

 resemblance to Flame Tokay except 

 in the leaves. From the 1913 breeding 

 work, twenty-two hybrids were secured, 

 but only eight of these were living at 

 the end of the first season in the vine- 

 yard. The others had succumbed to 

 disease and inherent weakness. Of 

 these eight seedlings, seven are of 

 Olivette de Vendemain parentage and 

 the result of one crossing operation. 

 The other is the result of ])ollinating 

 Scujipernong with Winchell. These 

 seedlings have not yet fruited, but they 

 should do so in the season of 1917. The 

 Scuppernong 9 x Winchell d' seedling 

 is the only hybrid we have secured of 

 vScuppernon.g parentage. It resembles 

 Winchell more than Scuppernong, 

 though from a vScuppcmong seed. It 

 is undoubtedly a true hybrid. The 

 Olivette de Vendemain hybrids are 

 \'ariable in vigor and characters, some 

 being vigorous and others weak; some 

 are more Vinifcra in type and others 

 more Muscadine, but all are undoubt- 

 edly true hybrids. From the 1914 

 breeding work a considerable nuinbcr of 

 seeds w^as secured, but inany of these 

 failed to germinate. However, the fol- 

 lowing true hybrids Avere propagated 

 and are now growing at Willard, N. C. : 



2 seedlings of Eden x Maraville de Malaga 

 1 seedling, Tliomas x Rodites 



3 seedlings, Thomas x Carignane 

 1 seedling, Tliomas x Noah 



1 seedling, V16 R6 132 x Carignane 



3 seedlings, V17 R6 B2 x Terrct Alonstre 



In 1915 much greater hyliridization 

 success was had. A large collection of 

 seeds was secured and though many of 

 these failed to germinate, seventy true 

 hybrids have been i^rojiagated. The 

 following Euvitis varieties are repre- 

 sented in the parentage of these hybrids : 



