NITODAL, T. V. M. 1902 (Salado x Pense) . ( -&) . Vine vigorous, healthy ; leaf medium with 

 little pubescence; cluster medium to large, conical, handsome; berry persistent, above medium, 

 spherical, translucent, dark red, skin thin, never cracks; pulp malting, pure, fine; juice pale pink, 

 sugar 67 , acid 6 per mill in very wet season; seeds small, few. Altogether very attractive and 

 valuable, especially in limy soils in hot climate. 



SABINAL, T. V. M. 1902 (Salado x Brilliant). ( f). Vine a rampant grower, healthy; 

 leaf large, entire or sublobed, very little downy pubescence on under side and on young wood; 

 cluster medium; berry very large, pale clear red; beautiful, skin thin, not cracking, pulp melting, 

 very juicy, sprightly, sweet and good; ripe late, persistent. 



Labrusca Varieties 



(See Plate XLVIL, Concord, page 153.) 



The foundation of grape-culture in the North up to the present has rested upon V. labrusca 

 chiefly, supplemented with its hybrids with V. Vinifera and V. uulpina. 



I give the descriptions of twenty pure varieties of this species, not because all are valuable, 

 but to exhibit what the great North is trying to build upon, grouped together. 



The merits of this species are, that its vines endure great cold, and are little subject to mildew 

 and rot, root easily from cuttings, have large berries, and generally tough skins that do not crack 

 easily, bear four and five clusters continuously without skipping every third joint (node), as do 

 other species. 



Its weaknesses are, w r eak resistance to Phylloxera, having a resisting power of only four to 

 eight points, out of a scale of twenty points, the highest, or complete resisting power, which the 

 Southern Muscadines possess, and when united in hybrids with Vinifera (which stands at zero 

 in resistance), makes varieties of low resisting power of three to four; small clusters, with little 

 or no peduncle (cluster stem), making the fruit difficult to gather without marring; little power 

 of the berry to cling to cluster, causing some varieties to drop badly; thick astringent skins, 

 tough, slippery pulp; possessed of a very intense foxy aroma and flavor, which to grape connois- 

 seurs, are very disagreeable ; very low per cent of sugar ; large, very hard seeds ; little endurance of 

 severe drouth and heat, rendering them unsuitable for dry, hot countries ; dull, unattractive colors. 



It would probably be to the advantage of grape development in the North if all its Labrusca 

 varieties, except Colerian, Concord, Dracut Amber, Early Ohio, Ives, Moore Early, Pocklington 

 and Worden were destroyed, and with these begin a more judicious hybridization. Dracut Amber 

 would be probably the best basis for early red varieties, Early Ohio and Moore Early for early 

 black varieties, Colerian for early white varieties; Concord, Ives, and Worden for mid season, 

 making Pocklington for late kinds. But, scanning the many hybrids of these with Vinifera, for 

 hardy, healthy high quality grapes, there is little hope to do better in that direction. The Clinton, 

 Elvira, Taylor, Monitor, combinations of Labrusca with Vulpina, and the Kentucky, a Concord x 

 Norton Virginia hybrid, point surely a better way. The large berried Post-Oak grapes (V. Lince- 

 cumii) of Missouri, hardier than Norton, offer a still better base. Even the best selections of 

 V. bicolor of Ohio, Michigan, Illinois and Wisconsin, present a very inviting and promising mate- 

 rial to work up northern viticulture, admitting into the combinations some blood of the very 

 hardiest, healthiest, best quality Vinifera, such as Malaga, Calabrian, Muscat Rose, Semendia, 

 Violet Chasseias, Rose of Peru, and Muscat of Alexandria. 



CHAMPION, originated with R. J. Donnelly, near Rochester, N. Y. before 1873. ( ' f). 

 Vine very healthy, vigorous and prolific, leaves large, leathery, much felted pubescence on lower 

 face, slightly three lobed; clusters medium, compact, shouldered; berries large, globular, black, 

 with heavy white bloom, skin seldom cracks; pulp not very tough; quality very poor, almost 

 wanting, would better express it; earliest of this group. 



COLERIAN, originated from Concord seed by David Bundy, of Colerian, Ohio; introduced 

 in 1885. ( ' f). Vine with Concord character, abundant bearer, cluster full medium, shouldered; 



154 



