210 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION. 



bearing. Many of these were too young or too few for a judgment to 

 be formed as to their value. The principal object of the growers who 

 were testing these varieties seemed to be to find a variety of good 

 shipping qualities earlier than the Malaga and especially to find a 

 suitable black or red grape. There seemed to be a general impression 

 that grapes ripening much after July first were poor in quality and 

 did not ship well. 



Early Grapes. Several varieties were seen ripening one to two 

 weeks before the Malaga and Sultanina (Thompson's Seedless). 



The Luglienga has been planted by several growers but is gener- 

 ally disappointing. It ripens very early, but the bunches are small 

 and compact and the berries juicy and soft. It is inferior in these 

 respects to the same variety grown in the Coachella Valley. It is 

 probable that it could be much improved by longer pruning and 

 thinning of the bunch. 



The Chasselas dore and Chasselas rose (White and Red Sweet- 

 water) have the same defects as the Luglienga and seem subject to 

 sunburn. 



The earliest black grape seen was the Blue Portuguese, but it has 

 little to recommend it except earliness. The berries are small and too 

 juicy for distant shipping. The Bellino is a black grape almost as 

 early as the Blue Portuguese and very superior in appearance and 

 shipping qualities. This is the most promising of the early black 

 grapes. 



A few of the Persian varieties were found bearing in several vine- 

 yards and some of them promise to be superior to any of the early 

 grapes yet tested. They have nearly all a family resemblance in 

 delicacy of texture and flavor, combined with a certain absence of 

 juiciness which promises well for their shipping qualities. They vary 

 considerably in color, shape, and time of ripening. 



The varieties known as Persians Nos. 21, 23, 24, and 26, resemble 

 each other very closely. They are all yellowish white, short, cylin- 

 drical and very early, ripening one or two weeks before the Sultanina 

 and at least as early as the Luglienga and Chasselas. They are larger 

 and of finer appearance than these varieties. The bunches are well 

 filled but loose and easy to pack. The Dizmar and Khalille, also 

 Persian varieties, belong to the same group. The Chavooshee is a 

 long white grape ripening about the same time. The Hutab, Alakakee, 

 and Risk Baba are large, elongated, curved white grapes ripening a 

 little earlier than the Malaga and are all very striking in appearance 

 and promise to be of good shipping quality. 



