THE GRAPE. O 



the Brighton, Delaware and others are the product of the union of 

 V. vinifera with V. labrusca, and as a result we have among them 

 varieties of the finest quality, though almost without exception 

 they exhibit some weakness in foliage or root, and a predisposition 

 to disease not found in those of pure labrusca origin. 



These species of the grape readily hybridize together. The 

 blossoms of the cultivated kinds of grapes are generally perfect, as 

 shown in Fig. 26. This is especially true of varieties of pure fox- 



PIG. 25. FIG. 26. FIG. 27. 



FTG. 25. Shows the way in which the stamens push off the covering of the 



flower. The petals separating at the. lower edge. 

 FIG. 26. A perject flower withered (full developed) stamens. 

 FIG. 27. A flower withrejlex (weak) stamens. 



grape ( V. labrusca) origin ; while hybrids having some of the Euro- 

 pean wine grape (V. vinifera) in their parentage often have flowers 

 which are deficient in pollen. The latter have their stamens some- 

 what crooked and are said to be reflexed (Fig. 27). They frequent- 

 ly do not produce enough pollen to fertilize their own flowers, and 

 when grown alone the bunches of fruit on them are perhaps only 

 partially filled out, having many small, seedless berries. This fea- 

 ture is characteristic of the Lindley, Brighton and others, and 

 varities with this weakness in their flowers should be grown near 

 such kinds as the Concord, Worden, etc., which produce an abund- 

 ance of pollen. 



Propagation. The grape is increased from cuttings and lay- 

 ers, and, to a very limited extent in this country, by grafting. Pro- 

 pagation from seed is resorted to only when new varieties are 

 desired. 



BY SEED. If vines are to be grown in this way the seed should 

 be saved from ripe berries. It should be at once sown in boxes of 

 rich soil, or in a fine seed-bed, covering it a half inch deep and pro- 

 tecting by a mulch in winter. The plants will make a growth of 

 one or two feet the first season, and will show blossoms about the 

 fourth year. Some will have perfect and some staminate flowers, 

 while others will have flowers with reflexed stamens ; not one seed- 

 ling in a thousand will be worth anything for fruit. The chances 

 for obtaining good kinds will be much increased if careful, intelli- 

 gent hybridization is resorted to. 



BY CUTTINGS. Grape cuttings are of three kinds long and 

 short, hard wood and soft wood. The process by which they are 



