STURTEVANT S NOTES ON EDIBLE PLANTS 60I 



V. indica Linn. 



East Indies and India. The small berries are edible.' 



V. labrusca Linn, fox grape, skunk grape. 



Eastern United States. This is probably the grape seen by the Northmen at Vin- 

 land, when the two Scotch slaves sent out to explore brought back a bunch of grapes in 

 1006. This grape was mentioned by Edward Winslow^ in Massachusetts, 1621, as 

 "white ajid red and very sweet and strong also." Master Graves' says "vines doe 

 grow here plentifully laden with the biggest grapes that ever I saw; some I have seen 

 four inches about." The fox grape is often mentioned by the colonists. In 1769, the 

 French settlers on the Illinois River made upwards of one hundred hogsheads of strong 

 wine from the wild grape. The fruit varies much in size, color and taste, and some of 

 the natural varieties are very fair fruit and may be fovmd even now around many New 

 England homesteads, although they all have more or less of the strong, musky flavor, 

 which in some varieties is disagreeably intense. Emerson * says he has gathered grapes 

 in the woods decidedly superior to the Isabella. 



This species has given origin to many cultivated varieties, such as Isabella, Concord, 

 Moore's Early and Hartford Prolific. Emerson * says also, the Catawba, Blands Grape, 

 Schuylkill, Elsinberg and others; Ra venal includes Diana and Rebecca. The Isabella 

 and Catawba were introduced to notice in 1816, the Concord about 1854. Diana was 

 exhibited in 1843, and Moore's Early for the first time in 1872. At the present time, 

 1879, 46 varieties of American grapes are approved by the American Pomological Society, 

 and many others are before the public on probation. Oh account of the immunity of the 

 grape vines derived from this species from the phylloxera, large numbers of vines have been 

 exported to France for use in vineyards as stocks for grafting. At present, this species 

 promises to be as prolific of valtmble varieties as is the V. vinifera of Europe and Asia. 



V. latifolia Roxb. 



East Indies. The acid leaves are eaten.' 



V. linsecomii Buckl. pine-wood grape, post-oak grape, turkey grape. 



Texas. The grapes are from one-half to three-quarters of an inch in diameter, of 

 a deep purple, tender, pleasant and free from musky flavor. It is cultivated in a few 

 gardens in Texas.' 



V. monticola Buckl. mountain grape. 



Texas; occasionally activated in gardens. The berries are large, white or amber- 

 colored; skin thin; pulp tender, juicy and sweet.' 



'MueUer, F. Sel. Pis. ^lo. 1891. 



'Young, A. Chron. Pilgr. 234. 1841. 



' Mass. Hist. Soc. Coll. ist Ser. 1:124. 1806. Reprint of 1792. 



* Emerson, G. B. Trees, Shrubs Mass. 2:532. 1875. 

 Emerson, G. B. Trees, Shrubs Mass. 2:531. 1875. 



Unger, F. U. S. Pat. Off. Rpt. 1859. 



' Buckley U. S. Pat. Off. Rpt. 485. 1861. 

 Ibid. 



