THE GRAPES OF NEW YORK. 1 45 



Bliie grape; Xortlu-rn Siitnttu-r grape. 8. lb., Mich. Hart. Soc. Rpl., 1893:116. Blue grape; 

 Xorllu-rn aestivalis. 9. Bailey. Gray's Syn. Fl., 1:428. 1897. Blue grape; Northern Suntmer grape. 

 10. Britton and Brown, 2:409. 1897. Bliie grape; Winter grape; V. aestivalis, var. bicolor. 11. 

 Munson, Tex. Sta. Bill., 56:231, 234, 240, 266. 1900. Blue grape. X2. Viala and Ravai, Am. 

 Vines. 1903:42, 59. 



Vine vigorous, climbing; shoots cylindrical or slightly angled, with rather long 

 intemodes, generally perfectly glabrous, usually showing much blue bloom, sometimes 

 spiny at base; diaphragms medium to thick; tendrils intermittent, long, usually bifid. 

 Leaves with short, broad stipules; leaf-blade medium to very large; roundish-cordate, 

 usually three-, sometimes on older growth shallowly five-lobed, rarely entire; petiolar 

 sinus variable in depth, usually rather narrow; margin irregularly dentate; teeth acumi- 

 nate; glabrous above, usually glabrous below and showing much blue bloom which 

 sometimes disappears late in the season; young leaves sometimes slightly pubescent; 

 petioles very long. Cluster of medium size, compact, usually simple; peduncle long. 

 Berries small to medium, black with much blue bloom, rather acid but pleasant tasting 

 when ripe. Seeds small, plump, broadly oval, very short beak; chalaza oval, raised, 

 distinct; raphe distinct, showing as a cord-like ridge. 



Bicolor is readily distinguished from Aestivalis by the absence of the 

 reddish pubescence, and by the bloom on the under side of the leaves and 

 is distinguished from the glaucous form of Lincecumii by the smaller fruit 

 and seeds. The species blooms slightly later than Aestivalis and Lince- 

 cumii. It was named and described by Le Conte in 1853 and has been 

 generally recognized as a distinct species by later botanists. 



The habitat of Bicolor is to the north of that of Aestivalis, occupying 

 the northeastern, whereas Aestivalis occupies the southeastern quarter of 

 the United States. Like Aestivalis it is not confined to streams and river- 

 banks but frequently grows on higher land also. It is found in north 

 Missotu"i, Illinois, southwestern Wisconsin, Indiana, southern Michigan, 

 Ohio, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, New York, southwestern Ontario, New 

 Jersey and Maryland, and is by some botanists reported as far south as 

 western North Carolina and west Tennessee. 



The horticultural characters of Bicolor are much the same as those 

 of Aestivalis. About the only points of difference are that it is much hardier 

 (some of the Wisconsin vines stand a temperature as low as 20 degrees 

 below zero) ; it is said to be slightly less resistant to mildew and more resist- 

 ant to phylloxera. Like Aestivalis, Bicolor does not thrive on limy soils 

 10 



