THE GRAPES OK NEW YORK. 373 



is very hard\-, unusually free from fungal diseases, and its must is ver\- 

 thick and dark, even staining the hands a deep purple, hence suitable for 

 adding color to wines. The variety is very resistant to phylloxera and has 

 been used in France as a phylloxera-resistant grafting stock. 



The origin of this variet>- is unknown. It was introduced into culti- 

 vation about i860 by E. W. Sylvester of Lyons, New York. The Oporto 

 was placed on the American Pomological Society list in 1862 and removed 

 in 1867. The botanical characters indicate that this variety is a Riparia- 

 Labrusca cross-breed. It has much the same vine characters as Clinton, 

 but is, if anything, more rampant in growth than that vigorous variety. 



Vine vngorous to very vigorous, unusually hardy, healthy, variable in productive- 

 ness. Canes above medium to long, of medium thickness, dark brown to reddish-brown, 

 surface covered with thin blue bloom; tendrils continuous, bifid. Stamens reflexed. 



Fruit ripens with Concord, ships and keeps well. Clusters medium to small, 

 inferior in length, intermediate in width, cylindrical to oval, often single-shouldered, 

 variable in compactness. Berries below medium in size, roundish to oblate, frequentlv 

 compressed on account of compactness of cluster, black, glossy, covered with abundant 

 blue bloom, persistent, firm. Skin very thin, tender, contains a large amount of dark 

 wine-colored pigment. Flesh nearly white, or sometimes with purplish tinge, moderately 

 juicy, fine-grained, inclined to solid, sweet to somewhat acid, decidedly spicy, of fair 

 quaUty. Seeds separate somewhat easily from the pulp, often numerous, below medium 

 to small, of average length, inclined to broad, faintly notched, often sharply pointed, 

 plump, dark brown; raphe sometimes shows as a partly submerged cord in the shallow 

 groove; chalaza of average size, above center, oval, nearly obscure. 



ORIENTAL. 



(Vinifera. Labrusca.) 



I. Barry, 1883:449. 2. Kan. Hort. Soc. Rpt.. 1889-90:95. 3. III. Sla. Bid.. 28:256. 1893. 

 4. Col. Sta. Bui., 29:19. 1894. 5. Bush. Cat.. i894:i()5. 



Oriental is an excellent dark red Vinifera-Labrusca hybrid resembling 

 Rogers' red hybrids but not in an>- way surpassing them. While a good 

 grape, it is doubtful if it can take the place of the better known varieties 

 of Rogers. Like many grapes of this class its fruit is of high quality but 

 the vine is of only moderate vigor and is susceptible to mildew and black- 

 rot. Oriental is more satisfactorj' in the dr\' portions of the middle West 

 than in New York. 



