226 THE GKAPE CULTUKIST. 



is so uncertain in this vicinity. It is really more uncertain 

 here than farther north. The leaves seem to fail just at 

 the time they are needed to aid in ripening the fruit. The 

 month of August is usually very trying to the leaves of all 

 kinds, and unless, they are naturally strong and healthy 

 they are sure to suffer in this vicinity, though they may 

 entirely escape in another. 



LE NOIR THE BLACK. 



This is another of a quite large class of Southern varie- 

 ties that have been introduced into the Northern States 

 during the last twenty or thirty years, none of which have 

 proved to be of any great value here, as they are usually 

 rather tender. For garden culture some of them are quite 

 desirable, as they are different in character from our 

 Northern varieties. They often reach us under different 

 names ; and there is at present so much confusion in regard 

 to the correct names for the different varieties, that I shall 

 not attempt to fully describe any of them. The one known 

 as Le Noir is quite distinct from Herbemont, both in 

 growth and foliage. The wood is shorter jointed and 

 much darker in color, the leaves nearer round. The fruit 

 gives color at least two weeks earlier ; bunches not so com- 

 pact and much better.. The Louisville Seedling appears 

 to be the same as Le Noir. The Lincoln resembles the 

 Le Noir, with leaves more distinctly lobed. Pauline is sim- 

 ilar to Herbemont, but fruit lighter color ; and to those I 

 may add Long, Devereux, Harris, Thurmond, Wylie, St. 

 Genevieve, Ohio Cigar Box, and a half dozen more that I 

 have received as distinct and valuable varieties. If they 

 are different I have not been able to detect it. The Alvey, 

 Lincoln, and Le Noir are probably the best for the North- 

 ern States ; and even these are not so good when cultivated 

 here as are many indigenous to this section. This class of 

 grapes may be properly called wine grapes, and in section* 



