DESCRIPTION OF VARIETIES. 235 



Bunch medium to large, compact, more or less shouldered ; 

 berries medium to large, oval, black ; skin thick. Flesh 

 very firm, with tough pulp, sweet but quite foxy. 

 Leaves resemble the wild fox grape. Discovered by Mr. 

 Alexander, gardener to Gov. Penn, before the Revolution, 

 and has been in cultivation ever since. Of no particular 

 value. 



ALLAIR. 

 A large red grape of no value. 



ARKANSAS. 



Which of the many varieties sent out under this name 

 is entitled to it, I am unable to determine. One proved to 

 be the Isabella, another resembles the Norton's Virginia, 

 and we think it will prove to be identical. In fact, it is 

 more than likely that the Cynthiana, or Red River, is also 

 the same. Mr. Husmann says that the Cynthiana promises 

 to be a dangerous rival to the Norton's Virginia, and that 

 it so closely resembles it in wood and foliage, that it is dif- 

 cult if not impossible to distinguish them. The bunch and 

 berry are of the same color as the Norton's Virginia, but 

 somewhat larger. Now if they can not be distinguished, 

 that little " somewhat " is not distinctive enough to make 

 three or four varieties out of one. 



Mr. Husmann objects to my chosing the Chippewa and 

 Missouri as synonyms of the Cynthiana, as he says they 

 are quite distinct, but wherein he does not say. There 

 are several varieties in cultivation under these names, one 

 of which is the Nebraska, another is the Elsinburgh, besides 

 two fox grapes, which should have long ago been placed 

 among wine grapes, as they are not good table grapes. 

 They are also too late in ripening for the vicinity of New- 

 York. 



