76 GRAPE CULTURE AND 



shouldered, larger and heavier than any of its class; berry 

 small, round, black with blue bloom, very juicy and sprightly, 

 without pulp, well called by Downing, "bags of wine," skin 

 thin. A very early and heavy bearer, has with long pruning 

 produced 50 Ibs. to the vine when four years old. An ex- 

 cellent stock for grafting, as it is an immense grower, and all the 

 grafts of Vinifera varieties take well on it, but almost too good 

 of itself to graft. Who ever plants it has the choice of keep- 

 ing it for its own fruit, or gnifting it. I should prefer the 

 first. It propagates much more readily from cuttings grown 

 in this State than in Missouri, and I have had from 50 to 75 

 per cent, to grow in nursery. The finest piece of Vinifera 

 grafts Mr. Gundlach has are on Herbemont roots. 



Perhaps the most valuable for direct production of the 

 yEstivalis class is the Rulander or St. Genevieve. This is not 

 the German grape of that name, but a true ^Estivalis, first 

 extensively cultivated by Dr. Koch, of Golconda, 111., who 

 obtained it from St. Genevieve, Mo.; vine a short jointed, 

 stocky grower, wood short jointed, blueish brown; leaf heart 

 shaped, not lobed; bunch small, shouldered, compact; berry 

 small, round, brownish black, covered with blue bloom, juicy, 

 sweet and spicy. Makes a very fine dark red wine here, resem- 

 bling the finest Burgundy types, and is very productive. It is 

 well adapted to spur pruning, on account of its short, stocky 

 growth, and as it is easy of propagation, will be valuable for 

 its own product, as well as a grafting stock. The must is 

 very sweet and spicy, coming up to 28 to 30 Balling. Pro- 

 pagates easily from cuttings. 



The Louisiana is very similar to the above, in growth of 

 vine, leaf and fruit, but differs in making a lighter colored 

 wine, resembling the delicate, high flavored and heavy hocks, 

 It is as yet but little tried in this State, and only in my hands, 

 I shall report fully on it in due time. So far, it is very 

 promising. 



