BELL 



BLACK MOROCCO 



235 



to Patrick Barry, distinguished nurseryman 

 and pomologist. The variety is grown in gar- 

 dens throughout the grape regions of eastern 

 America. 



Vine vigorous, hardy, productive, susceptible to 

 mildew. Canes long, numerous, thick, dark brown with 

 heavy bloom ; nodes flattened ; shoots glabrous ; tendrils 

 intermittent, bifid or trifid. Leaves large ; lobes 1-3, ter- 

 minus acute ; petiolar sinus deep, narrow, sometimes 

 closed and overlapping ; basal sinus usually lacking ; lat- 

 eral sinus shallow, narrow ; teeth shallow. Flowers open 

 in midseason, self-sterile ; stamens reflexed. Fruit mid- 

 season, keeps well. Clusters short, very broad, taper- 

 ing, often subdividing into several parts, compact ; 

 pedicel with small warts. Berries large, oval, dark 

 purplish-black, glossy, covered with heavy bloom, ad- 

 herent ; skin thin, tough, adherent ; flesh pale green, 

 translucent, tender, stringy, vinous, pleasant-flavored ; 

 good. Seeds adherent, 1-5, large, deeply notched, with 

 enlarged neck, brown. 



BELL. V. vulpina X ? Willie Bell. Bell is 

 one of Munson's hybrids, its parents being 

 Elvira crossed with Delaware. The characters 

 of vine and fruit are chiefly those of Elvira, 

 and, in particular, the grapes have the Elvira 

 flavor, which is somewhat against them for a 

 table grape. The fruit has the same value for 

 wine-making as Elvira, and it is to be assumed 

 that it will be desirable in the making of 

 grape-juice. The variety is grown only in 

 Texas and the neighboring states. Munson 

 introduced Bell in 1881. 



Vine a strong grower, hardy, usually producing a full 

 crop although a shy bearer in some localities. Leaves 

 vigorous, healthy, medium to very large. Flowers mid- 

 season, nearly fertile ; stamens upright. Fruit mid- 

 season, keeps well ; clusters intermediate in size and 

 length, frequently shouldered, compact ; berries rather 

 small, round, dull green with a yellow tinge covered 

 with heavy gray bloom, persistent; skin thin, very 

 tender, adherent to the pulp ; flesh moderately juicy and 

 tender ; sweet at the skin, tart at the center. 



BERCKMANS. V. cestivalis Bourquinir 

 ana X V. vulpina. In Berckmans we have the 

 fruit of Delaware on the vine of Clinton. The 

 berry and bunch resemble those of Delaware 

 in shape; the fruit is of the same color; bunch 

 and berry are larger; the grapes keep longer; 

 the flesh is firmer, but the quality is not so 

 good, as the flesh lacks tenderness and rich- 

 ness. The vine of Berckmans is not only more 

 vigorous, but less subject to mildew than 

 that of Delaware. The vine-characters are not, 

 however, so good as those of Clinton. The 

 variety is poorly adapted to some soils, and 

 on these the grapes do not color well. In 

 spite of many good qualities, Berckmans is 

 but an amateur's grape. The name com- 

 memorates the viticultural labors of P. J. 

 Berckmans, and was given by his friend, A. P. 

 Wylie, Chester, South Carolina, who originated 

 the variety. Berckmans came from Delaware 

 seed sown in 1868, fertilized by Clinton. 



Vine vigorous, hardy, productive. Canes long, nu- 

 merous, slender, dark brown ; nodes prominent, flat- 

 tened ; internodes short ; shoots glabrous ; tendrils in- 

 termittent, long, bifid. Leaves small, thin ; lobes 1-3, 

 terminal one acute ; petiolar sinus shallow, wide ; basal 

 sinus usually lacking ; lateral sinus shallow. Flowers 

 open early, self-fertile ; stamens upright. Fruit ripens 

 with Delaware. Clusters shouldered, compact, slender ; 

 pedicel long, slender with few warts ; brush short, light 

 green. Berries small, oval, Delaware-red, darker when 



well ripened, covered with thin bloom, persistent ; skin 

 thin, tough, adherent, astringent ; flesh pale yellowish- 

 green, translucent, fine-grained, tender, melting, vinous, 

 sweet, sprightly ; very good. Seeds free, 1-4, small, 

 broad, blunt, brown. 



BETA. V. vulpina. One of the hardiest of 

 all grapes, Beta has made a place for itself 

 in northern Wisconsin and Minnesota, where 

 alone it is grown. The vines are not only 

 hardy but also healthy and productive. The 

 bunches are of medium size, while the berry 

 is about half way in size between those of 

 Delaware and Concord. The fruit ripens very 

 early, and usually escapes frost even in these 

 northern latitudes. In regions where the gen- 

 eral run of American grapes are grown, the 

 quality of the fruit of this variety would 

 be considered poor, the flavor being acid and 

 somewhat astringent. It is said, however, that 

 the grape-juice, jelly, and culinary prepara- 

 tions made from fruit of Beta are most ex- 

 cellent in quality. The variety is probably 

 a pure Vulpina, although some believe it to 

 have a trace of Labrusca blood as well. It 

 originated with a Mr. Suelter, who says it is 

 a cross between Carver, a Vulpina grape, and 

 Concord. The date of origin is not given. 

 Unfortunately the writer has not seen the 

 fruit of Beta, and cannot find a satisfactory 

 description of it. Growers report that it is 

 very similar in vine and fruit to the well-known 

 Janesville. 



BLACK HAMBURG. V. vinifera. Black 

 Hamburg is an old European sort, long the 

 mainstay in forcing-houses in Belgium, Eng- 

 land, and America, and now popular out-of- 

 doors in California. The grapes are excellent 

 for the table and keep well, but the tender 

 skin does not permit their being shipped far, 

 especially when grown out-of-doors. Bunch 

 and berry are as beautiful as in any grape 

 that grows. The vine is subject to disease. 

 The following description of the fruit is made 

 from grapes grown in the greenhouse: 



Bunches very large, often a foot in length and 

 weighing several pounds ; very broad at the shoulder 

 and gradually tapering to a point ; compact, oftentimes 

 too compact ; berries very large, round or slightly 

 round-oval ; skin rather thick ; dark purple becoming 

 black at full maturity ; flesh firm, juicy, sweet and 

 rich ; quality very good or best. Season early in the 

 forcing-house but rather late out-of-doors. 



BLACK MALVOISE. V. vinifera. This 

 variety is widely grown in California as an 

 early table-grape and might be worth trying 

 in eastern grape regions. While the fruit is 

 not of the best quality, it is good. The fol- 

 lowing description is compiled: 



Vine vigorous, healthy and productive ; wood long- 

 jointed, rather slender, light brown. Leaves of medium 

 size, oval, evenly and deeply five-lobed ; basal sinus 

 open, with nearly parallel sides ; upper surface smooth, 

 almost glabrous; lower surface slightly tomentose on 

 the veins and veinlets. Bunches large, loose, branching ; 

 berries large, oblong, reddish black with faint 'bloom ; 

 flesh firm, juicy, crisp ; flavor lacking in richness and 

 character ; quality not high. Season early, keeping and 

 shipping but poorly. 



BLACK MOROCCO. V. vinifera. Black 

 Morocco very generally meets the approval 



