252 



LUTIE 



MASSASOIT 



LUTIE. V. Labrusca. Lutie is chiefly val- 

 uable for its vine-characters. The vines are 

 vigorous, hardy, healthy, and fruitful. Po- 

 mologists differ widely as to the merits of 

 the fruit: some claim high quality for it, and 

 others declare that it is no better than a wild 

 Labrusca. The difference of opinion is due 

 to a peculiarity of the fruit; if eaten fresh, 

 the quality, while far from being of the best, 

 is not bad, but after being picked for several 

 days, it develops so much foxiness of flavor 

 and aroma that it is scarcely edible. Lutie 

 is a seedling found by L. C. Chisholm, 

 Spring Hill, Tennessee. It was introduced in 

 1885. 



Vine vigorous, hardy, healthy, productive. Canea 

 short, slender, dark reddish-brown ; nodes enlarged ; 

 internodes short ; tendrils continuous, short, bifid. 

 Leaves medium in size ; leaf usually not lobed with 

 terminus acute ; petiolar sinus deep, wide ; basal sinus 

 lacking ; lateral sinus shallow and narrow when present ; 

 teeth shallow, narrow. Flowers self-fertile, early ; 

 stamens upright. Fruit early, does not keep well. 

 Clusters medium in size, short, broad, blunt, cylindrical, 

 usually not shouldered, compact ; pedicel short with 

 small, scattering warts ; brush slender, pale green. 

 Berries large, round, dark red, dull with thin bloom, 

 drop badly from pedicel, firm ; skin tender, adherent, 

 astringent ; flesh pale green, translucent, juicy, tough, 

 foxy ; fair in quality. Seeds adherent, 1-4, large, broad, 

 short and blunt, dark brown. 



Me PIKE. V. Labrusca. McPike is note- 

 worthy because of the large size of the berries 

 and bunches. The fruits are very similar to 

 those of its parent, Worden, differing in having 

 fewer but larger berries, grapes not so high in 

 flavor, and fewer and smaller seeds. Because 

 of the thin, tender skin, the berries crack 

 badly. The grapes shell more or less, and the 

 vines are less productive than those of Wor- 

 den. The faults named debar McPike from 

 becoming a commercial grape, and the fruits 

 are not high enough in quality to make it of 

 value for the amateur. This variety originated 

 with H. G. McPike, Alton, Illinois, from seed 

 of Worden planted in 1890. 



Vine vigorous, hardy, very productive. Canes of 

 medium length, dull reddish-brown ; nodes enlarged, 

 flattened ; internodes very short ; tendrils continuous, 

 bifid or trifid. Leaves large, thick ; leaf entire with 

 terminus acute ; petiolar sinus deep ; basal and lateral 

 sinuses lacking. Flowers nearly self-fertile. Fruit 

 midseason, keeps well. Clusters variable in size, broad, 

 irregularly tapering, usually not shouldered ; pedicel 

 long, thick, smooth ; brush long, slender, green with 

 brown tinge. Berries unusually large, round, purplish- 

 black with heavy bloom, firm ; skin cracks, adherent 

 to pulp, astringent ; flesh pale green, translucent, juicy, 

 tender, stringy, vinous ; fair to good. Seeds adherent, 

 1-4, short, broad, blunt, plump, light brown. 



MALAGA. V. vinifera. The fruit of Mal- 

 aga is one of the favorite table-grapes in 

 California, and is also much grown to ship to 

 eastern markets. In some parts of southern 

 California, where the Muscats do not thrive, 

 Malaga is much grown, and in the San Joa- 

 quin Valley its fruits are rather largely used 

 in making raisins. It requires a long season 

 to mature its crop and probably could not be 

 grown in eastern regions except in the most 

 favored localities. The description is com- 

 piled. 



Vine very vigorous, healthy and productive ; wood 

 reddish-brown, short-jointed. Leaves of medium size, 

 smooth, leathery ; light glossy green above, lighter be- 

 low ; deeply lobed. Bunches very large, long, loose, 

 shouldered, sometimes scraggly ; stem long and flexible. 

 Berries very large, oval, yellowish-green, covered with 

 light bloom ; skin thick ; flesh firm, crisp, sweet and 

 rich ; quality good. Season late, keeps and ships well. 



MARGUERITE. 7. cestivalis Lincecumii 

 X ? This variety is another of the Post-oak 

 hybrids from T. V. Munson, Denison, Texas. 

 The other parent is Herbemont, with which 

 the cross was made about 1890. Marguerite 

 is grown only in Texas and neighboring states, 

 as the growing season is too short in northern 

 regions. 



Vine very vigorous, very productive ; shoots spiny, 

 not downy. Leaves medium to large, 3 to 5 lobes. 

 Flowers semi-sterile ; stamens upright. Fruit very late. 

 Clusters medium in size, cylindrical, shouldered, com- 

 pact. Berries large, round, dark purple ; skin thin, 

 tough ; flesh tender, rich, sweet, quality good to very 

 good. 



MARTHA. V. Labrusca X V. vinifera. 

 Martha was at one time a popular green grape, 

 but the introduction of superior varieties has 

 reduced its popularity until now it is but little 

 grown. It is a seedling of Concord and re- 

 sembles its parent, differing chiefly as follows: 

 the fruits are green and a week earlier; bunch 

 and berry are smaller; the flavor is far better, 

 being sweeter, more delicate, and less foxy; 

 the vine is a lighter shade of green and less 

 robust; and the blossoms open a few days 

 earlier than those of Concord. One of the 

 defects of Martha, and the chief cause of its 

 going out of favor, is that the fruit does not 

 keep nor ship well. The variety is still being 

 planted in the South, but is usually abandoned 

 in the North. Samuel Miller, Calmdale, Penn- 

 sylvania, grew Martha from seed, and intro- 

 duced it about 1868. 



Vine hardy, productive, susceptible to attacks of 

 mildew. Canes long, dark reddish-brown, surface with 

 thin bloom, roughened ; nodes enlarged, slightly flat- 

 tened ; tendrils continuous, or intermittent, bifid. 

 Leaves large, thick ; lobes wanting or faint ; petiolar 

 sinus shallow, very wide ; teeth irregular. Flowers 

 self-fertile, open in midseason ; stamens upright. Fruit 

 early midseason. Clusters medium in size, tapering, 

 single-shouldered, loose ; pedicel short, slender ; brush 

 very short, green. Berries medium in size, round, light 

 green with thin bloom, persistent ; skin thin, very 

 tender, adherent ; flesh pale green, juicy, tough, fine- 

 grained, slightly foxy ; very good. Seeds few in num- 

 ber, adherent, broad, blunt, dark brown. 



MASSASOIT. V. Labrusca X V. vinijera. 

 Massasoit is distinguished as the earliest of 

 Rogers' hybrids, its crop ripening with that of 

 Delaware. The grapes have the peculiarity of 

 being best before full maturity, developing 

 after ripening a degree of foxiness which im- 

 pairs the quality. In shape and size of berry 

 and bunch, there is a striking resemblance to 

 Isabella, but the color is that of Catawba. 

 The texture of the fruit is especially good, 

 firm but tender and juicy, while the flavor is 

 rich and sweet. The vine is vigorous, hardy, 

 and productive, but subject to mildew and rot. 

 Massasoit is worthy of a place in the home 

 vineyard and as an early grape of tine quality 

 for local markets. 



