Dr. EiHjeJmann. 



GRAPE MANUAL. 



Classification. 13 



large in iniddle-sized, or, in many cultivated 

 forms, rather large bunches, bearing two or 

 three or even four seeds, large, notched, 

 without visible raphe. (See table of seeds, 

 page 11, Figs. 1 and 2.) 



This species, usually known as the Fox 

 grape, or Northern Fox grape, is a native of 

 the Alleghany Mountains, and of their east- 

 ern slope to the sea-coast, from New England 

 to South Carolina, where it prefers wet thick- 

 ets or granitic soil. Here and there it de- 

 scends along streams to the western slope of 

 the mountains, but is a stranger to the Mis- 

 sissippi Vallej' proper. 



As the Lahrusca generally grows on gran- 

 itic soil or granitic detrities, which may favor 

 the vine,* I would suggest to plant Catawba 

 vine3-ards in the granitic regions of our Ozark 

 Mountains, and would expect favorable re- 

 sults there. 



By far the largest number of varieties of 

 grape-vines now cultivated in our country are 

 the offspring of this species ; a few produced 

 by nurserymen, but most of them picked up 

 in the woods ; they are easily recognized by 

 the characters above given, and most readily 

 by the peculiar arrangements of the tendrils 

 as above described. Large and downy-leaved 

 varieties of V. ^stivalis are, in the west and 

 southwest, not rarely mistaken for Labrnsca, 

 but the two may alwaj^s be distinguished by 

 the characters indicated. 



It is also the species which has most gen- 

 €rall3' been used as one of the parents (niost- 

 Ij^ the mother) in artificial hybridization, and 

 as it is the most individualized or specialized 

 of all our (perhaps of all known) grape-vines, 

 its characters unmistakably prevail in the hy- 

 brids, and rarely leave a doubt as to where to 

 refer the questionable form ; of which I shall 

 have to add a few words below, under the 

 head of Hybrids. 



2. ViTis Candicans, Englemann. ( V. 

 3fustanr/ensis, Buckley). The Mustang grape 

 of Texas ; a tall climber, with rather large, 

 rounded, almost toothless leaves, white cot- 

 tony on the under side, l^earing large berries, 

 which, like those of the wild Labrvsea, show 

 different colors, greenish, claret and bluish- 

 ])lack ; and which, in its native country, are 

 made into wine. In young shoots and sprouts 

 the leaves are usually deeply and elegantly 

 manj-'lobed, which, with the contrast of the 

 deep green upper and pure white under sur- 

 face, would make this species a most elegant 

 vine for arbors, if it could be protected from 

 severe frost. This may be done by laying it 



* IMiinclion, in a note to the French edition, remai-lvs: 

 The fact tliat the wild Lal^rusca srows in jrranitic soil 

 (terrains siliceux) may explain why tlie cultivated va- 

 rieties of this species do not succeed in Europe except 

 in silicious soils and are often attaclced by yellows la 

 disease) on limestone soils. 



down and covering it with soil. In Texas it 

 grows in the lower country, as well as on the 

 calcareous hills, and extends even into the 

 granitic region. It has also been found in 

 Florida, where many Texas plants are again 

 met with. The Florida form, at one time 

 taken for Vitis Caribiea, but quite distinct 

 from it, has shorter and comparative!}^ thicker 

 seeds. (Fig. 8). 



3. Vitis Cakib.ea, de Candolle, is a AVest 

 Indian species which has lately found its wny , 

 with other tropical plants, into southern 

 Florida. It has a downy, cordate leaf, not 

 lobed, but characterized by the small l)iit 

 very sharp, distant teeth. Its black berries 

 are small and mostly bear but one or two 

 seeds. I find the Florida seeds (Fig. 9) 

 which were kindly sent to me by Mr. A. H. 

 Curtiss, the discoverer, larger than those of 

 the West Indian type. 



4. Vitis Californica, Bentham. The 

 only wild grape of our Pacific coast ; a low 

 bush a foot or two high, in dry beds of 

 streams in southern Oregon ; it becomes a 

 tall climber in southern California, with a 

 stem three inches or more in diameter ; it is 

 distinguished by its cordate, rounded, white- 

 ish, downy leaves and small black berries in 

 large l)unches ; the obtuse but scarcely 

 notched seeds (Figs. 10 and 11), without or 

 with only a trace of a raphf^ and with a nar- 

 row, long chalaza. No use is made of this 

 species, but it has lately been recommended 

 as a grafting stock for European vines in 

 California vineyards which have been at- 

 tacked by the Phylloxera. For even this 

 grape-vine, which is a native of a country 

 originally entirely free from the insect, is as 

 proof against it as any of our Mississippi Val- 

 ley vines. 



5. Vitis MoNTicoLA, Buckley. Usually a 

 small bushy vine, rarely climbing over higher 

 trees ; branchlets angled ; young stems, peti- 

 oles and leaves cottony, downy, the down 

 gradually disappearing, remaining onl}^ here 

 and there in fiocose bunches ; stipules very 

 short (i line long) ; leaves deeply cordate, 

 with a rounded sinus, very shortlj' three- 

 lobed, edged with small but broad teeth, 

 rather wrinkled on the upper surface, but the 

 older ones very smooth and often conspicu- 

 ousl}^ shining below (especially in the diy 

 specimens) ; usually small, not more than 

 three inches across, onl}' on vigorous shoots 

 three or four inches Avide ; tendrils intermit- 

 tent, in the smaller, bushy forms, often with- 

 ering away ; bunches of fruit compact, short ; 

 beiries 4, or rarely 5 lines in diameter; seeds 

 obtuse or slightly notched, chalaza rather 

 narrow, extending upward into a Inroad 

 groove, but without a visible raphe. 



