Delaware. 



DESCRIPTION OF VARIETIES. 



Delaware. 113 



Delaware. Origin 'unknown. It 

 was found uianj' j^ears since (about 

 1850) in the garden of Paul H. Pro- 

 vost, Frenchtown, Hunterdon Coun- 

 ty, N. J., who had immigrated from 

 Switzerhand, and brought with him 

 many varieties of foreign grapes, 

 whicli he cultivated in his garden. 

 It was first known as the ''Italian 

 Wine Grape," then it was supposed 

 to be the " Red Traminer," or a seed- 

 ling from this variety. We have 

 reasons to believe it an accidental 

 hybrid, a natural cross between the 

 Vitis jEst., Lahr. and V. Viin'fera. 

 Munson considers it a hybrid of 

 Bourquiniana and Labrusca, thus 

 coming to about the same conclusion 

 as we did more than 20 years before 

 we knew of his classification. He 

 thinks that: "Anj^onewho has ever 

 seen Delaware growing alongside of 

 Herbemont in vinej'^ard cannot fail 

 to recognize an element very much 

 like HerbemoLt in foliage and fruit, 

 but intermingled with Labrusca." 

 We find, however, that it differs 

 materially in this that the Delaware 

 is very hard, resisting severest cold 

 while the Herbemont is ver}^ tender ; 

 and the latter is a most vigorous, 

 rapid grower, which the Delaware is 

 not. 



This variety, first brought to notice 

 (about 1855) by A. Thompson, Dela- 

 ware, O., is considered to be one of 

 the best, if not the best, of all Ameri- 

 can grapes. Its introduction and 

 dissemination, some ten years later, 

 made a deeper impression upon 

 American grape-growers, sa3's Geo. 

 AV. Campbell, this noble veteran viti- 

 culturist, than that of any other 

 variety which preceded it. The real 

 origin of the Delaware is still a matter of 

 conjecture ; and, notwithstanding its small 

 size, rather slow growth and delicate foliage, 

 in many places disposed to mildew, its early 

 ripening, great beauty and unrivaled excel- 

 lence placed it immediately at the front, and 

 gave an impulse and impetus to grape cul- 

 ture, before unknown. The advent of this 

 little grape ma}'^ truly be said to have inaug- 

 urated a new era in grape-growing in this 

 countr}', and the interest which it awakened 

 has never ceased, though decades of years 

 have passed and hundreds of competitors 

 have striven to dethrone it from its high posi- 

 tion as the standard of exreUence among our 

 native grapes. It seems entirely free from 

 KOT in all seasons, and its perfect hardiness 



DELAWARE. 



and unsurpassed quality and popularity, both 

 as a table fruit and for wine, places this 

 variety at the head of American grapes. Un- 

 fortunately and from various causes, it does 

 not succeed well in many localities ; it should 

 be planted in deep, rich soil, open and well- 

 drained, here on northeast and eastern slopes, 

 and requires good cultivation, thinning the 

 crop, and pruning to short laterals. Its 

 roots are slender, and not inclined to branch 

 out much; of medium toughness, with a 

 rather soft liber. Canes proportionate in 

 length and thickness, with an average num- 

 ber of laterals ; wood hard, with a small pith. 

 It is a slow grower. Fourteen hundred and 

 fift}^ vines may well he planted to the acre, 

 5 to 6 feet being a sufficient distance. The 



