1 14 Delaware. 



BUSHBERG CATALOGUE. 



Delaivha. 



Delaware is exceedingly hardy, enduring un- 

 injured the severest winters, if the vines are 

 health}'. In many localities it yields a sure 

 and abundant crop, and is entirely without a 

 rival for the production of a fine white wine. 

 It is considered '-altogether the best grape 

 w^e have." In some locahties, however, it 

 has been found subject to mildew or leaf- 

 blight. and this tendency is greatly aggra- 

 vated by allowing the vines to overbear, 

 which the Delaware, if permitted, is sure to 

 do. Good authorities recommend a slight 

 coping over the vines as a protection against 

 mildew, and the use of the preventives re- 

 cently discovered proved effectual. Its root 

 was supposed to be sensitive to Phylloxera, 

 and its leaves are often covered with galls 

 produced by this insect; but Reich of Ar- 

 meillere, the eminent grape-grower of the 

 Rhone-Delta, has furnished proof that this 

 variety also is successful!}' resisting the at- 

 tacks of Phylloxera. He artificially infected 

 them with the insect, three times each year, 

 without doing them any harm. 



Bunch small to medium, compact ; clusters 

 usually shouldered ; berries below medium, 

 round ; skin thin, but tenacious : pulp sweet 

 and tender; juice abundant, rich, vinous and 

 sugary, sprightly and refreshing ; color a 

 beautiful light red, covered with a thin 

 whitish bloom and ver}^ translucent. It is 

 without harshness or acidity in its pulp, ex- 

 ceedingly sweet, but sprightly, vinous and 

 aromatic. Eijyens earl}^, about eight days 

 later than Hartford. Quality best, for the 

 table as well as for wine; must 100°-118° ; 

 acid 5 to 6 per mill. 



When the former editions of this catalogue 

 were published , seedlings from Delaware and 

 its crosses with other varieties were but little 

 known, though innumerable attempts had 

 been made to raise them. Expectations to 

 produce therefrom a grape of superior value, 

 larger only in size of bunch and berries, yet 

 of the qualit}' of the Delaware, seemed 

 doomed to disappointment ; until John Burr 

 and Dr. Stayman seem to have struck the 

 ke^'note to success,* and produced a large 

 nuiuber of remarkable, valuable varieties 

 which are hardy, health}', vigorous and of 

 high quality ; few of the many hundreds of 

 Delaware seedlings have ever shown nuirked 

 features of the Vinifera ; many of its seed- 

 lings showed more or less of the '■'Fox 

 grape." This fact and other characteristics 

 lead us to place its origin, in part, from this 

 species, although some eminent horticultur- 



ists and botanists clals the Delaware with 

 u^stivalis (others with Riparia). .It is true 

 that the Delaware leaf is more closely allied 

 to ^stivalis ; its wood is harder, more diffi- 

 cult to propagate, and the tendrils are not 

 continuous (nor are they regularly intermit- 

 tent) ; but we find a remarkable parallel case 

 in '■'■ Sheppard's Delaivare.," raised from seed 

 of Catawba by J. N, Sheppard in 1852. From 

 him Charles Dooming received it, with its 

 history, and says, "<7<e vine and fruit are 

 similar in all respects to Delaicare." 



In Minnesota, S. D. Hillman, chairman 

 State fruit coiuiuittee, reports that the Dela- 

 ware grows there larger than that shipped 

 from eastern vineyards and, since the downy 

 mildew has been checked, seems improA'ed 

 in size, color and flavor. 



A combination of Delaware and Concord, 

 by G. W. Campbell, produced a vine with 

 fine growth and healthy foliage ; clusters 

 large with the form and color of the Dela- 

 ware, flavor rich and delicate ; ripening early 

 and berries hanging firmly to the stems ; but 

 it had many and too large seeds for the size 

 of the grape ; . . . and, relating some 

 of the trials and disappointments he met with 

 in endeavoring to produce new varieties of 

 merit by crossing Delaware and Concord, he 

 told us: " This nursling of years, from which 

 I had at one time great hopes, is relegated to 

 that banishment where hundreds have gone 

 before." 



Black Delawake or Nectau, (see their 

 descriptions), claimed to be Delaware Seed- 

 lings, are most probably hybrids between this 

 and another variety (Concord) ; so also Kalista 

 and SACCHAinssA, claimed to be White Delaware 

 Seedlings, produced by .J. Sacksteder of Louis- 

 ville, Ky. 



Delawba. (Labr. X ) Originated by Dr. 

 L. C. Chisholm of Spring Hill, Tenn. A 

 seedling of Delaware and Catawba, combin- 

 ing in the name the words Delaware and 

 Catawba ; reported as one of the promising^ 

 novelties, in 1891, by H. E. Van Denian, 

 Washington, D. C. Cluster moderately com- 

 pact, cylindrical, tapering slightly, sometimes- 

 slightly shouldered ; ripens immediately 

 after Delaware ; color, light amber, with 

 light lilac bloom ; skin quite tough. A new 

 grape certainly worthy of trial. In growth 

 and foliage it is almost identical with Cataw- 

 ba, but much more robust and resistant to 

 diseases. Its berries are not uniform in size, 

 ranging from a medium Catawba to a small 

 Delaware, yet rii)ens every berry at the same 

 time. Not at all attractive, its claim must 

 be based on vigor, quality and great p)roduct- 

 iveness — especially for icine of very good 

 quality and fine flavor. 



Will be disseminated in 1895.— B. «fe S. & M. 



