Noah. 



DESCRIPTION OF VARIETIES. 



Norton. 163 



10° above that of Concord grown and pressed 

 in same locality ; time of ripening abont ten 

 days after the Concord. Foliage large and 

 firm, glossy, with a very slight down under- 

 neath and adhering well to the vine until 

 frost. 



From this description it will be seen that 

 it resembles Elvira in some respects, which 

 is quite natural, being of same parentage, 

 but is quite distinct even in appearance, and 

 there is no difficulty in distinguishing the 

 two in foliage and fruit. It has also a firmer 

 skin, wiiich will not crack as that of the El- 

 vira, but is more inclined to jnildew than the 

 latter. Both grapes are excellent for white- 

 wine ; for table use we have better varieties. 



The Noah was first disseminated in 1876, 

 and has now gained great popularity. At a 

 test of the must, made by impartial experts, 

 the Noah stood 100° on Oechsles scale with 

 7.50 per mille acid, whilst at the same time 

 the Elvira weighed 88^ witii 5 per mille acid. 



Reports from most parts of this country, 

 in regard to growth, health, &c., are very 

 favorable; the fruit mildews however, in un- 

 favorable seasons, but is less liable to rot 

 than other varieties. 



E. A. Biehl, of Alton, III., after a long 

 tramp among the vineyards of Illinois and 

 Missouri, wrote: "Of the Noah, I predict 

 that it will grow well, bear well, keep well 

 on the vines, ship well, sell well, and make 

 lots of monej^ for its growers. In fact, it 

 will be a white grape for the million." 



J. Balsiger, of Highland, 111., favored us 

 with the following lines : "I am very thank- 

 ful to you for having sent me this valuable 

 variety. Too much cannot be said of its 

 good qualities, according to my observa- 

 tions." 



In France, also, the Noah has become a 

 favorite, and is largely planted. 



The accompanying illustration is copied 

 from a photograph, and represents two 

 bunches, beloa- average size, of this valuable 

 variety. The size is reduced ; the single 

 berry shows the full natural size. 



Nonantiim. tLohr.) Si-o Isabella, pasre 141. 



Norfolk. {Lnbr.Hijbr.) Oi-ijrinated by iV. 7J. Jr/u7e, of 

 Norwood, Mass. A vigorous grower, bearing fine fruit 

 of a sliglit Muscat flavor. It .so nearly resembles the 

 Catawba that it would be talcen for nothing else, if it did 

 not ripen even before the Concord. At least, tlie origi- 

 nator showed to a committee of the Mass. Horticultural 

 Society that tlie Norfolk was fully ripe on his place 

 while his Catawbas had l)arely begun to color. Tlie 

 vine is said to lie an abundant bearer of remaricably 

 showy fruit, heavily covered with lilac bloom, and to 

 have withstood a temperature of 18 degrees below zero 

 without protection and without injury. 



North America. (Lubr.) ^mxWj medium, shouldered: 

 berry round: bf.ack, juicy but foxy. Ripens al)OUt with 

 Hai-tford. Vine vigorous, unproductive. 



North Carolina. (Lain:) This seedling- origi- 

 nated with that veteran poniologist, J. B. Garber, 

 of Cokinibia, Pa.; it belongs to the Isabella type, 

 and is a sbowy market grape of poor quality; 

 Bnnrh medium to large, oecasionally shouldered, 

 moderately compact; Ixrrics large, with a slight 

 blue bloom; flesh pulpy but sweet; skin very 

 thick; bangs well to the bunch, and will keep 

 well and carry to market in good condition. 

 Ripens early, coloring a few days before the Con- 

 cord. Vine a rambling grower, hardy and very 

 productive; requires long pruning and "plenty 

 to do." Rools abundant, thick, firm, with a 

 tolerably hard liber; is a good resistant to Phyl- 

 loxera, but much subject to rot. Canes of me- 

 dium thickness, long and rambling, with an 

 average complement of laterals. Wood firm with 

 a medium pith. The initiated can also make a 

 good Muscatel wine of it. Must 84°. 



Northern Muscadine. {Lain-.) A seedling raised 

 by the Shakers of New Lebanon, N. Y. A decid- 

 edly foxy grape, resembling in that respect Dra- 

 cut Amber; of dull amber color. Opinions differ 

 widely about its value. Papa Miinch (as we call- 

 ed our venerable friend, the late Fred'k Miinch). 

 placed it as a table grape next to the Diana, and 

 as a wine grape far above the Vanango. Bimch 

 medium, compact, almost round; herry medium 

 to large, dark amber colored or brownish - 

 RED, flesh pulpy and foxy, sweet, skin thick. 

 Berries round and showy, apt to drop from the 

 bunch when ripe. Ripens about two weeks be- 

 fore Catawba. Vine of luxuriant growth, hardy 

 and productive. Its must will probably be found 

 valuable to mix, in small proportion, with some 

 other variety, to which it would impart, Ave be- 

 lieve, a fine Muscat flavor. 



Norton or Norton's A'irginia. {^st.) A 

 native wild grape found on Cedar Island, James 

 river, near Richmond, Va., discovered there 

 in 1835 by Dr. F. A. Lemosq and recom- 

 mended as a Avine grape by Dr. D. N. Nor- 

 ton, an amateur horticulturist, and one of the 

 pioneers in horticulture near Richmond, Va.,^ 

 who introduced it to public notice. A. J. 

 Downing described it in his "Fruits and 

 Fruit Trees of America" as a cross between 

 the Bland and Miller's Burgundy. It made 

 but little progress until about 1845, when 

 Mr. Heinrichs and Dr. Kehr brought it to our 

 Hermann vine-dressers. 



This little insignificant-looking grape, pro- 

 nounced worthless by Longworth, the father 

 of American grai)e culture, has, nevertheless, 

 become the great ;uid leading variet}^ for red 

 wine not mereh' in Missouri, where its su- 

 perior qualities were first appreciated and 

 brought out in full splendor, and in its native 

 State, Virginia, where it is now receiving 

 great attention, hundreds of acres being 

 planted with this most valuable variety for 

 wine, — but, far and near, in many sections 

 of this coiHitry, and even in some parts of 

 France wiiere American vines are planted. 



The Norton, with its twin-sister, the Cj'n- 

 thiana, is now recognized by all experienced 



