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DESCRIPTION OF VARIETIES . 



Parar/on. 167 



Oswego. (L<il>r.) A uni(iue very large black 

 i^rape of unknown origin; named and introduced 

 by Dr. J. Stayuian, of Leavenworth, Kan. Vine 

 vigorous, iiardy and productive; has shown 

 neither rot nor mildew so far. Bunch and berry 

 very large, handsome, with but little pulp and 

 native aroma; ripens with Concord, which it re- 

 sembles in color, but is considered by Dr. Stay- 

 man to be there better in quality and hangs on the 

 vines long after ripe. 



Othello. {Rip.-Hijhr.) Arnold's Xo. 1. Across 

 from Clinton, or what is called Clinton in Canada, 

 iertilized by the pollen of Black Hamburg. De- 

 scribed as follows: -'•Bunch and bcrrij very large, 

 much resembling the Black Hamburg in appear- 

 ance. Black with aline bloom. Skin thin, the 

 tlesh very solid but not pulpy; flavor pure and 

 sprightly, but in the specimens we liave seen 

 rather acid. Ripening with the Delaware." 



The " Ampelographie Aniericaiue," describes the 

 Othello as follows: (Translation.) 



r'ijie vigorous, of half-erect growth. Cane oi niediiun 

 U'ngth, somewhat slender, round, shining, and but little 

 wrinkled; of yellowisli-brown color when tlie wood is 

 rii)e, diirlier ou tlie nodes and portions exposed to the 

 sun : with elongated internodes, lieavily striated ; inter- 

 mittent 2-forked tendrils. Buds covered w th russet 

 liair, not numerous and falling early. In opening the 

 buds become whitish and show the flower-bunches 

 fringed l>y a line wooly down with a carmine border on 

 the surrounding foliage, which opens and expands rap- 

 idly: these leaves ai-e distinctly three-lobed, sometimes 

 ti ve-lobed, whitish on their lower face witli isolated rosy 

 points on their outline, deeply dentate and glandular. 

 Foliage large when full grown, three-lobed with a nar- 

 row bay at the leaf-stalk (sinus petiolaire), tlie boi-ders 

 •of the lobes overlapping; with two series of very sharp 

 teeth; upper face darlt green, lower face of a whitish- 

 green with a wooly down arranged in small tufts on the 

 lower veins. Lea'f-stalli very short, roI)ust, and form- 

 ing an obtuse angle with the plane of its limb or cane. 



Tlien follows a description of the floirers or hlossoms 

 in terms which we are scarcely able to transhite: then 

 of the bunch with its peduncles and pedicles; of the 

 berries, their size, shape, color, skin, pulp, juice, taste, 

 aroma, etc.. with a minuteness and exactness which 

 may interest tlie scientific specialist, init for which we 

 have not the space, nor, as practical grape-growers, the 

 time to study them. To us it would he more important 

 to know the conditions of soil and climate which the 

 variety demands, whether it inclines to or resists dis- 

 <?ases, where and how it succeeds, etc. 



Our experience with it has not been as favor- 

 able as wo expected. The vines proved good 

 growers, with beautiful, large, deeply-lobed 

 smooth foliage, but not very productive, and what 

 fruit it produced was often destroyed by rot. 

 Here the bundles by no means resemble the Black 

 Hamburg in appearance, nor are they with us as 

 good in quality as Arnold's other hybrids. 



Tn France, however, the Othello does exceedingly well, 

 is en<jrmously productive, and pleases so well in quality 

 and appearance that it is largely propagated and iii 

 dernanff; at Ximes, and whei-ever tried it has proved 

 suffi(;ieiitly rcsislent to the insect. 



At a Tiieetini;- of tlie Agricultural Society of the He- 

 rault, at ;'\I(jiitpelllor, M. Sabatier stateff, that eight 

 years previously he had received from Bush & Meissner 

 one dozen Othei.i.o ijlants: his neight)ois had taken 

 some, which also has succeeded admirably, and of those 

 which h6 kept for himself he was offeren last year 1500 

 francs per 1,000 (-uttings: such offers he could not well 

 refuse, and the purchasers tlianked h'm besides! 



M. Pioi^A also stated that his Othellos were prosper- 

 ing; 300 vines, the third summer, gave him 200 litres 

 wine. Some consider the Othello wine the most remark- 

 al)le of American wines; that it is destined to take the 

 phice of the Mdlber in the Bordelais; others say that 

 the wine made of Otliello, though at first too acid, he- 

 <-()mes very refreshing aiul agreeable, e(|ual to the best 

 ordinary wines of the lowlands of France. 



M. Gaillard states: The Othello succeeds well not- 

 withstanding a little mildew; the great wine merchants 

 <-iimpare its wine to the mountain wines. M. Foe:!^ and 

 Im Thurn think this variety not yet sutticiently tested; 

 it commences to fail at the expeiimental gardens of the 

 former', hence the very high price paifl for them is not 

 justitiable, and caution is advisal)le. 



Owasso or Owosso. (Labr.) A Michigan seedling, 

 supposed to be from the (.'atawl)a; somewhat similar to 

 Catawba; its bunch and berry are large, though with 

 shorter clusters and earlier in season, (iooflhue, the 

 originator of this grape, claims that it combines the 

 following desirable (lualities, viz.: Hardiness, size, 

 beauty, quality, productiveness, and adaptation to tlie 

 climate of the Northern States. Fruit clusters large 

 and compact; quality excellent; has a sprightly taste. 

 A good keeper. Color dark amber. Ripens with the 

 • Delaware. — Monroe Co. Nurseries. 



The Horticulturist of the Experimental It'arm at Ot- 

 tawa finds it hardly to be commended; imperfectly fer- 

 tilized, fruit apt to mildew and a poor keeper. 



Ozark. {^Est. X ) A seedling originated by 

 Dr. J. Staymau, of Leavenworth, Kan. It is a 

 mystery to us. he says, whence the seed came, but 

 all the seedlings from this variety appear to be of 

 the ^Estivalis type. Vine remarkably vigorous, 

 hardy and productive ; has never shown any trace 

 of either rot or mildew on our ground. Bunch 

 large, shouldered, compact; berries rather large, 

 black with a heavy bloom; meaty, tender, 

 sprightly sweet, with a peculiar pleasant flavor, 

 unlike any grape ! ripens l:\ter than Concord and 

 will hang on the vines until hard frost; it makes 

 a very fine dark red wine of ^^ilstivalis character, 

 in the originator's judgment better than Norton's 

 and requiring a different method of wine-mak- 

 ing. (?) Rather mysterious, Dear Doctor. 



Mr. Van Trump reports in the ;S'^. Lonis Journal 

 of Agriculture: '' 0/ark is the most remarkable 

 grape in the entire collection. The bunch is much 

 larger than Concord and the berry as large; but 

 its vigor is most wonderful. I saw a single vine 

 covering a trellis forty feet long, of one season's 

 growth, and beneath the luxuriant foliage the 

 beautiful clusters hung in the greatest profusion." 

 Judge Miller says: ''Ozark will have a record 

 when known. It will make an extra good wine." 



Palmer. A large black grape, said to have been 

 originated in New York by a Mrs. Millington. who 

 subsequently removed to South Haven, Michigan, and 

 brought the unknown variety with her. It is a large 

 black grape, and from its trial there seems likely to 

 prove desirnble as a market grape; but may probably 

 prove an old variety. 



Paradox. {Lahr. X) A seedling of Hartford X 

 loua, laised by W. D. Barnes, of Middlehope, N. 

 Y. T7)i^^ vigorous and productive; foliage good; 

 hunch medium or above, compact, shouldered; 

 berry medium size, black or dark pui;ple with 

 blue bloom, pulp separates readily from the seeds, 

 is juicy, sweet, vinous, and pure flavored of very 

 good (juality; ripens with Concord or a little be- 

 fore. Report of y'eif York Experunent Station 1S92 

 and 1893. 



Parag-ou. {Lahr. X ) Originated by John Burr 

 (one of his last productions), from mixed seed. 

 Vine very vigorous, hardy, healthy and produc- 

 tive; supposed to be free from rot and mildew. 

 Yields well. Bunch medium to large, shouldered, 

 compact, handsome; hcrnj large, black, tender 

 and renj juicy, a bag of juice, which is sweet, 

 sprightly, rich; ripe with Concord, but will hang 

 on the vines long after ripe. Our friend Sam. 

 Miller, of Bluffton, Mo., reported it as only tne- 

 dium in bunch, but berry very large, black, of 

 excellent quality, superior to Concord ; a delicious 

 and valuable market grape. 



'• We consider it worthy of further trial as a 

 table grape." — *S'. ^1. Beach, Jlorticulturint, Jf. Y. 

 Experiment Station, 1892-1893. 



Parag'oii. {Lahr.-Hijhr.) Originated by Chas. 

 S. Copley from seed of Telegraph X with Black 

 Hamburg. The vine is medium in growth; the 

 leaves are of a dark, dull green, three to five 



