276 MANUAL OF AMERICAN GRAPE-GROWING 



probably through long cultivation, they are adapted to more 

 kinds of soil, to greater differences in environment and are 

 more easily propagated than the American species. 



Because of these points of superiority in the Old World grape, 

 since Valk, Allen and Rogers showed the way, American grape- 

 breeders have sought to unite by hybridization the good char- 

 acters of the Old World grape with those of the American. 

 Nearly half of the 2000 grapes cultivated in eastern America 

 have more or less European blood in them. Yet, despite the 

 efforts of the breeders, few of these hybrids have commercial 

 value. Whether because they are naturally better fixed, or 

 long cultivation has more firmly established them, the vine 

 characters of Vitis vinifera more often appear in varieties aris- 

 ing as primary hybrids between that and the native species, 

 and the weaknesses of the foreign grape, which prevent their 

 cultivation in America, crop out. Hybrids in which the vinif- 

 era blood is more attenuated, as secondary or tertiary crosses, 

 give better results. 



Several secondary hybrids now rank among the best of the 

 cultivated grapes. Examples are Brighton and Diamond. 

 The first is a cross between Diana-Hamburg, a hybrid of a 

 Vinifera and a Labrusca, crossed in its turn with Concord, a 

 Labrusca ; the second is a cross between lona, also a hybrid 

 between a Vinifera and a Labrusca, crossed with Concord. 

 Both were grown from seed planted by Jacob Moore, Brighton. 

 New York, in 1870. Brighton was the first secondary hybrid 

 to attract the attention of grape-breeders, and its advent marked 

 an important step in breeding grapes. 



The signal success achieved by hybridizers of the European 

 grape with native species quickly led to similar amalgamations 

 among American species. Jacob Rommel, of Morrison, Mis- 

 souri, beginning work about 1860, hybridized Labrusca and 

 Vulpina grapes so successfully that a dozen or more of his vari- 

 eties are still cultivated. All are characterized by great vigor 



