GRAPE BOTANY 325 



Labrusca is indigenous to the eastern part of North America, 

 including the region between the Atlantic Ocean and the 

 Alleghany Mountains. It is sometimes found in the valleys 

 and along the western slopes of the Alleghanies. Many botan- 

 ists say it never occurs in the Mississippi Valley. In the first- 

 named area it ranges from Maine to Georgia. It has the most 

 restricted habitat of any American species of horticultural im- 

 portance, being much exceeded in extent of territory by V. 

 rotundifolia, V. cestivalis and V. vulpina. 



Labrusca has furnished more cultivated varieties, either pure- 

 breeds or hybrids, than all other American species together. 

 The reason for this is partly, no doubt, that it is native to the 

 portion of the United States first settled and is the most com- 

 mon grape in the region where agriculture first advanced to 

 the condition at which fruits were desired. This does not 

 wholly account for its prominence, however, which must be 

 sought elsewhere. In its wild state, Labrusca is probably the 

 most attractive to the eye of any of our American grapes on 

 account of the size of its fruit, and this undoubtedly turned the 

 attention of those who were early interested in the possibilities 

 of American grape-growing to this species rather than to any 

 other. 



The southern Labrusca is quite different from the northern 

 form and demands different conditions for its successful growth ; 

 in the North, at least two types of the species may be dis- 

 tinguished. Vines are found in the woods of New England 

 which resemble Concord very closely in both vine and fruit, 

 excepting that the grapes are much smaller in size and more 

 seedy. There is also the large-fruited, foxy Labrusca, usually 

 with reddish berries, represented by such cultivated varieties 

 as Northern Muscadine, Dracut Amber, Lutie and others. 

 Labrusca is peculiar amongst American grapes in show- 

 ing black-, white- and red-fruited forms of wild vines 

 growing in the woods, Because of this variability, it is im- 



