GRAPE BOTANY 327 



in many cultivated varieties is so tender that it cracks in trans- 

 portation. The skin of this species usually has a peculiar aroma, 

 generally spoken of as foxy, and a slightly acid, astringent taste. 

 Beneath the skin there is a layer of juicy pulp, quite sweet and 

 never showing much acidity in ripe fruit. The center of the 

 berry is occupied by rather dense pulp, more or less stringy, 

 with considerable acid close to the seeds. Many object to the 

 foxy aroma of this species, but, nevertheless, the most popular 

 American varieties are more or less foxy. Analyses show 

 that the fruit is usually characterized by a low percentage of 

 sugar and acid, the very sweet-tasting fox-grapes not showing 

 as high a sugar-content as some of the disagreeably tart ^Esti- 

 valis and Vulpina sorts. This, in addition to the foxiness which 

 furnishes an excess of aroma in the wine, has prevented Labrusca 

 varieties from becoming favorites with the wine-makers, but 

 most of the grape- juice now manufactured is made from them. 

 In addition to the characters enumerated, it may be said that 

 Labrusca submits well to vineyard culture, is fairly vigorous 

 and generally quite productive. It grows readily from cuttings 

 and in hardiness is intermediate between Vulpina, the hardiest 

 of our American species, and ^Estivalis. The roots are soft 

 and fleshy (for an American grape) and in some localities subject 

 to attacks of phylloxera. None of the varieties of Labrusca 

 has ever been popular in France on this account. In 

 the wild vines, the fruit is inclined to drop when ripe. 

 This defect is known as "shattering" or "shelling" among 

 grape-growers and is a serious weakness in some varieties. 

 Labrusca is said to be more sensitive in its wild state to mildew 

 and black-rot than any other American species, but the evidence 

 on this point does not seem to be wholly conclusive. In the 

 South, and in some parts of the Middle West, the leaves of all 

 varieties of Labrusca sunburn and shrivel in the latter part of 

 the summer. The vines do not endure drouth as well as 

 tivalis or Vulpina and not nearly so well as Rupestris. 



