246 THE GKAPE. 



HERBEMONT. 



Herbemont's Madeira 



The origin of this is yet in doubt ; some claiming it same as Le- 

 noir, and a native ; others claiming it as a French variety. Its hardy 

 character and resemblance in foliage to the River grapes, however, 

 seem rather to favor its being a seedling of our States. In fruit, it 

 does not differ from the Lenoir, but in wood, N. Longworth says, it 

 is quite distinct. 



Only moderately vigorous ; wood, dark color ; terminal leaves, 

 led or brownish; bunches, large, compact, shouldered ; berries, small, 

 round ; skin, thin, purple, slight bloom ; flesh, tender, without pulp, 

 sweet, excellent, juicy, vinous, valued for dessert, and yields a wine 

 like Spanish Manzanella. 



ISABELLA. 



This variety has, thus far, been stated to have originated in South 

 Carolina, to have been taken thence to a garden in Brooklyn, N. Y., 

 and there given to William Prince, who propagated, distributed, and 

 named it after Mrs. Isabella Gibbs, who then, 1816, owned the gar- 

 den. On the authority of Lewis F. Allen, it was grown several 

 years previous at Norwich, Connecticut, as the " Vernet Grape," and 

 claimed to have been brought from one of the French West India 

 Islands. Other authority places it as a common variety of Spain, 

 and imported by a Mr. Laspeyre, who cultivated and sold it as 

 " Laspeyre Grape " in 1810. Geo. Hoadley, Esq., states that in 1824 

 it was growing in Elizabethtown, N. J., where it was said to have 

 been brought 30 years previous, from South Carolina or Georgia. 



We incline to belief of its being a native ; its hardihood, habit, 

 and character, all tending that way ; but, come from whence it may, 

 its vigorous habit and productiveness will ever render it a favorite. 



As a wine grape, it is not esteemed. Bunches, large, rather loose, 

 shouldered ; berries, oval, large, dark purple, when fully ripe nearly 

 black, covered with a blue bloom ; flesh, tender, with some pulp, 

 which lessens as it ripens, juicy, sweet, rich, with slight musky aro- 

 ma. 



Hyde's Eliza, Troy Grape, Pennsylvania, Marion, Sherman, Chil- 

 licothe Seedling, and Lee's, are all sub-varieties ; not equal to the 

 original. 



LENOIR. 



Sumpter ? | Clarence ? 



This differs from the Herbemont only in being of " more vigorous 

 growth, wood, light colored, with a light blue cast ; terminal leaves, 

 green." So says N, Longworth. All we have ever been able to 

 obtain have the character of Herbemont. 



