Catawba. 



DESCRIPTION OF VARIETIES. 



Centennial. 81 



to the conclusion, based upon careful ob- 

 servation, that the diseased and enfeebled roots 

 of the Catawba are caused by the disturbed 

 development of the mildewed tops, and not by 

 the Phylloxera. Where mildew does not pre- 

 vail, as on the islands of Lake Erie, on the lake 

 shore, &c., the Catawba is still and will de- 

 servedly remain for years to come the leading 

 variety for market and for wine. 



The late Dr. Warder truly said, that the 

 beautiful banks of the Ohio might again be 

 covered with vineyards, if we could only dis- 

 cover a grape, equal in quality to the Catawba, 

 that would not be subject to mildew or rot.* 



Bunches large, moderately compact, shoul- 

 dered ; berries above medium, round, deep red, 

 covered with lilac bloom. Skin moderately 

 thick ; flesh slightly pulpy, sweet, juicy, with 

 a rich, vinous, and somewhat musky flavor. 

 Vine a vigorous grower ; in favorable seasons 

 and localities very productive. Clay-shale soil, 

 also gravelly or sandy soils seem best adapted. 

 Roots light, in comparison to the naturally 

 strong growth of the vine, when in a perfectly 

 healthy state, with a texture below average 

 hardness ; thick liber, and not inclined to push 

 young fibers as rapidly as other varieties; 

 canes straight and long, with few laterals ; 

 wood of average hardness, with a pith a little 

 more than the average size. Must ranges from 

 86 to 95 by GEchsle's scale. 



The Catawba has quite a number of SEEDLINGS ; of 

 lona and Diana, its two best, and of Aletha, Anna, 

 Hine, Mottled, &c., we give descriptions in their alpha- 

 betic order ; but some are actually the same as Ca- 

 tawba, and only pretended seedlings, to sell under a 

 new name ; others are so nearly identical as not to re- 

 quire description. To this class belong: 

 Fancher, claimed to be an early Catawba. 

 Keller's White; Mead' s Seedling ; Merceron. 

 Mammoth Catawba of Hermann, very large in bunch 



and berry, but otherwise inferior to the parent. 

 Omega, exhibited in 1867 at the Indiana State Fair. 

 Saratoga, the same as Fancher. 

 Tekomah, a Missouri seedling of Catawba. 

 White Catawba, raised by John E. Mottier, and aban- 

 doned by himself as being inferior to its parent. 



Cassady. (Labr.) Originated in the yard of H. P- 

 Cassady, Philadelphia, as a chance seedling. Bunch 

 medium, very compact, sometimes shouldered ; berry 

 medium, round, pale green, covered with white bloom ; 



* At the moment that we are reading the proof of this, 

 we notice in the Messager Agricole (Aug., 1883), the fol- 

 lowing, which we translate : 



Certain Remedy against the Mildew (Peronospord) . Jean 

 Gazotti, a modest Italian grape- grower, had the happy 

 idea to sprinkle the foliage of mildew infected vines 

 with a solution of soda (2 kilos of soda in one hectolitre 

 of water =4J pounds dissolved in '26 gallons of water), 

 and he had the good fortune to find, on the day after 

 Much treatment, that the filaments of the peronspora 

 were consximed. 



While we scarcely venture to hope that this will he a 

 certain remedy, it is well worth trying. May the results 

 .be satisfactory! 



when very ripe- its color changes to light yellow; 

 skin thick and leathery, pulpy, but with a peculiar 

 honeyed sweetness which no other grape posseses in 

 the same degree. Ripens with the Catawba. Vine a 

 moderate grower; a true Labrusca in habit and foliage ; 

 immensely productive, so much so that nearly every 

 fruit-bud will push out several branches, with from 

 three to five bunches each. But after thus over-bearing 

 it becomes exhausted for several seasons, the leaves 

 drop prematurely, and the fruit will not ripen. 



This grape is now generally discarded, 'being re- 

 placed by new and better varieties. It is said to be the 

 parent of the "Niagara" grape. 



The "Arrott" resembles the Cassady very much. 



Catawissa. See Creveling. 



Centennial.* A promising new grape, raised by 

 D. 8. Marwin, Watertown, N. Y., by him supposed to 

 belong to the northern type of Vitis JEstivalis (a seed- 

 ling of the Eumelan, fertilized by pollen from some La- 

 brusca grape, probably lona or Delaware, certainly from 

 NO foreign grape), and kindly sent to us for testing. 



No plants of this variety were as yet offered for sale. 

 (First figured in Rural New Yorker, 1882.) 



Vine described as a vigorous grower, with heavy, 

 durable foliage ; very fertile, inclining to overbear; has 

 sometimes mildew on its leaf, but no signs of rot in 

 the berries. The clusters are large, of fine conical 

 shape, always compact; the berries are above medium, 

 round; skin firm, of a peculiar handsome color, almost 

 white with a light pink shade; flesh juicy, veiy sweet, 

 vinous, resembling the Delaware in flavor. It ripens 

 about the same time with or a few days later than Con- 

 cord and keeps well for winter use. The Centennial prom- 

 ises to be valuable both as a table grape and also for 

 wine, its only apparent fault being that the seeds are 

 rather large and numerous. 



When first introducing the Centennial (in fall of 1882) 

 Marwin said : 



"I do not approve of multiplying varieties unless 

 "they are improvements. During my many experi- 

 " ments I have thrown away many seedlings superior to 

 " many of our old sorts. * * * I do not claim that the Cen- 

 " tennial is perfect, * * * but for a winter grape I deem it 

 " superior to all others*** The vine is about as vigorous 

 " here as the Concord, and seems about as exempt 

 " from mildew, suffering much less than the Delaware. 

 " * * * The reproductive organs seem perfect, there 

 " being no emasculated clusters, so the vines bear 

 " heavy crops. * * * Persons who desire a higher 

 ' quality of fruit, will be gratified with the Centen- 

 " nial ; and if, upon trial, it be found to succeed generally 

 " as well as it does in Northern New York, real progress 

 " in grape culture will follow its introduction. 



" The grape was awarded silver medals, certificates, 

 " money - prizes, and favorable mention, at many 

 " fairs. * * * At the end of the season I shall be 

 " able to give further proofs, but I feel like protesting 

 " against this kind of proofs. Each new grape should 

 " stand upon its own merits and the character of the 

 " introducer. Horticulturists should be exempted 

 " from giving certificates as to fruits that, from the na- 

 " ture of the circumstances, they know little about." 



These remarks of the originator, so modest and un- 

 assuming, give us greater confidence than we usually 

 have in new varieties, and we recommend the Centen- 



* Not Continental, as it Is erroneously named in the Am. Po- 

 mol. Society-Report on new fruits, 1681. 



