Hermann. 



DESCRIPTION OF VARIETIES. 



Highland. 109 



It is, like its parent, very difficult to propa- 

 gate from cuttings in the open ground. Boots 

 wiry, very tough, with a smooth, hard liber, 

 defying all attacks of the Phylloxera. Canes 

 of medium thickness, great length and vigor, 

 and a moderate number of laterals ; the canes 

 often branch off with a fork, having a double 

 bud at the base a freak of more frequent oc- 

 currence with this, than any other variety we 

 know of. Wood very hard, with a small pith. 



The Hermann was considered an important 

 addition to our list of wine grapes. If produc- 

 tiveness, general hardihood and health, can 

 entitle a variety to consideration, this variety 

 certainly deserves it at the hands of our vint- 

 ners. Its wine is entirely different and distinct 

 from anything else we have ; but the predic- 

 tion "that it will produce a true American 

 sherry, equal if not superior to anything the 

 old world can produce," has proven idle talk 

 and bombast. So far the Hermann has not 

 grown in favor or popularity, and it will never 

 be extensively planted. 



For our locality and farther south it may be 

 desirable, but much farther north it will hard- 

 ly attain the perfection requisite to make a 

 superior wine, as it ripens so very late. It will 

 be found specially adapted, we think, to south- 

 ern slopes and limestone-soil. It is a true .53s- 

 tivalis in leaf and habit. 



Langendoerfer has also raised a a white feed- 

 ling of the Hermann, which is very vigorous and 

 productive, resembling its parent in growth, 

 and in form of bunch and leaf ; the latter, how- 

 ever, is of lighter green. It is one of the first of 

 that class ( JSstivalis) with WHITE berries. The 

 wine made from this variety is as excellent 

 in quality as the grape is remarkable for its 

 color. Some good judges who tasted the wine 

 said, "it is exceedingly smooth and fine, in 

 bouquet plainly showing Hermann origin." 



The originator does not intend to disseminate 

 this new variety, and has not decided upon a 

 name for this grape, as the very small size 

 and very late ripening of its berries would be 

 unfavorable to its introduction. In south-west 

 Missouri and Arkansas, however, it seems to 

 have given satisfactory results, and H. Jaeger, 

 of Neosho, is now propagating it. 



Herbert. (Rogers' No. 44.) Labrusca impreg- 

 nated by Black Hamburg. This is probably 

 the best of the black varieties of Rogers. Among 

 all the hybrids none proved of greater merit 

 than this one. The vine is very vigorous, 

 healthy, and hardy ; bunch -large, beautifully 

 shouldered, rather long, and moderately com- 

 pact ; berry large size, round, sometimes a lit- 

 tle flattened, black ; flesh very sweet and ten- 



der, purely flavored and free from coarseness 

 or foxiness either as to the taste or smell. Early 

 and productive. 



Campbell says : " It has so many good qual- 

 ities, it should be better known and more ex- 

 tensively planted both for home use and for a 

 showy and excellent market grape. If I were 

 asked to name another black grape, hybrid or 

 native, that I consider equal in all respects to 

 the Herbert, I could not do it !" 



Highland. (Ricketts' No. 37.) One of the 

 largest and finest looking of Ricketts' Seedling 

 Grapes ; a hybrid produced by fertilizing the 

 Concord with Jura-Muscat ; resembling the 

 Concord in vine and foliage. A vigorous grow- 

 er, with short-jointed, dark brown wood ; large, 

 thick, coarsely serrated leaves, and very pro- 

 ductive. Bunch large, long, moderately com- 

 pact and heavily shouldered ; well-grown clus- 

 ters sometimes weigh one pound. Berry large, 

 round, black with a thick blue bloom ; flesh 

 soft, slight pulp, juicy, sweet, slightly vinous, 

 and very good. A promising market grape. 

 Ripens between Concord and Catawba. 



Its foliage has so far been free from mildew, 

 and, considering the superior quality and 

 beauty of this grape, it is justly regarded as 

 one of the most promising hybrids. 



II inc. Labr.} A seedling of the Catawba, raised 

 by Jason Brown (son of John Brown, the abolitionist), 

 at Put-in-Bay, Ohio. It makes a good sized, compact, 

 slightly shouldered bunch ; berry medium, of a dark 

 rich claret brown with a purplish bloom ; skin of me- 

 dium thickness ; flesh juicy, sweet, and almost without 

 pulp ; leaf large, thick, and whitish underneath ; canes 

 reddish-brown, short-jointed; buds prominent. Ri- 

 pens with the Delaware, which it somewhat resembles. 

 It took the first premium as the best new seedling 

 at the Ohio State Fair, 1868. We cannot recommend 

 it except as an interesting grape to amateurs. 



Holmes. A new chance seedling (Hybr.) which 

 appeared in a garden in Galveston, Texas. Onder- 

 donk kindly furnished us with the following descrip- 

 tion of this grape for the Bushberg Catalogue : "The 

 Holmes combines, in its growth and appearance, both 

 jEstivalis and Labrusca blood. Its fruit is about the 

 size and color of Lindley. I believe it to be a cross 

 between the Southern JEstivalis of the Herbemont 

 Division and a Labrusca, and that it will , possibly, 

 combine the hardiness of our JEstivalis with the pulp 

 of the Labrusca" just the combination we have been 

 looking for. The original vine is enormously produc- 

 tive and has been so for many years. It has not, so far, 

 been propagated. 



Howell. (Labr.) Origin unknown. Bunch and 

 berry medium ; oval, black ; skin thick ; flesh with 

 firm pulp, pleasant. Good. Middle of Septenber. 

 Downing. 



Huberts Seedlings. T. Huber, at Rock 

 Island, 111., an amateur grape-grower, has sent 



