132 Quassaick. 



BUSHBERG CATALOGUE. 



Riesling. 



flavor, which he pronounces as even more exquisite 

 than that of the Delaware. He says : so far as quality 

 is concerned it is probably unexcelled by any variety 

 grown, its only fault being its sma'l size. The vine 

 seems to have inherited from its parent, the Delaware, 

 its remarkable exemption from rot. We recommend 

 this new variety for trial to all who plant for their own 

 use and pleasure, and are willing to compromise size 

 for fine quality. 



Quassaick. A hybrid of Clinton and Muscat- 

 Hamburg, by J. H. Ricketts, of Newburgh, N. Y. It 

 has a large bunch shouldered ; berries above medium , 

 oval, black with a blue bloom ; flesh very sweet, juicy 

 and rich ; vine healthy and productive. F. R. Elliott. 



One of the prettiest vines ever seen, filled with large 

 bunches. Husmann. 



Raabe. Some say it is a hybrid between Labrusca 

 and JEstivalis or Vinifera, but Strong describes it as a 

 cross between Elsinburg and Bland, which ^is probably 

 correct. Raised by Peter Raabe, near Philadelphia ; 

 thought to be hardy, but was only moderately vigor- 

 ous, and proved quite unprofitable. Bunches small, 

 compact, rarely shouldered ; berry below medium size, 

 round, dark red, thickly covered with bloom ; flesh 

 very juicy, with scarcely any pulp; flavor saccharine 

 with a good deal of the Catawba aroma ; quality 

 "best." Ad. Int. Rep. 



Racine. (^Est.) Of similar origin as Neosho, and 

 at first supposed to be the same grape, but afterwards 

 recognized as distinct. We cannot admire either of 

 these two varieties. They are both healthy and hardy, 

 and have a beautiful durable foliage which makes them 

 desirable for arbors, but we find neither of them very 

 productive or desirable in quality. Its wine has a me- 

 dicinal taste and flavor ; the small berries are pulpy 

 and full of seeds. They may be better in quality and 

 sufficiently productive in some other localities. 



Raritan. Ricketts' Delaware Seedling No. 1. A 

 cross of Concord and Delaware. Plant moderately vig- 

 orous, hardy, short-jointed ; bunch medium, shoulder- 

 ed, nearly the same form as Delaware ; berry small me- 

 dium, round, black; leaves of medium size, lobed, 

 veined or corrugated ; flesh juicy and vinous ; ri- 

 pens about the time of Delaware, and commences to 

 shrivel as soon as ripe. Its originator, J. H. Ricketts, 

 of Newburg, N.Y., claims that this is a superior wine- 

 grape, its must coming up to 120 on Oechsle's scale in 

 1881, and 7i mille by Twichell's acidometer. In 1871 

 Ricketts reported to the Am. Pomol. Society, 105 

 saccharometer, 9> acid ; "of course, too much acid." 



The vine does not grow vigorously on its own roots, 

 and, according to Ricketts' experience, it grows best 

 when grafted on the Clinton ; but, according to our 

 experience, the invigorating effect of the stock is not of 

 many summers' duration (see Manual, page 37) unless 

 care is taken to prevent the graft from making its own 

 roots. 



Bay's Victoria. See Victoria. 



Rebecca. (Lab.) An accidental seedling, 

 found (1856) in the garden of E. M. Peake, of 

 Hudson, N. Y. It is a very fine white grape, 

 but unfortunately very tender in winter and 



subject to mildew in summer, of weak growth, 

 deficient foliage, not productive. On south 

 walls, in well protected situations, with dry 

 soil and good culture, it succeeds very well, 

 and produces most delicious white grapes in 

 some localities. 



Bunches medium, compact, not shoulder- 

 ed ; berries medium, obovate ; skin thin, pale 

 green, tinged with yellow or pale amber color 

 at full maturity, covered with a thin white- 

 bloom, considerably translucent. Flesh tender, 

 juicy, free from pulp, sweet with a peculiar 

 musky and luscious aroma distinct from any 

 other grape ; seeds small ; leaves of scarcely 

 medium size, very deeply lobed, and sharply 

 serrated. Suited to amateur culture, but, when 

 tried on a large scale, in ordinary vineyard 

 culture, as a hardy profitable grape, great dis- 

 appointment followed and produced a decline 

 in grape-growing. 



Reliance. Parentage unknown. Exhibited in 

 fall of 1881 by J. G. Burrows, Fishkill, N. Y. Resem- 

 bles Delaware in size and color. 



Rentz. (Labr.) A Cincinnati seedling, produced 

 by the late Sebastian Rentz, a most successful vintner. 

 Claimed to be equal, if not superior, to Ives. A large, 

 rather coarse black grape, very vigorous and healthy 

 in vine, and foliage, free from mildew, and very produc- 

 tive. Bunch large, compact, often shouldered ; berry 

 large, round, black; flesh rather pulpy and musky, 

 with abundant sweet juice. Ripens earlier than Ives 

 .Seedling, but is not good enough to be recommended. 

 Berries drop from stem when ripe. Valuable as a stock 

 for grafting. Roots thick, with a smooth, firm liber, 

 readily pushing young rootlets, of strong resistance to 

 Phylloxera; canes thick, but not very long, nor ram- 

 bling. 



Requa. (Rogers' No. 28.) A fine table grape. M. 

 P. Wilder, who had a better opportunity than most 

 men to form an accurate opinion of the merits of these 

 hybrids, described it in the Grape Culturist as follows : 



" Vine tolerably vigorous and quite productive ; 

 bunch large, shouldered; Jerry medium size, roundish ; 

 skin thin ; flesh tender and sweet with a trace of the 

 native flavor; color bronzy-green, assuming a dull 

 brown red at maturity ; season middle of September. 

 A grape of fine quality, but subject to rot in unfavora- 

 seasons." 



Riesenblatt. (Giant-leaf.) A chance seedling of 

 some ^Estivalis grape that grows on M. Poeschel's 

 vineyard at Hermann, Mo. The vine is hardy, healthy 

 and productive ; a strong grower, with a truly gigantic 

 leaf. A small quantity of wine made from its grapes 

 by Poeschel & Sherer has a Madeira character resem- 

 bling Hermann ; color dark brown. 



This variety has not been disseminated, and conse- 

 quently has not been extensively tried outside of Her- 

 mann, Mo. 



Riesling or Missouri Riesling (not Reissling, 

 as some incorrectly spell it). See Grein's Seed- 

 lings. Page 103. 



