Taylor. 



DESCRIPTION OF VARIETIES. 



Transparent. 139 



notice by Judge Taylor, of Jericho, Henry 

 County, Ky. It is generally considered very 

 unproductive ; it seems that the vines require 

 age, and spur pruning on old wood, to make 

 them produce well. 



Samuel Miller suggests to plant the Clinton 

 among Taylor to fertilize them, but we find 

 the benefits resulting from this system also in- 

 sufficient to balance its many inconveniences ; 

 and yet we have seen Taylor vines grown by 

 themselves on the "Souche" plan (trained in 

 the shape of a small weeping-willow tree, al- 

 lowing the canes to grow from the short top of 

 the main trunk, spur pruning in winter but not 

 suppressing the growth by summer pruning) 

 produce from 5 to 10 Ibs. per vine. The bunches 

 are small but compact, and sometimes shoul- 

 dered; berry small, white to pale amber, turn- 

 ing even to pale red, like Delaware when per- 

 fectly ripe, round, sweet and without pulp. 

 Skin translucent, very thin but tough. Vine a 

 very strong, rampant grower, healthy and very 

 hardy. It is now largely and most success- 

 fully used, in France, as grafting- stock for Eu- 

 ropean vines, as a protection against the phyl- 

 loxera ; lately also in California. The Duchess 

 of Fitz-James has 200 hectares (about 500 acres) 

 in Taylor grafted with different varieties, all 

 doing well. In some clayish limestone soils 

 it seems not to do as well as in sandy clay, and 

 especially in cool, moist grounds. Boots com- 

 paratively few, wiry and very tough, with a 

 thin, hard liber. The young spongioles will 

 push as rapidly as the Phylloxera can destroy 

 them ; hence this variety possesses great 

 power of resistance to the insect. Its wine is 

 of good body and fine flavor, resembling the 

 celebrated Riesling of the Rhine. Some very 

 valuable and promising seedlings of the Tay- 

 lor are now introduced. See Elvira, Noah, 

 Grein's Golden, Amber, Pearl, Transparent, 

 Monteflore, Missouri Riesling, Uhland, &c. 



Telegraph. (Labr.} A seedling raised by a 

 Mr. Christine, near Westchester, Chester Co., 

 Pa., named and introduced about 1865 by P. 

 R. Freas, editor of the Germantown Telegraph 

 (then one of the best agricultural papers in 

 the East). An attempt was afterwards made 

 to change its name to Christine, but did not 

 prevail. Sam. Miller, of Bluffton, once con- 

 sidered it one of the most promising of all the 

 new EARLY grapes, and we still consider it as 

 far better than Hartford Prolific. Bunch 

 medium, very compact, shouldered; berry 

 medium, round to oval, black with blue 

 bloom; flesh juicy, with very little pulp, spicy 

 and of good quality ; ripens almost as early as 

 Hartford Prolific. A constant 'and reliable 



bearer, but often lost by rot, especially in the 

 southwest ; and when the rot spares our 

 crop, the birds destroy it in preference to 

 other varieties ripening at same time. Vine a 

 healthy, vigorous grower in rich soil, and very 

 hardy. Deserves more extensive planting in 

 northern States, where rot is less destructive. 

 Roots very abundant, heavy, with thick but 

 rather firm liber. Canes stout, of average 

 length, crooked at the joint, with the usual 

 number of laterals. Wood hard with medium 

 pith. 



Xlieodosia,. A chance seedling in the grounds of 

 E. S. Salisbury, Adams, X. Y., said to be an ^Estivalis. 

 According to Mr. S. the bunch is very compact ; berries 

 black, in size between Delaware and Creveling, quite 

 tart, very early, and claimed to be a good wine grape. 

 But at a grape test held at Hammondsport, October 12, 

 1870, the report showed for Theodosia the lowest 

 amount of sugar, G3% by Oechsle's scale, with over 

 11 per mill. acid. 



Thomas. (Rotund.) A variety of the Scuppernong 

 species, discovered and introduced by Drury Thomas, 

 of South Carolina, and thus described: "In color it 

 varies from reddish purple to deep black ; has a thin 

 skin ; sweet and tender flesh ; is less in size than the 

 Scuppernong, makes a fine wine, and is superior for 

 the table. Ripens with the Scuppernong." Berckmans, 

 of Augusta, Ga., describes it as follows: "Bunches 

 from six to ten berries ; berries slightly oblong, large, 

 of a slight violet color, quite transparent ; pulp tender, 

 sweet, of a peculiar vinous flavor, quality superior to 

 any of the type. Maturity middle to end of August. 

 Has but little musky aroma and makes a superior red 

 wine. A spurious variety is sold under the name of 

 Thomas ; this is inferior in quality and produces a 

 deep black colored fruit of no merit whatever." 



To-lvaloii. Syn.: WYMAN, SPOFFORD SDLG., CAR- 

 TKR. (Labr.) Originated at Lansingburg, N. Y., by 

 Dr. Spofford, and was at first supposed to be identical 

 with the Catawba. C. Downing showed that it was 

 entirely distinct and at first highly recommended it 

 for general cultivation, but soon afterwards found that 

 it drops its fruit, is inclined to rot, does not ripen well, 

 and mildews badly, an'd so stated ; admitting, how- 

 ever, that " this grape is very fine, when you can get 

 it." Bunch medium to large, shouldered, compact; 

 berries varying in form from oval to oblate, nearly 

 black in color, and profusely covered with bloom ; 

 flesh sweet, buttery and luscious, without foxiness in 

 its aroma and with but little toughness or acidity in 

 its pulp. An early but a shy bearer. 



Transparent. One of Rommel's Taylor Seed- 

 lings. Bunch small, compact and shouldered. 

 Berry same size as Taylor, round, pale, green- 

 ish-yellow, transparent, gray spotted; skin 

 thin, no pulp, very juicy, sweet and of fine 

 flavor. Vine a very strong, rather long-jointed 

 grower, resembling its parent in leaf and 

 growth, but sets its fruit well ; supposed to be 

 free from mildew and rot, and promises to 

 become a wine-grape of high character. 



