Warden. 



DESCRIPTION OF VARIETIES. 



Wglie's Seedlings. 147 



Worden. Syn.,WoRDEN's SEEDLING. (Lab'.} 

 Raised by 8. Worden, Minetta, N. Y., from 

 Concord seed. In character and appearance 

 like its parent, only a few days earlier in ripen- 

 ing 1 , and in quality distinct from Concord, with 

 a peculiar flavor ; bunch large, shouldered ; 

 berry large, black ; skin thin, flesh sweet, 

 much like Concord, but generally regarded as 

 a better grape. It is doing poorly in the south, 

 but desirable in the north-eastern or north At- 

 lantic States, where it seems less subject to 

 rot than the Concord. It is now increasing in 

 popularity. (See Concord, p. 83.) 



AVylie's New Grapes. " Too much can scarcely 

 be said in praise of Dr. VVylie's persevering efforts in 

 the improvement of the grape." P. J. Berckmans, 

 Chas. Downing, 'Thomas Meehan, W. C. Flagg, P. T. 

 Quinn, Committee on Native Fruits, of the Am. Pom. 

 Society. (Proceedings 1871, p. 54.) 



This testimony, and the excellent character of these 

 hybrids as regards flavor and general appearance, enti- 

 tle them to special attention, and, although they have 

 not been sufficiently tested, we give them a place in 

 our Catalogue ; most of them may never be dis- 

 seminated, as their originator died in the fall of 1877. 

 Few persons can appreciate the immense labor and 

 perseverance which his experiments have cost. As 

 early as 1859 he had raised many seedlings of Delaware 

 and foreign ; all have proven failures. Other hy- 

 brids which he produced by crossing Catawba, Isa- 

 bella, Halifax, Union Village, Lenoir, Herbemont, 

 with foreign, have nearly all failed most of them 

 from mildew and rot. In 1863 he had over one 

 hundred promising seedlings; gave Rob't Guthrie, of 

 York Co., S. C., about 65, mostly hybrids of Halifax 

 and Delaware. These flourished, and never missed a 

 full crop ; but during the war, owing to the quartering 

 of troops adjoining his lot, his vines were ruined. Thus 

 there exist now but a few of those Halifax and Delaware 

 hybrids, saved again by Mr. Guthrie. 



In 1868 Dr. Wylie planted again one hundred seed- 

 lings, and, after many failures to produce seedlings of 

 hybrid Scuppernongs, he finally succeeded ; but, ow- 

 ing to a little hot-house being over-heated, he again 

 lost nearly all of them. He commenced anew with his 

 experiments and had hundreds of new seedlings grow- 

 ing, when they were cut down by a severe frost on the 

 27th of April, 1872 a frost which killed all kinds of 

 grape-vines in that section. Again, in November, 

 1873, his residence was burned (no insurance), and con- 

 sequently he had to leave his place to depredations 

 from broken fences, &c. But it was soon rebuilt, and 

 Dr. Wylie went back again to his old place, experi- 

 menting and working with the same zeal and enthu- 

 siasm as ever, wishing '' if I were only young again 

 with the experience I have!' ' 



We extract the following Description of some of his 

 Hybrids from Mr. Wylie's letters to us : 

 Jane "Wylie. (Parentage, Clinton and Foreign.) 

 Bunch and berry very large ; berries nearly one inch 

 in diameter ; quality best, resembling foreign in tex- 

 ture and flavor ; ripens early and hangs long ; might 

 require winter covering in your climate and farther 

 north. 



OTary Wylie. (Hybr.) (Parentage, Clinton and 

 Foreign.) (Red Frontignac) White, slightly red 

 on cheek ; resembles White Chasselas; bunch large : 

 berries above medium ; not as early as Jane Wylie ; 

 wood and foliage NATIVE ; seems quite hardy, and 

 is of highest quality. 



No. 4. A cross between two hybrids. Bunch 



somewhat larger than Lenoir; berry medium, of a 

 clear transparent golden color; finest texture and 

 flavor, resembling White Frontignac ; ripens as early 

 as Concord ; native foliage, but ahead of all Ameri- 

 can grapes in quality ; considered of the highest ex- 

 cellence by Downing, Saunders, Meehan, and others. 



No. 5. (See "Berckmans," page 75.) 



Garnet. (Red Frontignac and Clinton.) Bunch and 

 berry larger than Clinton; of a beautiful deep garnet 

 color ; flavor and texture foreign, but native foliage. 



Concord and Foreign (Bowood Muscat) No. 8. 

 Black ; bunch and berries very large and loose ; skin 

 thick ; texture foreign ; flavor slightly musky. A 

 strong grower, with large Labrusca foliage. Ripens 

 as late as Catawba. 



Halifax and Hamburg No. 11. Black ; bunchand 

 berry medium size ; skin thick ; only valuable on ac- 

 count of its extreme productiveness and health ; has 

 never rotted in ten years. 



Peter Wylie No. 1. (Parentage,/. Halifax and For- 

 eign, m. Delaware and Foreign.) White ; transpa- 

 rent, becoming golden-yellow when fully ripe; bunch- 

 es and berries above medium size, between Delaware 

 and Concord, excellent in quality and meaty, with a 

 peculiar delicate Muscat flavor. A vigorous, short- 

 jointed, rapid - growing vine, with thick native 

 leaves ; holds its leaves until fall and ripens its wood 

 thoroughly. (Also Peter Wylie No. 2, produced from 

 seed of P. W. No. 1.) 



Robert Wylie. Blue; bunch large and long ; berry 

 large; skin thin; rich and juicy ; ripens as late as 

 Catawba. . A great bearer, one of my best ; but it 

 may not be quite hardy, as the wood is not very hard. 



Gill Wylie. (Concord and Foreign.) Blue; bunch 

 large, loose, and much shouldered ; berry large, ob- 

 long; texture soft and rich. Ripens with Concord, 

 but altogether superior. Intensely Labrusca in fo- 

 liage, which has much red pubescence, is laciniated, ** 

 and clear of all disease. Considered of great promise. 



Del aware and Concord No. 1. Dark red ; bunch 

 and berry -medium ; skin tolerably thick ; juice ri'-h 

 and sweet, slightly musky. Vine very hardy, with 

 Labrusca foliage: a great bearer, never fails, and 

 may make a fine wine grape. 



Hybrid Scuppernong No. 4. (See Scuppernong.) 



Hybrid Scuppernong No. 5. (Parentage,/. Bland 

 Madeira and Foreign No. 1, m. Staminate Hybrid 

 Scuppernong ; produced by impregnating Black 

 Hamburg with Scuppernong.) So, you see, it is only 

 a quarter-blood Scuppernong. I have never yet had 

 a half-breed Scuppernong to bear perfect fruit. The 

 vine is healthy and hardy here ; it bears a white, 

 transparent fruit. Bunch medium ; berries large ; 

 skin thin but tough; almost pulpless, rich, sweet, 



