GRAPE MANUAL, 5 
varieties, and not rarely in the cultivated ones, 
itis mainly observed in the young growth of 
spring and is apt to disappear in the mature 
leaf; but even then such leaves are never shin- 
ing as they are in the glabrous species, but have 
a dull or unpolished, or even wrinkled surface. 
The form of the leaves is extremely variable, 
and descriptions must ne ily remain vague. 
Leaves of seedling plants are all entire, i. e. not 
lobed; young shoots from the base of old stems, 
r 
plant only entire, or, I should rather say, not 
- lobed leaves. Ouly the leaves of flower-bearing 
canes ought to be considered as the normal ones. 
The surface ot the leaves is glossy and shining, 
and mostly bright green; or it is dull above and 
more or less glaucous below. The glossy leaves 
are perfectly glabrous, or they often bear, es- 
pecially on the nerves of the lower side, a pu- 
bescence of short hair. The dull leaves are cot- 
tony or cobwebby, downy on both or only on 
the under side; and this down often extends to 
the young branches and to the peduncles, but 
as has been stated above, often disappears later 
in the season. 
Not much of a distinctive character can be 
made out of the flowers. It is observed, how- 
ever, that in some forms the stamens are not 
longer than the pistil,and very soon bend under 
it, while in other forms they are much longer 
than the pistil, and remain straight till they fall 
off. It is possible that those with short stamens 
are less fertile than the others. 
The time of flowering is quite characteristic 
of our native species, and it seems that the cul- 
tivated varieties retain herein the apes ye 
their native ancestors. The different form 
Riparia and Cordifolia flower first of all; se 
comes Labrusca and its relatives, and the last 
flowering species is stivalis. If we are per- 
mitted to judge from afew Suilato observations, 
Vinifera flowers later than Labrusca, and a lit- 
tle earlier than Mstivalis. Riparia begins to 
open its flowers, according to the season, from 
one to over two weeks earlier than the first 
blossoms of Austivalis are seen in the same local- 
ity. In favorably situated vineyards in the vi- 
ity of St. Louis, the first grape-vines (Ripa- 
ria), begin to bloom between May 10th and 28th 
and the last (@stivalis), end between June Ist 
* Vitis Vitis Riparia 
{Forms of Vitis Labrusca and of Vitis Zstivalis, 
and 15th; and we are not likely to have here 
any grape-vines in bloom before May 10th, nor 
after June 15th.* 
One of the botanical characters of the Grape- 
vines is found in the seeds. The bunches may 
be larger or smaller, looser or more compact, 
branched (shouldered) ‘or more simple, condi- 
tions which, to a great extent, depend on soil 
and exposure;. the berries may be larger or 
smaller, of different color and consistency, and 
contain fewer or more seeds (never more than 
four), but the seeds, though to some extent va- 
riable, especially on account of their number 
and mutual pressure, where more than one is 
present, exhibit some reliable differences.t The 
big top of the seed is convex or rounded, or it 
is more or less deeply notched, The thin lower 
end of the seed, the beak, is short and abrupt, 
or it is more or less elongated. On the inner 
(ventral) side are two shallow longitudinal de- 
pressions, Between them is a ridge, slight 
where there are one or two seeds, or sharper 
r 
this ridge the raphe (the attached funiculus or 
cord) runs from the hilum, at the beak, over 
the top of the seed, and ends on its back in 
an oval or circular well-marked spot, called 
by botanists chalaza. is r 
tinct, or scarcely perceptible, or it is more or 
less prominent, like a thread. In our Amer- 
ican species these characters seem pretty reli- 
able, but in the varieties of the old world grape- 
vine p eames — nc of years re- 
om urces, the form of 
n no longer be considered such a 
safe guide as in our species. 
The annexed cuts of 18 grape seeds illustrate 
the different characters which have been men- 
tioned above. The figures are magnified four 
times, (4 diameters), accompanied by an outline 
of natural size, all represent the back of the 
dry seed. 
Figs. 1 to 3. Vitis 4stivalis with the raphe 
and the more or less circular sores nerd 
developed; the seeds are from wild 
gathered about St. Louis, the 5 of the a 
* V. Vulpina blooms even later than A%stivalis, in the 
South; it does not grow a 
These remarks are thro out, more to induce grape 
growers to devote some atieatein heat —_— observations, 
than as definitely settling these poi 
+ A single seed is always alia plumper, more 
a two poy are flattened on the inner, rounded 
der 
n the outer side; three or four seeds are more sien 
audengwar: t these different variations may sometimes 
be found in berries of the same bunch. 
