CI) is read, flower perfect, date of flowering. May sixth. A perfect flowered variety generally 

 bears well, when planted alone, but there are a few varieties with apparently perfect flowers 

 that do not pollinate themselves well. The fact, if known, is mentioned in describing a variety 

 of that character. Varieties having flowers with short, reflexed stamens almost invariably cannot 

 fertilize their own ovules, hence require, to be planted near them, a variety with perfect flowers, 

 blooming at same time. When cool, rainy, or stormy weather prevails during the entire blooming 

 period of a variety, it prevents pollination, and consequently the "setting" of a full crop, and there 

 is no remedy, but it seldom happens. If a variety is about to begin flowering when the rain sets 

 in, it will remain with its flowers closed several days later than if clear weather had continued, 

 waiting for favorable time to open, but if bad weather continues too long, or just as the vine has 

 burst into bloom, a sudden and long-continued storm comes on, failure follows. 



When such phrases as "eight to ten feet" occur in the descriptions, it has reference to the 

 distance apart the vines should be planted in the row; "Medium arms," "Short arms," "Long 

 arms," has reference to length the canes should be cut when pruning. — See Chapter on Pruning. 



^stivalis Varieties 



The only variety of this species in general cultivation, is the 



NORTON (Syn. Cynthiana). ( * ■^). Found wild on Cedar Island, in James River, near 

 Richmond, Va., in 1835, by Dr. F. A. Lemosque, and named and introduced by Dr. D. N. Norton, of 

 Richmond. 



Vine very vigorous and free from all disease, prolific, leaves large, leathery, with tufts of 

 brown wool on under side, clusters large, compact and somewhat compounded for this species, 

 with long peduncle; berries small, globular, black, persistent, skin thin, tough, never cracks; 

 pulp not very juicy, of pure vinous sprightly flavor, seeds small, juice claret-red, blooms and 

 ripens late, some two weeks after Concord. 



.^stivalis-Labrusca Hybrids 



GOLD COIN, T. V. M. 1885 (Norton x Martha) ( ' A)- Growth medium. Cluster medium 

 or above, ovate shouldered, proper degree of compactness. Always sets a crop of well-filled 

 clusters; peduncle medium to long. Berries large, globular, yellowish when fully ripe, per- 

 sistent; skin thin, tough, never cracks, and rarely attacked by rot; pulp about same consistency as 

 Concord, very juicy and exceedingly sweet; retains a little of the Martha flavor; liked by most 

 persons. Very handsome in the basket and markets excellently; has always been very profit- 

 able. Ripens with Catawba, endures all extremes of climate well. Favorable reports of it from 

 all parts of the South, and as far north as 40 degrees latitude. Eight to ten feet. Medium 

 arms. Reqtiires good soil cultivation and fetilization to maintain its vigor. 



KENTUCKY (Norton x Concord) , an accidental seedling found by James Childer, of Auburn, 

 Ky., in his garden, in 1887 (* ^). Vine vigorous, hardy, healthy, prolific. Growing tips rusty 

 like the Norton, leaves large, leathery, tendrils long, skipping every third node; bunch large, 

 compound, conical, compact; berry medium, round, black; skin thin, tough, pulp tender, juice 

 veryred, quality very good ; seeds small ; a good market and fine red wine grape ; ripens with Norton. 



TEstivalis-Lincecumii-Rupestris Hybrids 

 WINE KING (Winona x America), produced by T. V. M. 1898. ( * ^). Winona was a 

 pure seedling of Norton, of better quality than parent, produced in 1889, and accidentally 

 destroyed (see America, p. 196, for its parentage). 



A vigorous, perfectly healthy vine every way, foliage very dark green, prolific, blooms 

 a little earlier than Norton; flowers perfect; cluster long, cylindrical, rarely shouldered; long 

 peduncle; berries a size larger than in Norton; persistent, round; skin thin, does not crack, 

 pulp tender, juicy; juice violet, sprightly, having a little trace of America flavor, very agreeable, 

 rather small for market, a very fine red wine grape; seeds small; entirely resistant to Phylloxera, 

 mildew and rot. 



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