640 THE SOUTHERN MUSCADINE GRAPE. 
sometimes obscurely three-lobed, glabrous, shining on 
both surfaces ; flowers in racemes, composed of numerous 
small umbels; polygamous, yellow; berries large, black, 
musky sweet, with a tough skin; flowers in June; first 
ripe in September. 
The Southern Muscadine produces its fruit in clusters 
of from three to eight berries, on small branches put out 
from all parts of the vine, and,if the soil and other con- 
ditions be favorable, is often very prolific. The berries 
vary in size, from half-inch to an inch in diameter. They 
are brown-black and shining when commencing to ripen, 
but a dull-black, dotted and sometimes blotched with red 
when fully ripe. They vary much on different vines, 
being sometimes hard and sour, but often tender and de- 
liciously sweet. In the best specimens the pulp finally 
dissolves, and the skins become literally bags of wine. 
The fruit generally falls from the vine soon after it be- 
comes ripe, but I have seen some vines on which the 
berries have clung with as much tenacity as in any other 
species. I have gathered bushels of these grapes during 
the present season, out of a portion of which I have made 
some excellent wine. 
Professor Asa Gray, in one of his Botanical Text-books 
(see “Manual of Botany of the Northern United States,” 
page 78), describes the Muscadine as the parent of the 
Catawba and the Sewppernong. The former is a variety 
of the Vitis Labrusca, or Northern Fox-grape. In regard 
to the latter he is correct. 
The Scuppernong is a seedling of oa Muscadine, and 
Was found growing wild on the enka of the Scuppernong 
River in North Carolina. The wood is a shade lighter 
than that of the parent, but dotted like that, sak the 
. folia and habits of growth of the plant are mainly the 
