585 



POSSIBILITIES OF OUR NATIVE GRAPES. 



ing in the region west of the Mississippi river and south 

 of Kansas City and St. Louis. 



Simpson's Grape {V. Simpsonii). — This form of the 

 aestivalis family has leaves greatly lobed, with scalloped 

 teeth and bearing much pale, hairy down on under side 

 and on young wood. The berries are generally larger 

 than in aestivalis, with less astringency, often quite 

 agreeable to the taste. The peduncle of the cluster is 

 very long. The vines are more slender than in V. ccsli- 

 valis, and climb much more extensively. No varieties 

 are in cultivation known to me outside of my own 

 grounds. 



Ashtabula (?'. Simpsonii X coriacea) is a wild hybrid 

 at Ashtabula, Fla. , in cultivated ground, brought to my 

 notice by Col. G H. Norton, of Eustis, Fla., who in- 

 formed me that the vine had be^n known to produce in 

 one season as much as 300 pounds of fruit. Three-year 

 vines of this in my grounds have borne some fruit, in 

 cluster resembling Norton's Virginia, of a very pleasant, 

 vinous character and a peculiar flavor. This is cer- 

 tainly a valuable wine grape, as it is for the extreme 

 south, and capable of becoming the basis of a very 

 remarkable and valuable group of varieties for both 

 table and wine in the Gulf regions. No mildew or rot 

 so far have been observed to affect it, but it is tender as 

 to cold. 



The Frost Grape (I'liis cordifolin') grows along 

 streams and ravines south of 42° latitude, east of Iowa, 

 Kansas, Brazos river. Texas, all through to the Atlantic 

 and the Gulf. In Florida it has purple growing tips, 

 and the leaves hold on till very late in winter, while 

 northward and westward it is the earliest of any species 

 to shed its leaves. The small, intensely sour, pungent 

 fruit renders it unfit to eat, though it develops a high 

 per cent, of sugar late in the fall. 



Ronk's Blue (V. cordifolia • Lalniisca). — This re- 

 markable grape was found wild near Salem, Roanoke 

 Co., Va., by a Mr. Ronk, some 30 or more years ago, 

 and moved into his yard, where it has continued to bear 

 abundantly to this day. It is purely vinous, with no 

 "foxy, ' but a little of the cordifolia flavor. Having 

 recurved stamens, it does not fertilize itself well. It 

 does well here at Denison when near long-stamened 

 varieties. 



Roanoke is one of a number of seedlings of it grown 

 by me, which is large in berry and cluster, fertile in pol- 

 len, and the fruit is quite good enough for table, as well 

 as wine, ripening a little after Concord. The flavor is 

 peculiar and liked by every one who tastes it ; the berries 

 are oval. Another of these seedlings is red, of fair size 

 and color. These are the only cordifolia hybrids or seed- 

 lings of cordifolia known to me worthy of notice, and 

 they promise a unique and valuable group for a wide 

 range. 



ViTis rubra. — No special varieties or hybrids of this 

 species are known to me. The flavor is very pure and 

 sprightly, but the small berries, usually with one large 

 seed with skin close about it and little juice between, 

 make it not promising for hybridizing for vineyard cul- 



ture. The vine, with its bright red twigs and leaf- 

 stems, and glossy dark green, beautifully lobed and 

 cut leaves, is very ornamental. It is very hardy to with- 

 stand cold. It is free from diseases, and probably if 

 intermingled with large-berried, large clustered varie- 

 ties, would produce good wine varieties. It grows 

 natively in southern Illinois, along some of the rivers, 

 notably the Mississippi. 



ViTis MONTicoLA. — The "Sweet Mountain grape " of 

 the limestone hills of south-western Texas is a most dis- 

 tinct species, with small to medium berriesin small to me- 

 dium clusters, having a very peculiar flavor. The berries 

 are mostly seed and skin. The leaves are small, glossy, 

 light green both sides, with large, prominent teeth. It is 

 ornamental, hardy, and often found naturally hybridized 

 with 1'. Berlandieri , V. ( /^r7;;//>z'«z, and occasionally with 

 V. rupestris and candicaiis, which are native in the 

 same regions. 



As a resistant stock, capable of growing in limy and 

 chalky soils and the driest localities, it may be of great 

 value, but for fruit in pure or hybrid form, I think it 

 will hardly be of much use. But as the result of 



Fig. 4. Husmann. (See page 585.) 



combinations can never be determined till produced, it 

 would be well for experimenters to use it in hybridizing 

 such species as V. Doaiiiann, V. Champini, V. Lince- 

 ciiiini, etc. T. V. Munson. 



(To be continued.) 



