128 FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 
cord, both wild fox grape seedlings, the 
Worden and Niagara, both seedlings of 
Concord. 
The first organized attempt at grape 
breeding in the South was made by T. V. 
Munson of Denison, Texas. All types of 
grapes, both pure seedlings and varieties, 
that he could obtain, were planted out by 
him in Texas. Most of them succumbed 
to the trying climate of that region; in 
fact, Munson found that the Northern va¬ 
rieties such as Concord and Niagara, had 
little more disease resistance than the 
European grape, when planted in the 
South. However, a variety of the aes¬ 
tivalis or summer grape is native to that 
region, and this variety, the post oak 
grape, was used by Munson as a parent. 
This species is very vigorous and has a 
high resistance to disease and to heat. 
The type form of this grape grows wild 
throughout North Florida, and another 
variety, Simpson’s grape, grows through¬ 
out South Florida. By crossing selected 
seedlings of this grape with grapes such 
as the Lindley, the Triumph, the Herbe- 
mont and others which were high in qual¬ 
ity, he was able to develop hundreds of 
grape varieties, which ripened throughout 
a long season, which are strictly Southern 
grapes, and by proper selection of varie¬ 
ties can be grown throughout the Gulf 
States. In the discussion of the aestivalis 
hybrids I wish to call to your attention 
several characteristics of this species that 
have been transmitted in a greater or less 
extent to its offspring. First, it is the 
most adaptable species of grape found in 
North America, ranging from New York 
and Michigan to Florida and Texas. In 
Florida it grows luxuriantly, the type 
form in Northern Florida, and the variant 
described as Simpson’s grape throughout 
South Florida. Like almost all native 
grapes, it is intolerant of an excess of 
lime; where the wine grape can endure 
soils analyzing 40% lime, the summer 
grape will chlorose badly when the soil 
contains 15%. While it makes a good 
union when used as a stock for other 
grape varieties, in fact, several varieties 
of it have been used as stocks in Califor¬ 
nia, it is quite hard to root from cuttings. 
It is highly resistant to Phylloxera, 
black rot and mildews, although many 
of its hybrids are more or less susceptible, 
due to the presence of vinifera or labrusca 
blood. It is a vigorous grower, reaching 
50 feet. It is an upland grape and flour¬ 
ishes where there is good drainage and 
abundant humus. 
At the present time the Ives grape is 
being grown to some extent in North 
Florida as a market table grape. This va¬ 
riety is a labrusca-aestivalis hybrid, very 
vigorous and disease resistant, and also 
very poor in quality. It contains no blood 
of the European grape, which accounts for 
its quality. It may be valuable as a breed¬ 
ing parent for better varieties. 
The Carman is a cross made by Munson 
between the Premier, a selected wild aes¬ 
tivalis grape, and the Triumph. The Tri¬ 
umph is a cross between the Concord and 
Muscat. The Concord is pure labrusca, 
and the Muscat pure vinifera. The Mus¬ 
cat is probably one of the greatest com¬ 
mercial grapes of the vinifera group. 
The good characters of the Carman come 
from the blending of the blood of these 
