Breeding Rotundifolia Grapes 
39 
Size of Seeds in the First Generation Hybrids. 
Among the best varieties of rotundifolia grapes we have represented, 
roughly, four sizes of seeds; the small represented by those of Thomas, 
the medium by those of Mish, the large by those of Scuppernong, and 
the very large by those of James (See Fig. 17). 
By crossing these varieties with any male vine, and by observing 
the resulting seedlings as to size of seed, one can pretty well estimate 
the influence of this male vine on the size of seed of these varieties. 
TABLE NO. 15. 
Size of Seeds of the First Generation of Hybrid Vines. 
Parents 
Small 
Medium 
Large 
Very 
Large 
Thomas X Light Male No. 2_ __ __ 
1 
21 
7 
0 
Scuppernong X Light Male No. 2_ . . . _ 
0 
50 | 206 
9 
James X Light Male No. 2___ 
0 i 1 
1 
26 
24 
From this table it will be observed that the mother plant seems to 
exert, on the size of the seeds of its progeny, an influence equal to that 
of the male vine. In this case, Thomas seedlings produced seeds of a 
medium size, which leads us to infer that the male vine carried a corre¬ 
sponding factor for large seeds. Scuppernong seedlings, with this same 
male vine, produced mostly large seeds, with some variations on either 
side. The seedlings of James produced mostly large and very large 
seeds. 
The results indicate quite clearly that in order to reduce the size of 
the seeds in rotundifolia grapes, we must utilize vines that carry the 
factor for smaller seeds. 
Flavor and Quality in Rotundifolia Grape Seedlings. 
Knowing but very little of the parent vines of our cultivated varieties 
of rotundifolia grapes, and of the several male vines that have been 
used in our breeding work, we are not prepared to make unqualified 
statements as to the mode of transmission of characters, such as flavors 
and qualities. The fact that the rotundifolia grapes are self-sterile, 
makes this doubly difficult, for we know nothing of the good or the 
bad qualities of male vines, even though these he the immediate de¬ 
scendants from good quality mother vines. 
Careful breeding in the past for quality has not been done with 
the rotundifolia grapes. Although the Scuppernong grape has been 
cultivated for the last century and a half, but very few seedlings o± merit 
from this variety are reported, and with none of these do we have any 
authentic data of the parent male vines. These facts are readily com¬ 
prehended when we reflect that only recently (Bui. 209, R. C. Agi. 
Exp. Station) the truth of the self-sterility of the Scuppernong and 
other rotundifolia grapes has been firmly established. 
Very nearly all of our cultivated varieties of rotundifolia grapes, 
