ACTONI

(Vinifera)

Actoni is a table-grape of the Malaga type which ripens at Geneva, New York, late in October, too late for the average season in the East but worth trying in favorable locations. It is grown in California but is not a favorite sort. The following brief description is made from fruit grown at Geneva:

Cl.u.s.ters large, shouldered, tapering, loose; berries medium to very large, long-oval to oval, clear green yellow; flesh crisp, firm; flavor sweet; quality good.

AGAWAM

(Labrusca, Vinifera)

_Randall, Rogers No. 15_

The qualities commending Agawam are large size and attractive appearance of bunch and berry; rich, sweet aromatic flavor; vigor of vine; and capacity for self-fertilization. For a grape having its proportion of European parentage, the vine is vigorous, hardy and productive. The chief defects in fruit are a thick and rough skin, coa.r.s.e, solid texture of pulp and foxy flavor. The vine is susceptible to the mildews and in many localities does not yield well. Although Agawam ripens soon after Concord, it can be kept much longer and even improves in flavor after picking. The vines prefer heavy soils, doing better on clay than on sand or gravel. This is one of the grapes grown by E. S. Rogers, Salem, Ma.s.sachusetts. It was introduced as No. 15 but in 1861 was given the name it now bears.

Vine vigorous, hardy, productive. Canes thick, dark brown; nodes enlarged, flattened; internodes short; tendrils intermittent, bifid to trifid. Leaves thick; upper surface light green, dull, smooth; lower surface pale green, p.u.b.escent, flocculent; lobes lacking; terminus acute; petiolar sinus deep, narrow; lateral sinus very shallow; teeth shallow, wide. Flowers on plan of six, nearly self-fertile, open late; stamens upright.

Fruit mid-season, keeps until midwinter. Cl.u.s.ters medium to large, short, broad, tapering, loose; pedicel short; brush very short, pale green. Berries large, oval, dark purplish-red with thin bloom, very persistent; skin thick, tough, adherent, astringent; flesh pale green, translucent, tough, stringy, solid, foxy; good.

Seeds adherent, two to five, large, long, brown.

ALMERIA

(Vinifera)

This is one of the varieties commonly found in eastern markets from Almeria and Malaga, Spain, although occasionally it may come from California where the variety, or similar varieties confused with it, is now grown. This sort is remarkable for its wonderful keeping qualities; it is adapted only to hot interior regions. The Almeria cultivated by the California Experiment Station is described as follows:

"Vine vigorous; leaves of medium size, round and slightly or not at all lobed, quite glabrous on both sides, teeth obtuse and alternately large and small; bunches large, loose or compact, irregular conical; berries from small to large, cylindrical, flattened on the ends, very hard and tasteless."

AMERICA

(Lincec.u.mii, Rupestris)

The notable qualities of America are vigor of growth and health of foliage in vine, and persistence of berries, which have strongly colored red juice, high sugar-content and excellent flavor. The grapes wholly lack the foxy taste and aroma of Labrusca and the variety, therefore, offers possibilities for breeding sorts lacking the foxy flavor of Concord and Niagara. America has great resistance to heat and cold. Also, it is said to be a suitable stock upon which to graft Vinifera varieties to resist phylloxera. The vigor of the vine and the luxuriance of the foliage make it an excellent sort for arbors.

America was grown by T. V. Munson, Denison, Texas, from seed of Jaeger No. 43 pollinated by a male Rupestris. It was introduced about 1892.

Vine vigorous, hardy, productive. Canes long, numerous, dark reddish-brown with heavy bloom; nodes enlarged, flattened; tendrils intermittent, long, bifid. Leaves small, thin; upper surface glossy, smooth; lower surface light green, hairy; lobes lacking or faint, terminal one acute; petiolar sinus deep and wide; teeth of average depth and width. Flowers self-sterile, usually on plan of six, open late; stamens reflexed.

Fruit mid-season or later, keeps well. Cl.u.s.ters large, long, broad, tapering, irregular, single-shouldered, compact; pedicel short, slender with small warts; brush short, thick with red tinge. Berries small, variable in size, round, purplish-black, glossy with purplish-red pigment, astringent; flesh dull white with faint red tinge, translucent, tender, melting, spicy, vinous, sweet; good. Seeds free, two to five, long, pointed, yellowish-brown.

AMINIA

(Labrusca, Vinifera)

Aminia is one of the best early grapes, its season being with or a little after Moore Early. The grapes are of high quality and attractive appearance, but the bunches are small, variable in size, not well formed and the berries ripen unevenly. The vine is vigorous but is neither as hardy nor as productive as a commercial variety should be. In 1867 Isadora Bush, a Missourian, planted vines of Rogers No. 39 from several different sources. When these came into bearing, he distinguished three varieties. Bush selected the best of the three and, with the consent of Rogers, named it Aminia. In spite of Bush's care, there are two distinct grapes cultivated under this name.

Vine vigorous, precariously hardy, lacking in productiveness.

Canes rough, long, thick, dark brown; nodes enlarged; internodes long; tendrils intermittent, long, trifid or bifid, persistent.

Leaves large; upper surface dull, smooth; lower surface light green, p.u.b.escent; lobes three; terminal lobe acute; petiolar sinus deep, narrow, often closed and overlapping; basal sinus usually lacking; lateral sinus shallow, narrow; teeth shallow, wide.

Flowers open in mid-season, self-sterile; stamens reflexed.

Fruit early, keeps well. Cl.u.s.ters small, broad, irregular, conical, sometimes with a long shoulder, loose; pedicel long with few warts; brush short, thick, brownish-red. Berries variable, round, dull black with thin bloom, persistent, firm; skin thick, tender, adherent with purplish-red pigment, astringent; flesh greenish, translucent, tender, solid, coa.r.s.e, foxy; good. Seeds adherent, one to six, very large.

AUGUST GIANT

(Labrusca, Vinifera)

August Giant is a hybrid between Labrusca and Vinifera in which the fruit characters are those of the latter species. In appearance and taste of berry, the variety resembles Black Hamburg. The vine is usually vigorous and, considering its parentage, is very hardy. The foliage is thick and luxuriant but subject to mildew. Vigor of vine, beauty of foliage and the quality of the fruit make the variety desirable for the amateur. It needs a long-maturing season. August Giant was grown by N. B. White, Norwood, Ma.s.sachusetts, in 1861, from seed of an early, large-berried, red Labrusca pollinated by Black Hamburg.

Vine very vigorous, hardy, subject to mildew. Canes long, numerous, thick, dark brown; nodes enlarged, flattened; internodes short; tendrils continuous, long, bifid or trifid. Leaves large, thick; upper surface dark green, glossy, smooth; lower surface pale green or bronzed, p.u.b.escent; lobes three, terminal one acute; petiolar sinus deep, narrow, frequently closed and overlapping; lateral sinus shallow or a notch; teeth shallow, narrow. Flowers open in mid-season, self-sterile; stamens reflexed.

Fruit mid-season, keeps well. Cl.u.s.ters of average size, short, broad, irregularly tapering, single-shouldered, loose; pedicel long, thick with large warts; brush short, thick, green or with brown tinge. Berries large, oval, purplish-red or black, dull with thick bloom, firm; skin tough, adherent, astringent; flesh green, translucent, tough, stringy; good. Seeds adherent, one to four, large, blunt, light brown.

BACCHUS

(Vulpina, Labrusca)

Bacchus is an offspring of Clinton which it resembles in vine and leaf characters, but surpa.s.ses in quality of fruit and in productiveness of vine. The special points of merit of the variety are: resistance to cold, resistance to phylloxera, freedom from fungi and insects, productiveness, ease of multiplication and capacity to bear grafts.

Its limitations are: poor quality for table use, inability to withstand dry soils or droughts, and nonadaptability to soils containing much lime. The variety originated with J. H. Ricketts, Newburgh, New York, and was first exhibited by him in 1879.

Vine very vigorous, hardy, healthy, productive. Canes numerous, dark brown with bloom at the nodes which are enlarged and flattened; tendrils bifid. Leaves small; upper surface dark green, glossy, smooth; lower surface dull green, smooth; lobes three, terminal one ac.u.minate; petiolar sinus shallow, narrow, sometimes overlapping; basal sinus lacking; lateral sinus shallow, wide.

Flowers open early, self-sterile; stamens upright.

Fruit late, keeps well, hangs long. Cl.u.s.ters small, slender, uniform, cylindrical, single-shouldered, compact; pedicel short, slender with a few small warts; brush short, wine-colored. Berries small, round, black, glossy, covered with thin bloom, hang well to pedicels, firm; skin thin, adherent, contains much wine-colored pigment, slightly astringent; flesh dark green, translucent, fine-grained, tough, vinous, spicy; fair quality. Seeds clinging, one to four, many abortive, large, short and wide, plump, sharply pointed, brown.

BAKATOR

(Vinifera)

This is a Hungarian wine grape but its high quality and early season make it a desirable table-grape in the East. It seems to be grown but little on the Pacific slope. The following description is made from fruit grown at Geneva, New York:

Vine medium in vigor, productive. Young leaves tinged red at edges, upper surface glossy; mature leaves large, round, upper surface dull, lower surface downy; lobes five, terminal lobe ac.u.minate; basal sinus deep, medium to narrow, closed to overlapping; lower lateral sinus deep, variable in width; upper lateral sinus deep, usually narrows; margins dentate, teeth shallow to medium deep. Flowers appear late; stamens reflexed.

Fruit ripens at Geneva the first or second week in October and keeps well in storage; cl.u.s.ters above medium in size, medium in length, broad, frequently double-shouldered, tapering, medium to loose; berries medium to small, oval, light red becoming dark when fully ripe, with thick bloom; skin thin, tender, adherent to the pulp; flesh greenish, juicy, tender, melting, vinous, sweet; quality very good.

BARRY

(Labrusca, Vinifera)

Barry (Plate VII) is one of the best American black grapes, resembling in berry and in flavor and keeping quality of fruit its European parent, Black Hamburg. The appearance of berry and bunch is attractive. The vine is vigorous, hardy and productive but susceptible to mildew. The ripening season is just after that of Concord. For the table, for winter keeping and for the amateur, this variety may be highly recommended. Barry was dedicated in 1869, by E. S. Rogers, who originated it, to Patrick Barry, distinguished nurseryman and pomologist. The variety is grown in gardens throughout the grape regions of eastern America.