Manual of American Grape-Growing Part 49

(Labrusca)

Of the many offspring of Concord, Worden (Plate x.x.xI) is best known and most meritorious. The grapes differ chiefly from those of Concord in having larger berries and bunches, in having better quality and in being a week to ten days earlier. The vine is equally hardy, healthy, vigorous and productive but is more fastidious in its adaptations to soil, although now and then it does even better. The chief fault of the variety is that the fruit cracks badly, often preventing the profitable marketing of a crop. Besides this tenderness of skin, the fruit-pulp of Worden is softer than that of Concord, there is more juice, and the keeping qualities are not as good, so that the grapes hardly s.h.i.+p as well as those of the more commonly grown grape. Worden is very popular in northern grape regions both for commercial plantations and the garden. It is a more desirable inhabitant of the garden, because of higher quality of fruit than Concord, and under conditions well suited to it is better as a commercial variety, as the fruit is handsomer as well as of better quality. In the markets the fruit ought to sell for a higher price than Concord if desired for immediate consumption, and if it can be harvested promptly, as it does not hang well on the vines. Its earlier season is against it for a commercial variety and, with the defects mentioned, will prevent its taking the place of Concord to a great degree. Worden was originated by Schuyler Worden, Minetto, Oswego County, New York, from seed of Concord planted about 1863.

Vine vigorous, hardy, healthy, productive. Canes large, thick, dark brown with reddish tinge; nodes enlarged, flattened; tendrils continuous, slender, bifid, sometimes trifid. Young leaves tinged on the under side and along the margins of upper side with rose-carmine. Leaves large, thick; upper surface dark green, glossy, smooth; lower surface light bronze, p.u.b.escent; leaf usually not lobed; petiolar sinus wide, often urn-shaped; teeth shallow. Flowers fertile, mid-season; stamens upright.

Fruit early. Cl.u.s.ters large, long, broad, tapering, usually single-shouldered, compact; pedicel slender with a few small warts; brush long, light green. Berries large, round, dark purplish-black, glossy with heavy bloom, firm; skin tender, cracks badly, adheres slightly, contains dark red pigment, astringent.

Flesh green, translucent, juicy, fine-grained, tough, foxy, sweet, mild; good to very good. Seeds adherent, one to five, large, broad, short, blunt, brown.

WYOMING

(Labrusca)

_Hopkins Early Red, Wilmington Red, Wyoming Red_

Such value as Wyoming (Plate x.x.xII) possesses lies in the hardiness, productiveness and healthiness of the vine. The appearance of the fruit is very good, the bunches are well formed and composed of rich amber-colored berries of medium size. The quality, however, is poor, being that of the wild Labrusca in foxiness of flavor and in flesh characters. It is not nearly as valuable as some other of the red Labruscas. .h.i.therto described and can hardly be recommended either for the garden or the vineyard. Wyoming was introduced by S. J. Parker of Ithaca, New York, who states that it came from Pennsylvania in 1861.

Vine vigorous, hardy, healthy, productive. Canes numerous, slender, dark reddish-brown covered with blue bloom; nodes enlarged, frequently flattened; tendrils continuous, short, bifid.

Leaves of average size and thickness; upper surface light green, dull, smooth; lower surface dull green with tinge of bronze, p.u.b.escent; lobes one to three with terminus acute; petiolar sinus shallow, wide; basal sinus usually wanting; lateral sinus shallow and wide when present; teeth shallow. Flowers sterile, mid-season; stamens reflexed.

Fruit early, keeps well. Cl.u.s.ters slender, cylindrical, compact; pedicel short, slender with small warts; brush slender, pale green with brown tinge. Berries medium, round, rich amber red with thin bloom, persistent, firm; skin tender, adherent, astringent; flesh pale green, translucent, juicy, tough, solid, strongly foxy, vinous; poor in quality. Seeds adherent, one to three, slightly notched, light brown.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Bioletti, Frederic T. _Report of International Congress of Viticulture_, 88. 1915.

[2] Anthony, R. D. _N. Y. Agr. Exp. Sta., Bul. 632_: 88. 1917.

[3] Bioletti, Frederic T. _Calif. Exp. Sta., Bul. 180_: 135. 1906.

[4] _Ibid._, 136-138.

[5] Bioletti, Frederic T. _Calif. Exp. Sta., Bul. 180_: 108-112.

[6] Bioletti, Frederic T. _Calif. Exp. Sta., Bul. 180_: 113-118.

[7] Munson, T. V. _Foundations of American Grape Culture_, 217. 1909.

[8] Bioletti, Frederic T. _Calif. Exp. Sta., Bul. 180_: 96-97. 1906.

[9] For an account of this experiment, see Bul. 381 of the N. Y. Agr.

Exp. Sta., Geneva.

[10] Quoted from Bul. No. 381, N. Y. Agr. Exp. Sta.

[11] Each weight is of 300 green leaves, 5 from each of 60 vines. The first leaf beyond the last cl.u.s.ter was selected.

[12] Amount to the acre of wood pruned in fall.

[13] Number to the acre.

[14] Munson, T. V. _Foundations of American Grape Culture_: 224-227.

1909.

[15] Husmann, George C., and Dearing, Charles. _Muscadine Grapes. Bul.

709, U. S. Dept. Agr._: 16-19. 1916.

[16] The remainder of this chapter is republished by permission from _Bul. 246, Calif. Exp. Sta., Vine Pruning in California_, published in 1916 by F. T. Bioletti. Not all of the bulletin is reproduced, but the parts republished are transcribed verbatim. All of the ill.u.s.trations in this chapter have been redrawn from Professor Bioletti's bulletin.

[17] The following account is founded on work carried on by the author at the N. Y. Agr. Exp. Sta., accounts of which have been given before several horticultural societies in 1916, 1917 and 1918.

[18] Husmann, Geo. C., and Dearing, Charles. _The Muscadine Grapes_, U. S. Dept. Agr. Bul. 273: 33-36. 1913.

[19] Husmann, George C. U. S. Dept. Agr. Farmers' Bul. No. 644.

[20] Husmann, George C. U. S. Dept. Agr. Bul. No. 349. 1916.