Manual of American grape-growing

by U. P. Hedrick

Vine vigorous, sometimes climbing high upon trees, sometimes forming a bushy clump from two to six feet high; canes cylindrical, much rusty wool on shoots; tendrils intermittent. Leaves very large, almost as wide as long; entire or three-, five-, or rarely seven-lobed; lobes frequently divided; sinuses, including petiolar sinus, deep; smooth above, and with more or less rusty pubescence below. (The north-Texas, southwestern Missouri and northern Arkansas form shows little or no pubescence but has fine prickly spines at base of shoots and shows much blue bloom on shoots, canes and the under side of the leaves.) Fruit small to large, usually larger than typical Æstivalis, usually black, with heavy bloom. Seeds larger than Æstivalis, pear-shaped; chalaza roundish.

Lincecumii inhabits the eastern half of Texas, western Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas and southern Missouri on high sandy land, frequently climbing post-oak trees, hence the name, post-oak grape, by which it is locally known.

Lincecumii has attracted considerable attention through the work of H. Jaeger and T. V. Munson in domesticating it, both of whom considered it one of the most, if not the most, promising form from which to secure cultivated varieties for the Southwest. The qualities which recommend it are: First, vigor; second, capacity to withstand rot and mildew; third, hardiness and capacity to endure hot and dry summers without injury; fourth, the large cluster and berry which were found on certain of the wild vines. The fruit is characteristic because of its dense bloom, firm, yet tender texture and peculiar flavor. The cultivated varieties have given satisfaction in many sections of the Central Western and Southern states. Like Æstivalis, it is difficult to propagate from cuttings.

The north-Texas glaucous form of this variety mentioned in the technical description above is the V. æstivalis glauca of Bailey. This is the type of Lincecumii that Munson has used in breeding work.

Vitis æstivalis Bourquiniana, Bailey. Southern Æstivalis.

Bourquiniana differs chiefly from the type in having thinner leaves; the shoots and under side of the leaves are only slightly reddish-brown in color; the pubescence usually disappears at maturity; the leaves are more deeply lobed than is common in Æstivalis; and the fruit is larger, sweeter and more juicy. Bourquiniana is known only in cultivation. The name was given by Munson, who ranks the group as a species. He includes therein many southern varieties, the most important of which are: Herbemont, Bertrand, Cunningham and Lenoir, grouped in the Herbemont section; and Devereaux, Louisiana and Warren, in the Devereaux section. Munson has traced the history of this interesting group and states that it was brought from southern France to America over one hundred fifty years ago by the Bourquin family of Savannah, Georgia. Many botanists are of the opinion that Bourquiniana is a hybrid. The hybrid supposition is corroborated to a degree by the characters being more or less intermediate between the supposed parent species, and also by the fact that up to date no wild form of Bourquiniana has been found. The only northern variety of any importance supposed to have Bourquiniana blood is the Delaware, and in this variety only a fraction of Bourquiniana blood is presumably present. Bourquiniana can be propagated from cuttings more easily than the typical Æstivalis but not so readily as Labrusca, Vulpina or Vinifera. Many of the varieties of Bourquiniana show a marked susceptibility to mildew and black-rot; in fact, the whole Herbemont group is much inferior in this respect to the Norton group of Æstivalis. The roots are somewhat hard, branch rather freely and are quite resistant to phylloxera.

8. Vitis bicolor, Le Conte. Blue Grape. Northern Summer Grape. Northern Æstivalis.

Vine vigorous, climbing; shoots cylindrical or angled, with long internodes, generally glabrous, usually showing much blue bloom, sometimes spiny at base; diaphragms thick; tendrils intermittent, long, usually bifid. Leaves with short, broad stipules; leaf-blade large; roundish-cordate, usually three-, sometimes on older growth shallowly five-lobed, rarely entire; petiolar sinus variable in depth, usually narrow; margin irregularly dentate; teeth acuminate; glabrous above, usually glabrous below and showing much blue bloom which sometimes disappears late in the season; young leaves sometimes pubescent; petioles very long. Cluster of medium size, compact, simple; peduncle long. Berries small, black with much bloom, acid but pleasant tasting when ripe. Seeds small, plump, broadly oval, very short beak; chalaza oval, raised, distinct; raphe distinct, showing as a cord-like ridge.

Bicolor is readily distinguished from Æstivalis by the absence of the reddish pubescence and by blooming slightly later. The habitat of Bicolor is to the north of that of Æstivalis, occupying the northeastern, whereas Æstivalis occupies the southeastern quarter of the United States. Like Æstivalis, this species is not confined to streams and river banks but frequently grows on higher land also. It is found in north Missouri, Illinois, southwestern Wisconsin, Indiana, southern Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, New York, southwestern Ontario, New Jersey and Maryland and by some botanists is reported as far south as western North Carolina and west Tennessee.

The horticultural characters of Bicolor are much the same as those of Æstivalis. About the only points of difference are that it is much hardier (some of the Wisconsin vines stand a temperature as low as 20 degrees below zero); it is said to be slightly less resistant to mildew and more resistant to phylloxera. Like Æstivalis, Bicolor does not thrive on limy soils and it is difficult to propagate from cuttings. The horticultural possibilities of Bicolor are probably much the same as those of Æstivalis, although many think it to be more promising for the North. It is as yet cultivated but little. Its chief defect for domestication is the small size of the fruit.