Vine vigorous, hardy, productive. Canes very long, numerous, thick, dark brown; nodes enlarged; internodes long; tendrils continuous, long, trifid or bifid. Leaves large, thick; upper surface dark green, glossy, smooth; lower surface pale green, thinly pubescent; lobes five with terminal one acuminate; petiolar sinus deep, narrow; basal sinus shallow, wide; lateral sinus deep, wide; teeth deep, wide. Flowers self-fertile, open in mid-season; stamens upright.
Fruit late, does not keep nor ship well. Clusters short, cylindrical, single-shouldered; pedicel long with few small warts; brush green. Berries of medium size, round, yellowish-green changing to light red with thin bloom, persistent, firm; skin sprinkled with small brown dots, thin, tough, adherent, astringent; flesh pale green, translucent, juicy, tender, fine-grained, lacking in aroma, mild; fair in quality. Seeds adherent, one to four, surface rough, dark brown.
Montefiore
(Vulpina, Labrusca)
Montefiore is extensively grown in Missouri and the Southwest but is almost unknown in the North and East. It is reported as succeeding in the Lake District of Ohio and, with the exception that it is uncertain in bearing and not always productive, it grows well in sections of New York. While it is essentially a wine-grape, yet it is pleasing in taste and texture of fruit and is far better in quality than many of the coarser Labruscas commonly cultivated. It keeps and ships well and presents an attractive appearance. Jacob Rommel, Morrison, Missouri, grew this variety about 1875 from seed of Taylor fertilized by Ives.
Vine vigorous and hardy. Canes long, thick, dark brown with thin bloom; nodes enlarged, flattened; internodes long; tendrils continuous, long, bifid. Leaves thick; upper surface light green, dull, smooth; lower surface grayish-white, pubescent; lobes three when present with terminus acute; petiolar sinus wide; basal sinus lacking; lateral sinus shallow when present; teeth deep. Flowers semi-fertile, open in mid-season; stamens upright.
Fruit mid-season, keeps well. Clusters small, short, tapering, single-shouldered, the shoulder being connected to the bunch by a long stem, compact; pedicel short, slender, smooth; brush red. Berries small, oval, often compressed, black, glossy with abundant bloom, persistent, firm; skin thin, tough, adherent, astringent; flesh green, translucent, juicy, fine-grained, tender, melting, vinous, sweet; fair to good. Seeds free, one to five, small, broad, faintly notched, short, plump, brown.
Moore Early
(Labrusca)
Moore Early ([Plate XXIV]) is the standard grape of its season. Its fruit cannot be described better than as an early Concord. The vines are readily distinguishable from those of Concord, differing chiefly in being less productive. To grow the variety satisfactorily, the soil must be rich, well-drained and loose, must be frequently cultivated, and the vines should be pruned severely. The bunches of Moore Early are not as large as those of Concord and are less compact; the berries shell rather more easily, and the skin cracks more readily. The flesh characters and the flavor are essentially those of Concord, although the quality is not as high as in the older variety. The quality is, however, much higher than that of Champion and Hartford, its chief competitors, and varieties which it should replace. Moore Early is by no means an ideal grape for its season, but until something better is introduced it will probably remain the best early commercial sort. Captain John B. Moore, Concord, Massachusetts, originated this variety from seed of Concord, planted about 1868.