Moyer is almost a counterpart of its parent, Delaware. Were it not that the variety is from one to two weeks earlier than Delaware, and somewhat hardier, hence better adapted for cold regions, it could have no place in viticulture. Compared with Delaware, the vine is hardly as vigorous and is less productive, but is freer from rot and mildew. The bunches are much like those of Delaware but have the fault of setting fruit imperfectly even when cross-pollination is assured; the berries are a little larger, of much the same color and of like flavor, rich, sweet, with pure vinousness and without a trace of foxiness. The fruit keeps well, ships well and does not crack nor shell. Moyer is well established in Canada, proving perfectly hardy wherever Concord is grown, possibly standing even more cold. W. H. Read, Port Dalhousie, Ontario, raised the original vine of Moyer, about 1880, from seed of Delaware fertilized by Miller's Burgundy.
Vine vigorous, hardy, healthy, unproductive. Canes numerous, slender, dull, dark reddish-brown; nodes enlarged, flattened; internodes short; tendrils continuous, long, bifid or trifid. Leaves small; upper surface dark green, dull, smooth; lower surface pale green or with faint blue tinge, heavily pubescent; lobes two to five with terminus acute; petiolar sinus shallow; basal sinus shallow when present; lateral sinus shallow, narrow; teeth very shallow, narrow. Flowers self-sterile, open early; stamens reflexed.
Fruit early, keeps well but loses color if kept too long. Clusters small, short, slender, tapering, sometimes single-shouldered; pedicel short with small warts; brush yellowish-green. Berries small, oblate, dark red with faint bloom, persistent, firm; skin tough, free, astringent; flesh translucent, juicy, tender, fine-grained, vinous; good to very good. Seeds free, one to four, broad, short, very blunt, brown with yellow tinge at tips.
Muscatel
(Vinifera)
White Frontignan
This old and standard sort is rather commonly grown in some of the grape regions of California to follow Chasselas Golden. It might be tried with some show of success in favored grape regions in the East. The description is compiled.
Vine of medium size, vigorous, healthy; canes strong, spreading, reddish-brown with short internodes. Leaves of medium size, thin, five-lobed; glabrous except on the lower sides of the well-marked ribs where a few hairs show. Bunches long, cylindrical, regular, compact; berries round, golden-yellow becoming amber; flavor sweet, rich, aromatic, peculiar; quality very good. Season late mid-season, keeps and ships well.
