Manual of American grape-growing

by U. P. Hedrick

Of the many offspring of Concord, Worden ([Plate XXXI]) 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 ship 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, pubescent; leaf usually not lobed; petiolar sinus wide, often urn-shaped; teeth shallow. Flowers fertile, mid-season; stamens upright.

Fruit early. Clusters 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 XXXII]) 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 hitherto 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, pubescent; 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. Clusters 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.