The Cunningham is not known in New York and in fact has been cultivated but little in America, but in France at one time it was one of the best known American grapes, both as a direct producer and as a stock for European varieties. It is not now largely grown in France, however, having been superseded by better American varieties for the uses for which it was formerly cultivated. It was much sought for by the French as a stock for large Vinifera cions, the size of the vine giving an opportunity for making a good graft. In the South, Cunningham is not largely grown as there are several other varieties of its class superior to it in quality of fruit and in vine characters as well. It seems everywhere to have been an exceedingly capricious grower and very particular as to soil and climate. It is said to make a deep yellow wine of very good quality. It has little or no value as a table grape.
Cunningham originated in the garden of Jacob Cunningham of Prince Edward County, Virginia, about the year 1812. Cuttings of this vine were sent by Dr. D. N. Norton of Richmond to Prince in 1829. Prince introduced it to the public. Its botanical characters mark it as an offshoot of the Herbemont group of Bourquiniana.
The following description is a compilation from several sources:
Vine very vigorous, spreading, rather productive, somewhat suceptible to mildew. Canes large and long, with stiff reddish hairs at base; shoots showing considerable bloom; tendrils intermittent, usually trifid. Leaves large, rather thick, roundish, entire or slightly lobed; smooth and dark green above, yellowish-green below and slightly pubescent; petiolar sinus narrow, frequently overlapping. Clusters of medium size, long, sometimes shouldered, very compact; peduncle short, strong; pedicel long, slender. Berries small, purplish-black with thin, grayish bloom. Skin thin, tough with considerable underlying pigment. Flesh tender, juicy, sprightly or somewhat acidly sweet. Seeds two to five, rather oval; beak short; chalaza distinct; raphe showing as a ridge.
CYNTHIANA.
(Aestivalis, Labrusca.)
1. U. S. D. A. Rpt., 1863:548. 2. Husmann, 1866:103. 3. Ib., 1866:104. 4. Gar. Mon., 11:149. 1869. 5. Grape Cult., 1:20, 239. 1869. 6. Ib., 3:2. 1871. 7. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1881:24. 8. Bush. Cat., 1883:88. fig. 9. Mo. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1891:127, 131. 10. Ill. Sta. Bul., 28:253. 1893. 11. Mo. Sta. Bul., 46:38, 43, 45, 46, 50. 1899. 12. Kan. Sta. Bul., 110:246. 1902. 13. Traité gen. de vit., 6:274. 1903.
Arkansas (3). Arkansas (8). Norton (13). Norton Virginia (13). Norton’s Virginia Seedling (13). Red River (2, 5, 6, 8, 13). Vitis Nortoni (13).
Cynthiana is another southern grape impossible to grow in the North and therefore of but general interest for this work. There has long been a heated controversy as to whether this variety differs from Norton. The botanical differences between the two varieties are not greater than might be attributed to environment, soil, climate and culture; but side by side the two grapes ripen at different times, and the quality of the fruit, and more particularly of the wine, is such that the varieties must be considered as distinct. The distinction should be maintained for Cynthiana is the better grape of the two. It has been much grown in France for its intrinsic value and in the reconstruction of vineyards destroyed by phylloxera.
