As the history given below shows, the variety is an old one but it, with Norton, was condemned by the early vineyardists because it could be propagated from cuttings only with the greatest difficulty. Like most of its species, Cynthiana is somewhat particular as to soil and location, preferring sandy or gravelly loams and not thriving on clays or limestones. While very resistant to phylloxera, it is not now much used as a resistant stock because of the superiority of varieties of Rupestris and because it is not easily propagated. It is very resistant to cryptogamic diseases, mildew, black-rot and anthracnose, and is a strong, vigorous grower. Its cycle of vegetation is long, the buds bursting forth early and the fruit maturing very late. It has no value as a table grape but according to the Bushberg Catalogue[175] it is the best American grape for red wine. So, too, according to Viala,[176] the wine from Cynthiana is the best of all the red wines produced from American vines. It is said by French wine-makers[177] to contain “an excess of all the elements which constitute the best ordinary wines, color, tannin, acidity, and bouquet,” and therefore to make a splendid base for blending with wine from varieties lacking in the above elements.
Cynthiana was received, some time in the fifties by Prince of Flushing, Long Island, from Arkansas where it is said to have been found growing in the woods. It was sent by Prince to Husmann at Hermann, Missouri, where it did so well and was so highly spoken of by Husmann and his neighbors that it soon became known to grape-growers. It was placed upon the grape list of the American Pomological Society fruit catalog in 1881, where it still remains. Like Norton, Cynthiana is often considered pure Aestivalis, although a strain of some other blood, probably Labrusca, is apparent. Because of the similarity of this variety and Norton the one is often grown as the other.
Vine vigorous, healthy, hardy, usually a good yielder. Canes medium to nearly long, numerous, of average size, dark brown to reddish-brown, sometimes with faint ash-gray tinge, surface covered with thick blue bloom; nodes enlarged, flattened; internodes short to medium; diaphragm rather thin; pith of medium size; shoots slightly glabrous; tendrils intermittent to continuous, above medium in length, bifid.
Leaf-buds small, short, slender, pointed to conical. Leaves variable in size, thick, firm; upper surface dark green, dull, rugose; lower surface slightly tinged with blue, faintly pubescent, cobwebby; veins distinct; lobes variable in number, terminal lobe acute; petiolar sinus deep, narrow, closed and sometimes overlapping; basal sinus shallow; lateral sinus rather shallow and narrow; teeth shallow, of average width; stamens upright.
Fruit ripens very late and keeps well. Clusters medium to small, rather long, intermediate in breadth, tapering to cylindrical, not very uniform, often single-shouldered, compact; peduncle above medium length, small; pedicel rather short and slender, covered with numerous warts, enlarged at point of attachment to berry; brush short, thick, wine-colored. Berries small, roundish, black, covered with a moderate amount of blue bloom, persistent, firm. Skin thin, tough, rather adherent to the pulp, contains a slight amount of purple pigment, astringent. Flesh darkish green, translucent, juicy, tough and solid, spicy, rather tart, poor in quality as a dessert grape. Seeds separate with difficulty from the pulp, one to six, average three, small, of mean breadth, short, blunt, dark brown; raphe distinct, cord-like; chalaza small, slightly above center, circular, distinct. Must 98°-118°.
DAISY.
(Labrusca, Vinifera.)
1. Kan. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1886:187. 2. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 10:495. 1891. 3. Ib., 13:602. 1894. 4. Bush. Cat., 1894:111. 5. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 17:528, 548, 554. 1898.
Daisy is an unimportant seedling of Goethe. The only reason for its distribution was its delicate, spicy, pleasant flavor. It is probably not worth perpetuating.