Dr. Wm. A. M. Culbert of Newburgh, New York, is the originator of Early Dawn, the date of its origin being some time about 1870. It is reported to have come from seed of Israella fertilized by Black Hamburg.
Vine a fair to strong grower, not very hardy, medium to very productive. Canes rather long, covered with thin blue bloom; tendrils intermittent, bifid to trifid. Leaves medium to small; lower surface very pubescent and slightly hairy. Flowers sterile or nearly so, open in mid-season; stamens reflexed. Fruit ripens about two weeks earlier than Concord, keeps and ships well. Clusters medium to large, nearly cylindrical, irregular in outline, vary from not shouldered to a heavy single shoulder or sometimes with a double shoulder, medium in compactness. Berries rather small, roundish, attractive purplish-black, covered with heavy blue bloom, persistent. Flesh very juicy, tender, slightly vinous, sprightly, agreeably tart, variable in flavor and quality, ranging from fair to very good. Seeds not numerous, broad, plump.
EARLY OHIO.
(Labrusca.)
1. An. Hort., 1892:176. 2. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 12:619. 1893. 3. Rural N. Y., 53:645. 1894. fig. 4. Bush. Cat., 1894:119, 120. fig. 5. Wis. Sta. An. Rpt., 13:226. 1896. fig. 6. Rural N. Y., 56:627, fig., 630, 823. 1897. 7. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 17:529, 548, 554. 1898.
Early Ohio is remarkable, chiefly, in being one of the earliest commercial grapes. The fruit resembles that of Concord, of which it is probably a seedling. The claims made for this variety that it is hardy, vigorous and productive, have not been borne out on the Station grounds; but on the contrary the vine is somewhat tender, is not a strong grower, and does not bear large crops. The quality is very poor. Now that the South is sending many grapes of high quality to northern markets at the time Early Ohio and other grapes of its season are ripening it is doubtful if a grape having only earliness to commend it should have a place in our viticulture. Notwithstanding its defects Early Ohio is grown somewhat commonly in New York though its culture is on the wane.
The original seedling of Early Ohio was found in the year 1882 in the vineyard of R. A. Hunt, at Euclid, Ohio, between rows of Delaware and Concord. It was introduced in 1892 by the C. S. Curtice Company, of Portland, New York.
Vine medium to weak, often tender, usually produces medium crops. Canes short to very short, few in number, rather slender, brownish with a slight reddish tinge; nodes somewhat enlarged, flattened; internodes short; diaphragm thick; pith intermediate in size; shoots pubescent; tendrils continuous, usually short, bifid.
Leaf-buds rather small and short, inclined to slender, pointed to conical, open in mid-season. Young leaves lightly tinged on under side and along margin of upper side with rose-carmine. Leaves intermediate in size, of average thickness; upper surface light green, dull, smoothish; lower surface varies from pale green to slight bronze, pubescent; veins fairly distinct; lobes vary from none to three, with terminal lobe acute; petiolar sinus medium to shallow, rather wide; basal sinus usually absent; lateral sinus nearly shallow, wide to rather narrow; teeth shallow to sometimes medium, somewhat narrow. Flowers fertile, open in mid-season; stamens upright.
Fruit ripens two or three weeks earlier than Concord, some seasons a few days earlier than Moore Early, does not keep well. Clusters medium in size, intermediate to long, below average in thickness, tapering, frequently not shouldered, moderately compact; peduncle short to medium, of fair thickness; pedicel intermediate in length, medium to rather slender, covered with few, small warts; brush above average length, slender, tinged with red. Berries not very uniform in size, averaging medium, roundish, purplish-black, slightly glossy, covered with rather heavy blue bloom, persistent, firm. Skin intermediate in thickness and toughness, adheres slightly to the pulp, contains a moderate amount of reddish pigment, astringent. Flesh greenish, translucent, juicy, somewhat tough, slightly aromatic, sweet at skin but slightly acid at center, inferior in quality. Seeds do not separate easily unless fully ripe, one to four, average three, intermediate in size, length, and breadth, notched, light brown with yellowish-brown tips; raphe obscure; chalaza of fair size, slightly above center, circular to oval, rather obscure.