The grapes of New York

by U. P. Hedrick

Headlight is one of the most promising of Munson’s many valuable grapes. Possibly it is more valuable for southern vineyards than for northern ones, yet it is worthy of trial in the North. Its meritorious characters are: Productiveness, outyielding Delaware with which it would compete in New York; disease-resistant foliage and vines little affected by mildew and rarely attacked by black-rot even in the South; more than average vigor of vine, though it has fallen short of expectations in this respect in the Station vineyard; high quality of the fruit, being almost the equal of Delaware in flavor and having tender melting pulp which readily parts from the seeds; and earliness, ripening before Delaware and hanging on the vines or keeping after being picked for some time without deterioration in either quality or appearance. Though a southern grape it has proved perfectly hardy here and were it not that it must compete in the North with many other good grapes, Delaware in particular, it might take high place in northern viticulture. Even with such competition it is well worth a trial in either the amateur or commercial vineyards of New York. It would seem that for the South its resistance to disease should make it a valuable commercial variety.

The originator of Headlight, T. V. Munson, states in a personal letter that it came from Moyer seed fertilized by Brilliant. The seed from which the variety came was planted in 1895 and the new grape was introduced in 1901 by the producer. While Headlight is as yet comparatively little known, it is being tested in many of the grape regions of the country and its value should soon be known. Such reports of its behavior as have been made are in the main very favorable.

Vine at this Station medium to weak, hardy, very productive. Canes short to medium, few in number, slender, dark brown to reddish-brown with small amount of bloom at nodes, which are enlarged and usually not flattened; internodes short; diaphragm thick; pith below medium to nearly small; shoots more or less pubescent; tendrils continuous, short, bifid, very persistent.

Leaf-buds small and short, inclined to slender, pointed to conical, open late. Young leaves heavily tinged on under side and lightly on the upper side with bright carmine. Leaves medium to small, thick; upper surface light green, dull, smoothish; lower surface pale green, with some pubescence; veins obscure; lobes none to three with terminus obtuse to acute; petiolar sinus intermediate in depth and width; basal sinus usually lacking; lateral sinus shallow, narrow; teeth shallow, of average width. Flowers sterile, open in mid-season; stamens reflexed.

Fruit ripens before Delaware, keeps well. Clusters small, short, of average breadth, tapering, frequently single-shouldered, compact; peduncle short to medium, slender; pedicel short, slender, covered with a few small, inconspicuous warts; brush yellowish-brown. Berries medium to very small, roundish, dark red to almost purplish-black, not glossy, covered lightly with blue bloom, persistent, very firm. Skin of average thickness, tough, adheres slightly to the pulp, contains more or less light-red pigment, astringent. Flesh greenish, translucent, very juicy, tender, fine-grained, vinous, sweet from skin to center, good to very good in quality. Seeds separate easily from the pulp, one to three, average two, below medium in size, intermediate in length, light brown; raphe obscure; chalaza above center, circular, distinct.

HERBEMONT.
(Bourquiniana.)

1. Amer. Farmer, 6:369. 1825. 2. Ib., 10:211, 324. 1828. 3. Prince, 1830:154. 4. Ib., 1830:154, 339. 5. Mag. Hort., 9:373. 1843. 6. U. S. Pat. Off. Rpt., 1845:937, 940. 7. Downing, 1845:258. 8. Horticulturist, 1:98. 1846. 9. U. S. Pat. Off. Rpt., 1847:464, 465, 469. 10. Horticulturist, 12:459. 1857. 11. Downing, 1857:339. 12. Horticulturist, 20:40. 1865. 13. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1867:44. 14. Grape Cult., 1:17, 59, 69, 98, 173, 179, 257, fig., 258, 260, 296, 302. 1869. 15. Ib., 2:76, 181, 195, 266. 1870. 16. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1881:39. 17. Bush. Cat., 1883:104, 105. fig. 18. Husmann, 1895:183. 19. Tenn. Sta. Bul., Vol. 9:181, fig., 182, 195. 1896. 20. Tex. Farm and Ranch, Feb. 8, 1896:11. 21. Tex. Sta. Bul., 48:1150, 1157. 1898. 22. Mo. Sta. Bul., 46:39, 43, 45, 46, 50. 1899. 23. Traité gen. de vit., 6:256. 1903.

Bottsi (20,?23). Brown French (20, 23). Dunn (20). Herbemont Madeira (4, 5, 6). Herbemont’s Madeira (10, 11, 14, 17, 19, 20, 23). Hunt (1). Kay’s Seedling (20). McKee (20, 23). Neal grape (11, 23). Neil grape (17, 19, 23). Warren (2, 7, 10). Warren (2, 4, 6, 11, 14, 17, 19, 20, 23). Warrenden (6). Warrenton (1, 2, 3, 5). Warrenton (4, 10, 11, 14, 17, 19, 20, 23). White Herbemont (20).