The grapes of New York

by U. P. Hedrick

Fruit ripens with or later than Concord, ships and keeps well. Clusters variable in size, intermediate in length, often broad, tapering to cylindrical, variable in compactness; peduncle short to medium, of average thickness; pedicel intermediate in length, slender, covered with numerous, small, inconspicuous warts; brush wine-colored. Berries large to medium, roundish, black, glossy, covered with abundant blue bloom, persistent, firm. Skin thick, tough, adheres slightly to the pulp, contains a small amount of wine-colored pigment, astringent. Flesh light green, translucent, juicy, moderately fine-grained, medium tender, stringy, with little or no aroma, good in quality. Seeds rather adherent, one to five, average four, somewhat large and broad, long to medium, frequently with enlarged neck, brownish; raphe sometimes shows as a narrow cord; chalaza of average size, plainly above center, distinct.

MILLS.
(Labrusca, Vinifera.)

1. Horticulturist, 30:93. 1875. 2. Rural N. Y., 47:144, 146. fig. 1888. 3. Can. Hort., 11:102, 103. fig. 1888. 4. Ohio Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1888-9:107. 5. Kan. Sta. Bul., 14:89. 1890. 6. Ib., 28:160. 1891. 7. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 12:621. 1893. 8. Rural N. Y., 53:6. 1894. 9. Bush. Cat., 1894:155. 10. Rural N. Y., 54:715, 779, 795. 1895. 11. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1897:19. 12. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 17:533, 548, 556, 559. 1898. 13. Mich. Sta. Bul., 169:173. 1899. 14. Ga. Sta. Bul., 53:46, 51. 1901.

Probably none of the commonly cultivated grapes varies more under different cultural conditions than Mills. It is chiefly from this fact that viticulturists are so diverse in their opinions of it, some claiming that it is among our best grapes and others pronouncing it almost worthless. Mills grown in the vineyards of this Station is one of the half dozen best out of 270 varieties in its fruit characters. The bunches and berries are large and well-formed, the berries being a handsome black with bluish bloom and adhering so firmly to the stem that the fruit may be left until April without shelling. The berries are firm and solid, with the skin adherent to the pulp almost as in the Viniferas, and with the same texture of flesh as in Black Hamburg. The flesh, despite the solidity, is juicy and parts readily from the seeds. Its flavor is rich, sweet, vinous, with a trace of muskiness. The grapes are hardly surpassed in keeping quality and seldom if ever crack or shatter. The season is a little earlier than Concord.

But when we have described its fruit characters, practically all that can be is said in its favor. The vines are of only medium vigor, are not hardy, are fruitful only under the most favorable conditions, and are very subject to mildew. In New York neither wood nor roots ripen well in the average season and the variety is a most difficult one for nurserymen to handle. That it succeeds only on certain soils is known but data are not at hand to determine what conditions of soil suit it best. The soil on which the vines of this Station are growing is a rather heavy, rich clay and Mills makes a very fair growth here. The variety is of doubtful commercial value, unless it be for a special market, but for the garden or the amateur viticulturist it is undoubtedly one of the best if adapted to the soil and location. It is possible that the commercial grower may be able to graft it to advantage on some variety with better vine characters.

William H. Mills of Hamilton, Ontario, produced the Mills grape about 1870 from seed of Muscat Hamburg fertilized by Creveling. It was not introduced to the public, however, until 1888, when it was offered for sale by Ellwanger & Barry of Rochester, New York. Mills was placed on the grape list of the American Pomological Society fruit catalog in 1897 but was dropped from the list two years later. The variety has been widely tested but as yet has not become of commercial importance in any of the grape regions of the country.

Vine medium to above in vigor, not hardy, productive unless injured by the winter, somewhat subject to mildew. Canes long, of medium size, rather thick, light brown; nodes slightly enlarged and flattened, internodes medium to large; diaphragm rather thick; pith quite large; shoots slightly pubescent; tendrils intermittent, of average length, bifid to trifid.