Unfortunately the Southern Riparia seedlings, Missouri Riesling, Elvira, Noah, Grein Golden, and others, do not attain perfection in New York. The vines are sufficiently hardy, vigorous, productive, and healthy, as a rule, but the fruit is lacking in quality and not acceptable for table use nor wholly desirable in wine-making. It is only in the long seasons and under the sunny skies of the South that the varieties of this group of Riparias are well grown. As one of these grapes, Missouri Riesling is not adapted to New York; as it grows here it is not of high quality and does not mature. The variety is illustrated and described not because of intrinsic value in this region but as of interest as representing a somewhat distinct and important group of native grapes. It is a beautiful fruit when well grown and has many good qualities as a wine grape, and should it prove adapted to some favored nook or corner of the State, its culture would probably prove profitable.
Missouri Riesling was originated by Nicholas Grein about 1870, probably from seed of Taylor. Grein planted seeds of the European Riesling and of Taylor at the same time and he always supposed that none of the Taylor seeds grew and that the Missouri Riesling was a seedling of the Riesling of Germany. Since the Missouri Riesling is evidently of Riparia-Labrusca lineage and shows no Vinifera whatever, it is to be presumed that Grein’s labels were confused. It was placed on the grape list of the American Pomological Society fruit catalog in 1889 and is still retained there.
Vine variable in vigor, usually hardy, medium to productive. Canes very long, numerous, thick, dark brown; nodes enlarged, not flattened; internodes long; diaphragm below average thickness; pith medium to above in size; shoots pubescent; tendrils continuous, long, trifid to bifid.
Leaf-buds medium in size, short, thick, obtuse to conical, open in mid-season. Young leaves slightly tinged on under side only with faint brownish-carmine. Leaves large, thick to medium; upper surface dark green, glossy, nearly smooth; lower surface pale green, thinly pubescent; veins distinct; lobes usually five with terminal lobe acuminate; petiolar sinus deep, narrow to medium; basal sinus shallow and wide; lateral sinus deep, above average width; teeth deep to medium, wide. Flowers fertile to semi-fertile, open in mid-season; stamens upright.
Fruit usually ripens later than Concord and a little before Catawba, does not keep nor ship well. Clusters variable in size, medium to short, of average width, sometimes cylindrical, frequently single-shouldered, variable in compactness; peduncle medium to long, slender; pedicel above average length, covered with few small warts; brush green with tinge of yellow. Berries intermediate in size, roundish to oval, pale or yellowish-green changing to light red or with tinge of pink when fully ripe, not glossy, covered with thin gray bloom, persistent, firm. Skin sprinkled with small brown dots, thin, tough, adheres to the pulp, contains no pigment, slightly astringent. Flesh pale green, translucent, moderately juicy, tender, fine-grained, lacking somewhat in aroma, sweet at skin to agreeably tart at center, mild, of fair quality. Seeds adherent, one to four, average two, with surface somewhat roughened, intermediate in size and breadth, medium to long, not blunt, dark brown; raphe obscure; chalaza of fair size, above center, ovate, very distinct.
MONROE.
(Labrusca, Bourquiniana?)
1. Gar. Mon., 22:176. 1880. 2. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1881:40, 43. 3. Bush. Cat., 1883:122. 4. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 9:327. 1890. 5. Bush. Cat., 1894:156. 6. Va. Sta. Bul., 94:135. 1898. 7. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 17:533, 546, 547, 552. 1898. 8. Mich. Sta. Bul., 169:173. 1899.
It is now about thirty years since Monroe was offered to the grape-growers of this State, and as a New York seedling, yet it can now scarcely be found under cultivation. It has failed because it is lacking in quality and because its vine characters are not sufficiently good to attract either the commercial or the amateur grape-grower.
