This variety was raised by Ellwanger & Barry of Rochester, New York, from mixed seed of Delaware, Diana, Concord, and Rebecca, and was first fruited in 1867. Patrick Barry at one time stated that it was a cross of Delaware and Concord. This, while evidently a surmise, appears quite probable. It was tested by the originators for many years and was finally introduced in 1880 but was dropped some years ago from the list of recommended sorts in Ellwanger & Barry’s catalog.
Vine vigorous to medium, hardy, variable in productiveness, somewhat susceptible to attacks of mildew and rot. Canes medium to long, often numerous, medium to slender, covered with considerable blue bloom; tendrils continuous, bifid. Leaves intermediate in size and color; lower surface pale green, thinly pubescent. Flowers fertile, open in mid-season; stamens upright. Fruit ripens soon after Hartford, keeps well. Clusters above medium to medium in size and length, often broad and cylindrical, rather blunt at ends, usually single-shouldered, the shoulder being attached to the bunch by a long stem, nearly compact, sometimes with a number of abortive fruits. Berries medium to above in size, roundish, black or purplish-black, covered with heavy blue bloom, persistent. Skin thick, tough, adheres considerably to the pulp, contains a large amount of purplish-red pigment, not astringent. Flesh pale green with a tinge of yellow, rather transparent, tender and almost melting, nearly sweet, lacks character, no more than fair in quality. Seeds separate easily from the pulp, intermediate in length, size, and width.
MONTEFIORE.
(Riparia, Labrusca.)
1. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1881:44. 2. Mo. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1883:44, 182. 3. Ib., 1884:216. 4. Kan. Sta. Bul., 14:89. 1890. 5. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 11:630. 1892. 6. Ill. Sta. Bul., 28:256. 1893. 7. Col. Sta. Bul., 29:19. 1894. 8. Bush. Cat., 1894:156. fig. 9. Husmann, 1895:36. 10. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 17:533, 548, 556. 1898.
Rommel’s Taylor Seedling No. 14 (8). Taylor’s Seedling No. 14 (1).
Montefiore, named in honor of the Jewish philanthropist, Moses Montefiore, is one of Rommel’s seedlings of Taylor. The variety has been largely grown in Missouri and the Southwest as a claret wine grape but is almost unknown in New York and the East. Montefiore is reported as succeeding in the Lake District of Ohio and, with the exception that it is somewhat uncertain in bearing and not always productive on the grounds of this Station, it has grown well in this section of New York. While Montefiore is essentially a wine grape, yet it is pleasing in taste and texture of fruit and is far better in quality than many of the coarser Labruscas so commonly cultivated. It keeps and ships well and presents an attractive appearance as a table grape. Were it not that the variety has been under cultivation for thirty years or more and therefore probably tested and discarded in New York, we should recommend it for extensive trial, especially as a red wine grape.
Jacob Rommel[202] of Morrison, Missouri, produced this variety from seed of Taylor said to have been fertilized with Ives. It was exhibited by Rommel at the American Pomological Society meeting in 1879, where it attracted the attention of Isadore Bush, of Bush & Son & Meissner, who named it Montefiore and introduced it the following year.
Vine medium to vigorous, hardy, an uncertain bearer. Canes long, of average number, thick, dark brown with slight reddish tinge, surface covered with thin blue bloom; nodes enlarged, flattened; internodes long to medium; diaphragm thick; pith medium to above in size; shoots thinly pubescent; tendrils continuous, long, bifid.