MOORE EARLY.
(Labrusca.)
1. Mass. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1871:43. 2. Ib., 1872:94. 3. Ib., 1873:101. 4. Ib., Pt. 2:81, 82, 109. 1877. 5. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1881:32, 40, 41. 6. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1881:24. 7. Mich. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1886:225. 8. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1887:97. 9. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 9:327. 1890. 10. Can. Hort., 15:95. 1892. col. pl. 11. Ia. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1893:161. 12. Bush. Cat., 1894:158. fig. 13. Col. Sta. Bul., 29:19. 1894. 14. Tenn. Sta. Bul., Vol. 9:184, 195. 1896. 15. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 15:430, 431, 432, 433. 1896. 16. Vt. Sta. Bul., 62:41. 1898. 17. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 17:533, 541, 543, 544, 545, 547, 552. 1898. 18. Mich. Sta. Bul., 169:173. 1899. 19. Rural N. Y., 66:173. 1907.
Moore Early is the standard grape of its season in New York. It cannot be better described than as an early Concord. It comes in season from two to three weeks earlier than Concord and the last fruits of it are sent to market before those of the later grape are picked. The vines are readily recognizable from those of Concord, differing chiefly in being less productive and more precarious bearers. To grow the variety satisfactorily the soil must be rich, well drained and loose, must be frequently cultivated and the vines should be carefully pruned and cared for in every way. The bunches of Moore Early are not as large as those of Concord and are more inclined to looseness, and the berries sometimes shell rather badly. The berries are larger and, as with Concord, crack under unfavorable conditions. The flesh characters and the flavor are essentially those of Concord, though the quality, representing all of the characters which make a fruit pleasant to the palate, is not as high as in the older variety; it is however much higher than that of Champion and Hartford, its chief competitors in this State and varieties which it should replace. Moore Early is by no means an ideal grape for its season but until something better is introduced it will probably remain the best early commercial grape for New York.
Captain John B. Moore of Concord, Massachusetts, is said to have originated this variety from seed of Concord. In 1871 it was exhibited before the Massachusetts Horticultural Society with fifty other seedlings of the same parentage. It was awarded a first class certificate of merit by this Society in 1877, and was introduced by the originator the same year. In 1881 Moore Early was placed on the grape list of the American Pomological Society fruit catalog where it still remains.
Vine medium to vigorous, hardy, not a heavy yielder. Canes medium to short, of average number, medium to below in thickness, rather dark reddish-brown, surface slightly roughened; nodes enlarged, flattened; internodes short to medium; diaphragm thinnish; pith intermediate in size; shoots pubescent; tendrils continuous, of fair length, bifid to trifid.
Leaf-buds small and slender, short, pointed to conical, open medium early. Young leaves tinged on lower side and along margin of upper side with rose-carmine. Leaves large to medium, thick; upper surface medium dark green, dull, of average smoothness; lower surface tinged with bronze, heavily pubescent; veins distinct; leaf usually not lobed, with terminus acute; petiolar sinus of average depth, wide to medium; basal sinus lacking; lateral sinus a notch when present; teeth shallow, narrow to medium. Flowers fertile, open in mid-season; stamens upright.
Fruit ripens from two to three weeks earlier than Concord, does not keep well. Clusters intermediate in size, length, and breadth, irregularly cylindrical to tapering, sometimes single-shouldered, inclined to looseness; peduncle short to medium, thick; pedicel short, thick, nearly smooth; brush short, pale green. Berries large to above medium, roundish, dark purplish-black to black, covered with abundant blue bloom, not very persistent, nearly firm. Skin intermediate in thickness, tender, adherent to the pulp, contains dark purplish-red pigment, not astringent. Flesh greenish, translucent, juicy, fine-grained and tough, with slight foxiness, sweet next the skin but somewhat acid at center, fair to good in quality. Seeds adherent, one to four, average two and three, large, often irregular in shape, broad and plump, blunt, brown with yellow tinge at tips; raphe buried in a small and indistinct groove; chalaza of average size, obscure, often showing as a faint, irregular depression.
MOYER.
(Labrusca, Bourquiniana.)
1. Columbus Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1887:218. 2. Ib., 1887:218. 3. Can. Hort., 11:265. 1888. col. pl. 4. W. N. Y. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 35:176. 1890. 5. Ib., 36:42. 1891. 6. Ill. Sta. Bul., 28:261. 1893. 7. Bush. Cat., 1894:159. 8. Can. Hort., 22:386. 1899. fig. 9. Mo. Sta. Bul., 46:40, 42. 1899. 10. Ont. Fr. Exp. Stas. Rpt., 6:20. 1899. fig. 11. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1899:29.
Jordan (2). Jordan (5, 7). Moyer’s Early Red (1).