The grapes of New York

by U. P. Hedrick

It is likely that Niagara will continue for some time to be the leading green grape for the market. As long as grape consumers demand a showy grape to be had at a low price, and without much regard as to quality, if the grape be passably good, Niagara will be popular. For those who rank quality first, with appearance and reasonable cost as secondary consideration, there are other green grapes superior.

Niagara was produced by C. L. Hoag and B. W. Clark of Lockport, Niagara County, New York. The originators state that the variety was grown from seed of Concord fertilized by Cassady, planted in 1868, and that it fruited for the first time in 1872. It was introduced about 1882 by the Niagara Grape Company. In 1885 it was placed on the grape list of the fruit catalog of the American Pomological Society. Niagara has attained its greatest popularity and is most grown in New York and in the North. In the grape regions of the South and Southwest, it is too susceptible to fungi especially the mildews and black-rot. It is said that the quality of the variety, however, is improved as grown to the southward and that where comparatively free from diseases, or when they are controlled by spraying, it becomes a profitable early market grape. In Ohio, Niagara is grown more or less for wine. This variety is a typical white seedling of Concord showing little trace of any other variety.

Vine vigorous to medium, less hardy than Concord, productive to very productive, somewhat subject to mildew and black-rot in unfavorable locations. Canes medium to long, of average number, thick, dark reddish-brown deepening in color at the nodes which are strongly enlarged and slightly flattened; internodes medium to long, thick; pith large to medium; shoots pubescent; tendrils continuous, long, bifid to trifid.

Leaf-buds medium in size and thickness, short, slightly compressed, conical to pointed, open in mid-season. Young leaves lightly tinged on under side and along margin of upper side with rose-carmine. Leaves medium to large, thick; upper surface glossy, medium dark green, rather smooth; lower surface pale green, pubescent; veins distinct; lobes three to five with terminus acute to acuminate; petiolar sinus intermediate in depth and width; basal sinus shallow, wide, often toothed; lateral sinus of mean depth, wide, frequently toothed; teeth shallow, variable in width. Flowers fertile, open in mid-season; stamens upright.

Fruit ripens about with Concord, keeps fairly well. Clusters large to medium, long to medium, somewhat broad, tapering to often cylindrical, frequently single-shouldered, moderately compact; peduncle short to medium, thick; pedicel intermediate in length, thick, covered with few, small, inconspicuous warts; brush pale green, medium to long. Berries above medium to large, slightly oval, light green changing to a pale yellowish-green tinge as the ripening season advances, covered with thin gray bloom, persistent, firm. Skin thin, tender, adheres somewhat to the pulp, contains no pigment, slightly astringent. Flesh light green, translucent, juicy, fine-grained, moderately tender, foxy, sweet next the skin to agreeably tart at center, as good or better than Concord in quality. Seeds separate rather easily from the pulp, one to six, average three, intermediate in size, length and breadth, deeply notched, brownish; raphe buried in a deep groove; chalaza of fair size, above center, circular to oval, moderately distinct.

NOAH.
(Riparia, Labrusca.)

1. Gar. Mon., 22:176. 1880. 2. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1881:24. 3. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1883:58. 4. Mo. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1883:40, 185. 5. Ib., 1884:217. 6. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 11:631. 1892. 7. Ill. Sta. Bul., 28:265. 1893. 8. Bush. Cat., 1894:162. fig. 9. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 17:548, 556, 559. 1898. 10. Tex. Sta. Bul., 48:1151, 1160. 1898. 11. Mo. Sta. Bul., 46:40, 43, 44, 45. 1899. 12. Traité gen. de vit., 5:171. 1903.

For some years after its introduction in 1876, Noah was quite popular on account of its vigor, supposed health, productiveness, and the high alcoholic content of its wine. It is now, however, but little grown outside of Missouri where it is still used somewhat in wine-making. In France Noah was largely grown for a time both as a stock for grafting and as a direct producer for the making of wine and brandy. Probably no other American grape has caused more general discussion, or received more praise and more condemnation in France, with the result that it is now but little grown. The name was given the variety on account of the alcoholic strength of its wine, the originator holding that the lamentable accident which befell the patriarch Noah could easily have happened had he partaken of the wine of this grape.