Noah is so like Elvira that the two are often confused. There are, however, very marked differences in the vine characters; and the clusters of Elvira are smaller, the berries more foxy in taste and the skins more tender and crack much more than do those of Noah. The large, dark, glossy green leaves make the vines of this variety very handsome and a vineyard of them is a pleasing sight. As with Elvira, Othello, Rommel, and other varieties of this group of grapes, Noah is of little value in New York. These grapes are fit only for wine but the wine-makers in this State seem not to have found them desirable for their wants. Noah shatters badly and does not keep nor ship at all well, and buyers therefore do not care for it.
Noah was originated by Otto Wasserzieher of Nauvoo, Illinois, from seed of Taylor planted in 1869, and fruited for the first time in 1873. It was exhibited before the American Pomological Society in 1879. It was placed on the grape list of the American Pomological Society fruit catalog in 1881. Noah shows, like its parent, characters of both Riparia and Labrusca. The vine characters are markedly those of Riparia and, among others of these, the healthiness of the foliage is an asset of the variety; the Labrusca shows more plainly in the fruit of Noah than in that of Taylor, the berries being larger and having more of the foxiness than the last named variety.
Vine medium to sometimes vigorous, not hardy in severe winters, productive, susceptible to attacks of mildew. Canes long, of average number, thick to medium, dark brown, surface roughened; nodes enlarged, flattened; internodes intermediate in length; diaphragm of mean thickness; pith medium in size; shoots slightly pubescent; tendrils usually continuous, of average length, bifid to trifid.
Leaf-buds medium to small, very short, thick to medium, somewhat compressed, obtuse, open very late. Young leaves faintly tinged on under side and along margin of upper side with rose-carmine. Leaves large to medium, of average thickness; upper surface dark green, glossy, smooth; lower surface pale green, thinly pubescent; veins distinct; leaf usually not lobed, with terminus acuminate; petiolar sinus deep to medium, rather wide; basal sinus lacking; lateral sinus very shallow when present; teeth somewhat shallow, moderately wide. Flowers sterile to semi-fertile, open early; stamens upright.
Fruit ripens with Concord or later, does not ship nor keep well. Clusters variable in size and length, above average breadth, cylindrical to nearly tapering, usually single-shouldered, medium to compact; peduncle intermediate in length, thick; pedicel short to medium, covered with few, small warts; brush medium to short, brownish. Berries small, usually roundish, light green tinged with yellow, somewhat dull, covered with thin gray bloom, not persistent, nearly firm. Skin variable in thickness and tenderness, adheres to the pulp, contains no pigment, not astringent. Flesh yellowish-green, translucent, juicy, tough, fine-grained, vinous, tart at skin to acid at center, sprightly, good in quality. Seeds separate with difficulty from the pulp, one to four, average two or three, intermediate in size and breadth, rather dark brown; raphe buried in a shallow groove; chalaza of average size, slightly above center, oval, obscure. Must 100°.
NORFOLK.
(Labrusca, Vinifera.)
1. Mass. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1872:95. 2. Ib., Pt. 2:120. 1875. 3. Kan. Sta. Bul., 28:164. 1891. 4. Ill. Sta. Bul., 28:261. 1893. 5. Bush. Cat., 1894:163, 186. 6. Del. Sta. An. Rpt., 7:135, 139. 1895. 7. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 17:533, 548. 1898. 8. Va. Sta. Bul., 94:138. 1898. 9. Mo. Sta. Bul., 46:40, 42, 44, 46, 51. 1899.
Norfolk Muscat (1, 2).