Norfolk was disseminated as an early Catawba and it resembles that variety very much in appearance and somewhat in flavor, but ripens much earlier. Unlike the Catawba too, the fruit does not keep well, nor is the flavor quite up to the high quality of the older variety, more nearly resembling, as it grows here, that of Agawam. It is not, however, the fruit characters so much as those of the vine that have kept Norfolk from becoming popular. It falls short in several vine characters, chiefly in productiveness, and after having been known for many years is now scarcely cultivated.
N. B. White[203] of Norwood, Massachusetts, originated this variety some time in the sixties from seed of a native Labrusca fertilized with Black Hamburg.
Vine medium to vigorous, usually hardy, variable in productiveness. Canes long, numerous, thick; tendrils usually intermittent, bifid to trifid. Leaves large to medium, moderately light green, thick; lower surface grayish-white with tinge of bronze, pubescent. Flowers nearly fertile, open early; stamens upright. Fruit ripens earlier than Concord, does not keep very well. Clusters medium to small, often broad, tapering, usually with a long single shoulder, loose. Berries large to medium, oval to roundish, dark purplish-red somewhat resembling Catawba, covered with a fair amount of dark lilac or faint blue bloom, shatter, rather soft. Skin thin, inclined to tender, astringent. Flesh somewhat tough, stringy, rather coarse, vinous, sweet at skin to acid at center, fair in quality. Seeds adhere to the pulp, numerous, quite large, long to medium, distinctly notched.
NORTHERN MUSCADINE.
(Labrusca.)
1. Horticulturist, 9:518. 1854. 2. U. S. Pat. Off. Rpt., 1854:315. 3. Mag. Hort., 22:25. 1856. 4. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1856:166. 5. Ib., 1862:143. 6. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1862:90. 7. Phin, 1862:259. 8. Minn. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1877:59. 9. Bush. Cat., 1883:126. 10. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 17:533, 548, 556. 1898. 11. Tex. Sta. Bul., 48:1151, 1160. 1898. 12. Mo. Sta. Bul., 46:40, 42, 44, 46. 1899.
Early Northern Muscadine (2, 7).
To those who profess to like a foxy grape, the Northern Muscadine should be the grape par excellence. Many of the differences in opinion to be found in grape literature regarding the quality of grapes have hinged upon whether foxiness in taste and aroma is liked or not. Thus some horticulturists put Northern Muscadine, both for the table and for wine, well toward the head of the list of American grapes, while others condemn it as unfit to eat. The fact that this variety, with Lucile, Lutie, and others with the foxy taste strongly marked, has not become popular, in spite of particularly good vine characters, is presumptive evidence that the American public do not want such grapes. In appearance of fruit Northern Muscadine is much like Lutie, and much like it in quality, the two being distinguished from most other grapes by an unmistakable odor. A serious defect of the fruit is that the berries shatter badly as soon as the grape reaches maturity. Taken as a whole, the vine characters of this variety are very good and it offers possibilities for the grape-breeder because of them. It cannot be recommended for either the vineyard or the garden.
This variety originated at New Lebanon, Columbia County, New York. It was first brought to notice by D. J. Hawkins and Philemon Stewart of the United Society of Shakers at that place about 1852. It was placed on the grape list of the American Pomological Society fruit catalog in 1862 and dropped in 1871. It is a typical red Labrusca in all of its characters.
Vine variable in vigor and productiveness, healthy, not always hardy. Canes intermediate in length and number, medium to slender, dark brown, sometimes with a a slight red tinge, heavily pubescent; tendrils continuous, bifid, dehisce early. Leaves medium to very large and of distinct Labrusca type, inclined to roundish, thick; upper surface of medium greenness, dull, medium to rugose; lower surface dark bronze, heavily pubescent; veins well defined. Flowers fertile to sterile, open in mid-season or earlier; stamens upright.
Fruit ripens about with Worden, does not keep well. Clusters medium to small, short, of average width, frequently oval but sometimes roundish, occasionally single-shouldered, medium to compact. Berries medium to large, roundish to oval, dark amber to dull brownish-red, covered with thin gray bloom, drop badly from pedicel. Skin variable in thickness, medium to tough, adheres considerably to the pulp, contains little or no pigment, slightly astringent. Flesh very pale green, juicy, fine-grained, tender and soft, unusually foxy, sweet, poor in quality. Seeds separate easily from the pulp, often numerous, large, broad, faintly notched, long, not blunt, brownish; raphe obscure; chalaza of average size, slightly above center, variable in shape, often showing as an obscure depression.