The grapes of New York

by U. P. Hedrick

Scuppernong vines are to be found on arbors, in gardens, or half wild, on trees and fences on nearly every farm in the South Atlantic States. As a rule, these vines receive little cultivation, are unpruned, and are given no care of any kind, but even under neglect they produce large and sure crops, are almost immune to mildew, rot, phylloxera, or other fungal or insect pests. The plants give not only an abundance of fruit but on arbors and trellises are much prized for their shade and beauty. The growth of the vine is prodigious; seemingly well authenticated reports state that vines are known which cover an acre of land; other tales, having at least the semblance of truth, are equally marvellous. Thus there are accounts of vines of this variety over a hundred years old and which bear 500 bushels of fruit and make 2000 gallons of wine.

The fruit, to a palate accustomed to other grapes, is not very acceptable, having a musky flavor and a somewhat repugnant odor, which, however, becomes with familiarity, it is said, quite agreeable. The pulp is sweet and juicy but is lacking in sprightliness. From the Scuppernong are made several very good wines and it would seem that the future of this and other varieties of Rotundifolia, from a commercial standpoint, lies largely in their value for wine. Quite aside from the quality of the fruit as a table grape, they are not suitable for the market from the fact that the berries drop from the bunch in ripening and become more or less smeared with juice so that as they are brought into market in quantity, their appearance is not at all appetizing.

Vine vigorous to rank, not hardy in the North, very productive. Canes long, numerous, slender, vary from ash-gray to grayish-brown; surface smooth, thickly covered with small, light brown dots; pith greenish; tendrils intermittent, simple. Leaves small, thin; upper surface light green, smooth; lower surface very pale green, slightly pubescent along the ribs, otherwise smooth; veins inconspicuous. Flowers open very late; stamens reflexed.

Fruit ripens late, even in the South, often ripening unevenly, appears to keep well but berries drop as they mature. Clusters small, roundish, not shouldered, loose. Berries very few per cluster, large, roundish, dull green often with brown tinge, not persistent, firm. Skin very thick and tough, covered with many small russet dots; no pigment. Flesh pale green, juicy, tender and soft, fine-grained, very foxy, sweet to agreeably tart, fair to good in quality. Seeds slightly adherent to pulp, large, medium to short, often very broad, not notched, quite blunt, plump, surface unusually smooth, brownish; raphe buried in a narrow, shallow groove; chalaza small, nearly central, elongated, rather obscure. Must 88°.

SECRETARY.
(Vinifera, Riparia, Labrusca.)

1. Grape Cult., 2:158. 1870. 2. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1871:41, 112. 3. Mass. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1872:94. 4. Horticulturist, 29:328. 1874. 5. Ohio Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1876-7:32. 6. N. J. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1881:11. 7. W. N. Y. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 27:21. 1882. 8. Bush. Cat., 1883:135. fig. 9. Mass. Hatch Sta. Bul., 37:11, 16. 1896. 10. Tex. Sta. Bul., 48:1151, 1162. 1898. 11. Mich. Sta. Bul., 169:176. 1899. 12. Mo. Sta. Bul., 46:41. 1891.

Injured by mildew and rot which nearly every year attack leaves, fruit and young wood, Secretary is able only in exceptional seasons and in favored localities to produce a crop of good grapes. Nevertheless it has many excellent qualities as an amateur grape and should not be lost to cultivation. The fact that it is the result of the fecundation of a Riparia by a Vinifera, both parents being excellent varieties, gives Secretary added interest and value and makes its perpetuation still further worth while.

There is no question as to the rank of the fruit characters of Secretary. Taken together they make it a grape of exceptionally high quality, the berries being meaty yet juicy, fine-grained and tender with a sweet, spicy, vinous flavor. The bunches are large, well formed with medium-sized, purplish-black berries covered with thick bloom, making a very handsome cluster. While the vine and foliage somewhat resemble those of Clinton, one of its parents, the variety is not nearly as hardy, vigorous or productive nor as healthy, falling short in all of these respects and making its culture in New York precarious. Moreover, in any but favored localities in this State, its maturity is somewhat uncertain. These defects of vine have kept Secretary from becoming of commercial importance and make it of value only to the amateur.

Secretary is one of the first productions of Ricketts of Newburgh. He grew the original vine from seed of Clinton fertilized by Muscat Hamburg. Planted in 1867, it is said to have borne a little fruit when one year old from the seed. Specimens of the variety were exhibited before the American Pomological Society in 1871. Ricketts sold the variety about 1875 to S. W. Underhill of Croton Point, New York, who introduced it a few years later. On account of its many weak points it has never been popular and it is apparently not offered for sale by any of the nurserymen to-day.