The preeminently meritorious qualities of Campbell Early are: High quality when mature; freedom from foxiness and from acidity about the seeds; small seeds which easily part from the flesh; earliness of maturity, ripening nearly a fortnight before Concord; large size and attractive appearance of bunch and berry (the color-plate does not do the Campbell Early justice as to size of berry and bunch); comparative hardiness of the vine; and good shipping and keeping qualities. Campbell Early falls short chiefly in not being adapted to as many soils and conditions as are some of the varieties with which it must compete and in all but localities well adapted to it the variety lacks productiveness. In other words it is somewhat lacking in that elasticity of constitution so characteristic of Concord. Its reputation for quality has suffered, and to the detriment of the variety, because it attains its full color before it is ripe and is therefore often marketed in an unripe condition. The fruit is quite variable in size as grown under different conditions and somewhat so as grown in the same vineyard, ranging in size of bunch from very large to small, differing somewhat in shape and with some compact and with some loose clusters. The color of the berry is not as attractive as that of Concord as it has less of the waxy bloom which makes the last named sort so handsome.
But the weaknesses attributed to Campbell Early do not wholly explain why so good a variety has seemingly failed to meet expectations. Can it be that the fault is with the American grape-grower more than with the grape? American growers are not yet willing to give varieties of grapes the particular care that each may need for its best development, but seemingly prefer to grow those sorts which are cosmopolitan as to environment and which will thrive under a general treatment. It cannot be that the consumers of this fruit care for less than a dozen of the several hundred American grapes; or that under the varied conditions of half a continent over which grow a score of species of wild grapes but a meager half dozen varieties can be grown for commercial purposes. If our grape-growers were willing to give the Campbell Early, and a score of other sorts of superior merit, the special care that European vineyardists give the hundreds of varieties they successfully grow, our viticulture would not long remain confined to the culture of a few grapes of mediocre quality.
The name commemorates the services to viticulture of the originator of the variety, Geo. W. Campbell[170] of Delaware, Ohio, who devoted a long and active life to the improvement of the grape. The variety is a seedling of Moore Early pollinated by another production of Campbell’s, which was a seedling of Belvidere pollinated by Muscat Hamburg. Campbell Early bore for the first time in 1892, and was soon after introduced by George S. Josselyn of Fredonia, New York. It is now known and grown throughout the grape regions of eastern America.
Vine vigorous to medium, hardy, productive to very productive. Canes of average length and number, somewhat thick, dark reddish-brown, surface often roughened with small warts; nodes intermediate in size, flattened; internodes medium to short; diaphragm of mean thickness; pith of average size; shoots pubescent; tendrils intermittent, rather short, trifid to bifid.
Leaf-buds intermediate in size, inclined to long, slender to medium, pointed to conical, open early. Young leaves heavily tinged on lower surface and along margin of upper surface with bright carmine. Leaves medium to large, thick to medium; upper surface green, slightly glossy, intermediate in smoothness; lower surface bronze to pale green, heavily pubescent; veins distinct; lobes often three in number but usually entire, terminal lobe acute; petiolar sinus rather shallow, medium to wide; basal sinus usually pubescent; lateral sinus varying from medium wide to a mere notch, frequently dentate; teeth shallow to medium, narrow. Flowers fertile, open in mid-season; stamens upright.
Fruit variable in season, extending through a long period, becomes marketable somewhat earlier than Worden, keeps and ships unusually well. Clusters variable in size ranging from very large to medium, rather long and broad, tapering to cylindrical, frequently single-shouldered, usually two bunches per shoot, compact to slightly loose; peduncle short to medium, thick; pedicel below average in length and thickness, covered with small numerous warts; brush long, light wine color. Berries somewhat variable in size, usually large, roundish to slightly oval, dark purplish-black, rather dull as the season advances, covered with heavy blue bloom, persistent, moderately firm. Skin medium to thin, tough, does not crack, adheres slightly to the pulp, contains a small amount of dark red pigment, somewhat astringent. Flesh greenish, translucent, juicy, varying from rather tough to nearly soft, slightly coarse, not foxy, somewhat vinous, nearly sweet from skin to center, quality good and improves by hanging on the vines, superior to Concord. Seeds separate readily from the flesh, one to four, average three, of medium size and length, rather broad, light brown, often with yellowish tips; raphe obscure; chalaza intermediate in size, slightly above center, oval, obscure.
CANADA.
(Riparia, Labrusca, Vinifera.)
1. Horticulturist, 22:363, 365. 1867. fig. 2. Rec. of Hort., 1868:44. 3. Downing, 1869:533. 4. Bush. Cat., 1883:79. fig. 5. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 10:494. 1891. 6. Ib., 17:527, 548, 554, 559. 1898. 7. Traité gen. de vit., 5:182. 1903.