The grapes of New York

by U. P. Hedrick

In Chapter II, American Grapes, we have seen how important a part the Catawba played in the first grape regions of this country. It is still the leading grape along the shores of Lake Erie in northern Ohio, and about the Central Lakes of New York. In the latter region immense areas are devoted to this variety, the product going to the general market and to the wine-cellars where it is the chief sort used in the making of champagne. Its characters are such that it is not too much to say that did it but ripen two weeks earlier in the other grape regions of New York, the Chautauqua, Hudson and Ontario regions, the Catawba would rival the Concord. Because of late ripening in New York this variety is at its best only about the Central Lakes and on land extending back from the water to an altitude of one hundred feet above the lake surface; here as fine Catawbas are grown as anywhere in the world. As to soil, it thrives in sand, gravel or clay provided there be an abundance of food and humus, good drainage and plenty of bottom heat.

Of all the commercial grapes grown in New York Catawba is the best keeper, lasting until March or later. Because of its fine quality it often brings a higher price than other varieties and its reputation as a dessert grape would be still better were it not too often picked before fully ripe and therefore sour and unpalatable. The Catawba is the standard red grape in the markets, and other red varieties are often sold under its name. It makes a good light-colored wine, which as has been said, is largely used as a base for champagne. The vine is vigorous, hardy and productive but the foliage and fruit are susceptible to fungi and this constitutes the chief defect of the variety and accounts for the decline and the passing out of Catawba in many of the grape regions of the past in the United States and its unpopularity in some of the grape regions of the present. In its botanical characters, in its adaptation, and in its susceptibilities it suggests Vitis vinifera crossed with Vitis labrusca, a possibility to be discussed in a later paragraph.

The characters of Catawba seem readily transmissible to its offspring and, beside having a number of pure-bred descendants which more or less resemble it, it is one of the parents of a still greater number of cross-breeds which, as a rule, inherit many of its characters. As with Catawba, most of its progeny show Vinifera characters; as intermittent tendrils, the Vinifera color of foliage, a vinous flavor wholly or nearly free from foxiness, and the susceptibilities of Labrusca-Vinifera hybrids to certain insects, fungi, and environmental conditions.

Catawba was introduced by John Adlum of the District of Columbia about 1823. Adlum secured cuttings of this variety from a Mrs. Scholl of Clarksburgh, Montgomery County, Maryland, in the spring of 1819. This vine had been planted by Mrs. Scholl’s husband, who had since died. He had always called it Catawba, but the family did not know from what source it had been secured. Owing to the statement of a German priest that it was the same as the Tokay of Hungary, Mr. Adlum called it by that name. Some years later, when he found this to be a mistake, he changed the name back to Catawba. Adlum found the same variety on a trellis on land belonging to a Mr. J. Johnston, near Fredericktown, Maryland. He also found a similar variety on a farm of his in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, which he introduced under the name of Muncy. Later these two varieties were judged to be identical. Neither Adlum nor Prince was able to trace the origin of Catawba, though both were among the chief viticulturists of their day, were instrumental in distributing this variety, and had correspondents in all parts of the Union.

In 1850, S. Mosher of Saloma Springs, Kentucky, wrote an article in the Western Horticultural Review, giving an account of the finding of the original vine by Dr. Solomon Beach, in 1821, on the farm of William Murry, about ten miles from Asheville, Buncombe County, North Carolina. The Murrys informed Beach that the grape was an old variety in the neighborhood and that cuttings and roots had been sent to various places. This story was later confirmed by Ravenel, who talked with a son of the original Murry and was told that General Davy, in 1807, then United States Senator from South Carolina, had secured some of the vines and had carried some of them to Washington. This would account for its falling into the hands of Adlum. It must be said, however, that it appears strange that none of the many correspondents of Adlum or Prince, some of whom lived not very far from where the Catawba was supposed to have been found, had heard of this variety. That the Murrys had a vine growing on their farm of peculiar excellence, is probable; that it was Catawba is by no means certain. All that can be said is that the origin of Catawba is not positively known.

Catawba was introduced into the grape region around Cincinnati by Longworth in 1825. The favorable reports of the variety from this region undoubtedly did much to secure its early and wide distribution. In most sections it was compared with the Alexander or Cape grape, and proved itself easily the superior in both vine and fruit characters. Up to the time of the introduction of Concord, Catawba was the most popular American grape cultivated. After that time, the earlier season and superior vine of the former variety enabled it to supplant Catawba in many sections. The Catawba was placed on the grape list in the first American Pomological Society fruit catalog in 1852.

The species to which Catawba belongs is uncertain. It is generally classed as Labrusca, but practically all of those who have raised large numbers of seedlings of the variety are of the opinion that it has some Vinifera blood in its composition. The general appearance of the vine would indicate Labrusca, but the vinous flavor of the fruit, the susceptibility to mildew, the appearance of occasional seeds, and the character of the seedlings, many of which resemble Vinifera more than the parent, all indicate that there is a strain of Vinifera present.

Vine vigorous to medium, hardy, productive, subject to mildew in unfavorable seasons. Canes of average length, numerous, rather thick, moderately dark brown with slight ash-gray tinge; nodes enlarged, sometimes slightly flattened; internodes of mean length; diaphragm rather thin; pith rather large; shoots slightly pubescent; tendrils continuous, of fair length, bifid to trifid.

Leaf-buds intermediate in size and thickness, short, conical to nearly obtuse, open moderately late. Young leaves tinged rose carmine on upper and lower sides. Leaves large, of average thickness; upper surface rather light green, dull, moderately smooth; lower surface grayish-white, heavily pubescent; veins well defined; lobes sometimes three, terminal lobe acute; petiolar sinus deep, narrow to medium; basal sinus often lacking; lateral sinus of average depth, narrow; teeth rather shallow, narrow. Flowers fertile, open rather late; stamens upright.

Fruit late, one of the best keepers, lasting until March or later. Clusters large to medium, rather long, usually broad, nearly cylindrical to tapering, single-shouldered to sometimes double-shouldered, rather loose to compact; peduncle of average length, rather slender; pedicel variable in length, intermediate in thickness, covered with but few small, inconspicuous warts, considerably swollen at point of attachment to berry; brush short, pale green. Berries intermediate in size, oval to roundish, dull purplish-red, covered with a moderate amount of lilac bloom, not inclined to drop from pedicel, firm. Skin rather thick, variable in toughness, slightly adheres to pulp, with no pigment, somewhat astringent. Flesh green, translucent, juicy, fine-grained, slightly tough to soft, depending upon age, vinous, often sprightly with some foxiness, sweet and rich, very good in quality. Seeds separate easily from flesh, frequently abortive, average two, medium size, broad, often with a short prominent neck, distinctly notched, blunt, brownish; raphe obscure; chalaza large, above center, oval to nearly roundish, rather distinct.