The Florida agriculturist., 1889-05-22
Grapes.

the following varieties: Early Dawn, Sweetwa-
ter (so-called), Coriacea, Duchess, Champion,
Lindley, Merrimack Frontignan, Muscatt and
Essex.
In quality the specimens of the Early Dawn
were up to the descriptions given in standard
works; the berries were SO compacty in the me-
dium sized punches that each was pressed out of
shape by its neighbor yet all were fully and
evenly ripened. They did not cling to the pedun-
Gle as they should have done, but shelled off like
Hartford, which may have been due to the
punches having been left on the vines too long.
they were over-ripe.
The White Sweetwater, aboutw which Mr. Norton
is in doubt, seemed to identical with specimens
of this variety saw at Baron Won Leuttichau's
last summer, and which he has been kind en- ough
to send us this season. although the latter were
larger punches and the berries more closely set
We trust Mr. Norton will send specimens to Prof
Dubois, whose wide experience would probably
enable him to identify this variety with certainty
The Champions were in the same stage of ripe
the Early Dawn, but not as even, or OF
as good quality, and sheIled off the stem quite as
badly
The specimens of Duchess were good. We hope
this most delicious of native white grapes will
succeed in South Florida. Prof. Dubois reports
it failure at Tallahassee but suggests it may
succeed better in sandy soil further south.
Concerning the Duchess Mr.. Steele, of this COM
mittee, says
"With me this grape invariably rots, unless
bag sed as soon as well formed If bagged as soon
the grapes are the size of peas large shot, it
ripens perfectly and makes very close, compact
clusters
Frontiguan Muscat answered to Browning's
description of White Frontiguan, which has no
less than twelve synonyms, and he also gives
number of distinct Frontiguan varieties. We do
not know which this is but it is certainly one of
the most luscious of favored foreign grapes we
have ever tasted. The punches were well set and
perfectly ripened. They come the nearest to sell
ing in competition with high priced hot house
grapes of any out-door-grown-in-F Florida speci-
mems we have seen.
OF the three Rogers Hybrids, Lindley was the
most evenly ripened, the best favored.
About July 4th-5th, our well known grape grow
and wine maker, Prof. E. Dubois, OF "San Luis
Vineyards tallahassee sent us a basket of
grapes, including eight or nine varieties, all of
which well grown, carefully labeled and
packed and in excellent condition. From brief
notes, iotted down as the grapes were unpacked
and tested we append the following:
PERKINS.
Bunches rather above medium, compact; ber-
ries slightly oblong, greenish white, with red
tinge and white bloom when fully rpe pulp melt
ing, juice sprightly and agreeable. Prof Dubois
says: Perkins is the most reliable grape of the
whole Labrusca class; has notshown signs OF dis
and has matured it's fruit much more evenly
than Concord" Perkins impresses us very favor
ablV. and certainly deserves wider fri al
Commenting on the Perkins Mr. W. c. Steele
says:
"The Bushberg Catalogue says of this variety:
Pale lilac ddish color when fully ripe with
their white bloom
In my Experience with Perkins for many
years at the North, found the bloom very thin
and the color deep dull red, as a rule But at
this stage it's fruit is unstable and uneatable on
account of a strong musky odor and taste Must
be picked as soon as it begins to color to be mar
ketable."
Fine specimens of this favorite grape-bunches
OF good size, we'll and evenly ripened.
COTTAGE
Said to be Seeding of Concord which it resem-
bes but earlier. Quality scarcely equal to it's re-
puted parents, but fair Of it's class (Labrusca)
An excellent grape for Florida strong grower
profuse bearer. good shipper; quality fair; makes
a good red wine samples very good.
EMPIRE STATE.
Samples received not fully ripe nor hunohos
equal to description in size; color green mot