Certain characters of the fruit of this species are not found in any American forms: First, the skin, which is attached very closely to the flesh and which is never astringent or acid, can be eaten with the fruit; second, the flesh is firm, yet tender, and uniform throughout, differing in this respect from all American grapes which have a sweet, watery and tender pulp close to the skin with a tough and more or less acid core at the center; third, the flavor has a peculiarly sprightly quality known as vinous; fourth, the berry adheres firmly to the pedicel, the fruit seldom "shattering" or "shelling" from the cluster.
In the various hybrids that have been made between American and Vinifera varieties, it is usually found that the desirable qualities of Vinifera are inherited in about the same proportion as the undesirable ones. The fruit is improved in the hybrid but the vine is weakened; quality is usually purchased at the expense of hardiness and disease-resisting power. Vinifera may be grown very readily from cuttings.
[Illustration: PLATE XXIII.--Lutie (×1/2). Pocklington (×1/2).]
Nature has expended her bounties in fullest measure for the vineyard. More than 2000 varieties of grapes are described in American viticultural literature, and twice as many more find mention in European treatises on the vine. Few other fruits offer the novelties given the grape in flavors, aromas, sizes, colors and uses. The vineyard, then, to fulfill commercial potentialities, should supply grapes throughout the whole season, and of the several colors and flavors and for all uses. A prime requisite for a vineyard being well-selected varieties, an assortment of all kinds and for all places in America is here described.
Actoni is a table-grape of the Malaga type which ripens at Geneva, New York, late in October, too late for the average season in the East but worth trying in favorable locations. It is grown in California but is not a favorite sort. The following brief description is made from fruit grown at Geneva:
Clusters large, shouldered, tapering, loose; berries medium to very large, long-oval to oval, clear green yellow; flesh crisp, firm; flavor sweet; quality good.
The qualities commending Agawam are large size and attractive appearance of bunch and berry; rich, sweet aromatic flavor; vigor of vine; and capacity for self-fertilization. For a grape having its proportion of European parentage, the vine is vigorous, hardy and productive. The chief defects in fruit are a thick and rough skin, coarse, solid texture of pulp and foxy flavor. The vine is susceptible to the mildews and in many localities does not yield well. Although Agawam ripens soon after Concord, it can be kept much longer and even improves in flavor after picking. The vines prefer heavy soils, doing better on clay than on sand or gravel. This is one of the grapes grown by E. S. Rogers, Salem, Massachusetts. It was introduced as No. 15 but in 1861 was given the name it now bears.