Ives' Seedling (ives' Madeira)

This variety is recommended so much lately, as a superior grape for red

wine, that I will mention it here, although I have not yet fruited it.

It was first introduced by Col. WARING, of Hamilton County, Ohio, and

is said to be free from rot, healthy and vigorous, and to make an

excellent red wine, the must having sold from the press at $4 to $5 per

gallon. The following description is from bunches sent me from Ohio

las fall:



Bunch medium, compact, shouldered; berry rather below medium, black,

oblong, juicy, sweet and well flavored; ripens about the time of the

Concord. Vine vigorous and healthy; said to propagate with the greatest

ease; evidently belonging to the Labrusca species.



We have a seedling here of the Norton's Virginia, raised by Mr. F.

LANGENDORFER, of this neighborhood, which promises to be a valuable

wine grape for this location. It has not yet been named, and the owner

says will never receive a name, unless it proves, in some respect,

superior to anything we have yet. He has fruited it twice, and made

wine from it the last season, which is of a very high character,

resembling Madeira, of a brownish-yellow color; splendid flavor, and of

great body. The vine is a strong grower, healthy and very productive;

bunch long, seldom shouldered, very compact; berry small, black, with

blue bloom; only moderately juicy, and ripens a week later than its

parent. I am inclined to think that it will be of great value here and

further south as a wine grape, although it would ripen too late to suit

the climate further north.



It may be expected here that I should speak of the Iona, Israella, and

Adirondac, as many, and good authorities too, think they will be very

valuable. The Iona and Israella have fruited but once with me, last

summer, and my experience, therefore, has not been long enough to

warrant a decided opinion. As far as it goes, however, it has been

decidedly unfavorable. My Iona vine set about twenty five bunches, but

mildewed and rotted so badly, that I hardly saved as many berries. It

may improve in time, but I hardly think it will do for our soil;

whatever it may do for others--and I cannot put it down as "promising

well." It is a grape of fine quality, _where it will succeed_. The

Israella stood the climate and bad weather bravely, but ripened at

least five days later than the Hartford Prolific close by, and was not

as good in quality as that grape; in fact, the most insipid and

tasteless grape I ever tried. They may both improve, however, upon

closer acquaintance, or be better in other locations. Here, I do not

feel warranted in praising them, and a description will hardly be

needed, as their originator has taken good care to so fully bring their

merits, real or imaginary, before the grape-growing community, that it

would be superfluous for me to describe them.



The Adirondac I saw and much admired at the East, in 1863; and if its

originator, Mr. BAILEY, had only been liberal enough to furnish me with

a scion of two eyes, for which I offered to pay him at the rate of a

dollar per eye, I would, perhaps, be able to report about it. Instead

of the scion, he sent me a dried up vine, which had no life in it when

I received it, and in consequence of these disadvantages, I have not

been able to fruit it yet. It seems to be healthy and vigorous,

however; and should the quality of the fruit be the same as at the

East, may be a valuable acquisition.



On this list I have only mentioned those which have fruited here from

four to five years, with very few exceptions, and which have generally,

during that time, proved successful. To fully warrant the

recommendation of a grape for general cultivation I think, we should

have fruited it at least five or six years; and although there are many

on this list which I should not hesitate to plant largely, yet I have

preferred to be rather a little over cautious than too sanguine.