Hayes

(Labrusca, Vinifera)



In 1880, the Massachusetts Horticultural Society awarded a certificate

of merit to Hayes for high quality in fruit. This brought it

prominently before grape-growers and for a time it was popular, but

when better known several defects became apparent. The vine is hardy

and vigorous, but the growth is slow and the variety is a shy bearer.

Both bunches and berries are small, and the crop ripens at a time, a

week or ten days earlier than Concord, when there are many other good

green grapes. Excellent though it is in quality, the variety is hardly

worth a place in any vineyard. John B. Moore, Concord, Massachusetts,

is the originator of Hayes. It is a seedling of Concord out of the

same lot of seedlings as Moore Early. It was first fruited in 1872.



Vine variable in vigor and productiveness, hardy and healthy.

Canes numerous, slender; nodes enlarged, flattened; internodes

short; tendrils intermittent, bifid or trifid. Leaves uniform in

size; upper surface dark green; lower surface pubescent; lobes one

to three; teeth shallow, small. Flowers almost self-sterile, open

medium late; stamens upright.



Fruit early, keeps well. Clusters variable in size and length,

often single-shouldered; pedicel long, slender; brush small, pale

green. Berries medium in size, round, greenish-yellow, covered

with thin bloom, persistent; skin thin, tender with a few small

reddish-brown dots; flesh fine-grained, tender, vinous, sweet at

the skin, agreeably tart at center, mild; good. Seeds few, of

average size, short, plump, brown.