Maxatawney

(Labrusca, Vinifera)



While at one time very popular, grape-growers now seldom hear of

Maxatawney. It is a southern grape, ripening its fruit in the North

only occasionally. The variety is interesting historically as being

the first good green grape and as showing unmistakable Vinifera

characters, another example of the fortuitous hybridization which gave

so many valuable varieties before artificial hybrid zation of Vinifera

with native grapes had been tried. In 1843, a man living in

Eagleville, Pennsylvania, received several bunches of grapes from

Maxatawney. The seeds of these grapes were planted and one grew, the

resulting plant being the original vine of Maxatawney.



Vine vigorous, doubtfully hardy, variable in productiveness. Canes

medium in length, slender, reddish; nodes enlarged, flattened;

internodes short; tendrils continuous, bifid. Leaves large, dark

green, thick; lower surface grayish-white with tinge of bronze,

heavily pubescent; lobes three to five; petiolar sinus narrow;

teeth shallow. Flowers self-sterile, open in mid-season; stamens

upright.



Fruit late, keeps well. Clusters small to medium, short, slender,

cylindrical, occasionally with a small, single shoulder, compact;

pedicel long, slender, warty; brush long, yellow. Berries variable

in size, oval, pale red or dull green with amber tinge, with thin

bloom, persistent; skin tough, astringent; flesh tender, foxy;

good to very good. Seeds free, few, large, very broad, blunt.