Moyer

(Labrusca, Bourquiniana)



Jordan, Moyer's Early Red



Moyer is almost a counterpart of its parent, Delaware. Were it not

that the variety is from one to two weeks earlier than Delaware, and

somewhat hardier, hence better adapted for cold regions, it could have

no place in viticulture. Compared with Delaware, the vine is hardly as

vigorous and is less productive, but is freer from rot and mildew The

bunches are much like those of Delaware but have the fault of setting

fruit imperfectly even when cross-pollination is assured; the berries

are a little larger, of much the same color and of like flavor, rich,

sweet, with pure vinousness and without a trace of foxiness. The fruit

keeps well, ships well and does not crack nor shell. Moyer is well

established in Canada, proving perfectly hardy wherever Concord is

grown, possibly standing even more cold. W. H. Read, Port Dalhousie,

Ontario, raised the original vine of Moyer, about 1880, from seed of

Delaware fertilized by Miller's Burgundy.



Vine vigorous, hardy, healthy, unproductive. Canes numerous,

slender, dull, dark reddish-brown; nodes enlarged, flattened;

internodes short; tendrils continuous, long, bifid or trifid.

Leaves small; upper surface dark green, dull, smooth; lower

surface pale green or with faint blue tinge, heavily pubescent;

lobes two to five with terminus acute; petiolar sinus shallow;

basal sinus shallow when present; lateral sinus shallow, narrow;

teeth very shallow, narrow. Flowers self-sterile, open early;

stamens reflexed.



Fruit early, keeps well but loses color if kept too long. Clusters

small, short, slender, tapering, sometimes single-shouldered;

pedicel short with small warts; brush yellowish-green. Berries

small, oblate, dark red with faint bloom, persistent, firm; skin

tough, free, astringent; flesh translucent, juicy, tender,

fine-grained, vinous; good to very good. Seeds free, one to four,

broad, short, very blunt, brown with yellow tinge at tips.