Worden


(Labrusca)



Of the many offspring of Concord, Worden (Plate XXXI) is best known

and most meritorious. The grapes differ chiefly from those of Concord

in having larger berries and bunches, in having better quality and in

being a week to ten days earlier. The vine is equally hardy, healthy,

vigorous and productive but is more fastidious in its adaptations to

soil, although now and then it does even better. T
e chief fault of

the variety is that the fruit cracks badly, often preventing the

profitable marketing of a crop. Besides this tenderness of skin, the

fruit-pulp of Worden is softer than that of Concord, there is more

juice, and the keeping qualities are not as good, so that the grapes

hardly ship as well as those of the more commonly grown grape. Worden

is very popular in northern grape regions both for commercial

plantations and the garden. It is a more desirable inhabitant of the

garden, because of higher quality of fruit than Concord, and under

conditions well suited to it is better as a commercial variety, as the

fruit is handsomer as well as of better quality. In the markets the

fruit ought to sell for a higher price than Concord if desired for

immediate consumption, and if it can be harvested promptly, as it does

not hang well on the vines. Its earlier season is against it for a

commercial variety and, with the defects mentioned, will prevent its

taking the place of Concord to a great degree. Worden was originated

by Schuyler Worden, Minetto, Oswego County, New York, from seed of

Concord planted about 1863.



Vine vigorous, hardy, healthy, productive. Canes large, thick,

dark brown with reddish tinge; nodes enlarged, flattened; tendrils

continuous, slender, bifid, sometimes trifid. Young leaves tinged

on the under side and along the margins of upper side with

rose-carmine. Leaves large, thick; upper surface dark green,

glossy, smooth; lower surface light bronze, pubescent; leaf

usually not lobed; petiolar sinus wide, often urn-shaped; teeth

shallow. Flowers fertile, mid-season; stamens upright.



Fruit early. Clusters large, long, broad, tapering, usually

single-shouldered, compact; pedicel slender with a few small

warts; brush long, light green. Berries large, round, dark

purplish-black, glossy with heavy bloom, firm; skin tender, cracks

badly, adheres slightly, contains dark red pigment, astringent.

Flesh green, translucent, juicy, fine-grained, tough, foxy, sweet,

mild; good to very good. Seeds adherent, one to five, large,

broad, short, blunt, brown.



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