Excelsior came from seed of Iona fertilized with pollen of some unknown Vinifera. The variety was introduced in the autumn of 1882. Excelsior is to-day rather rare in varietal vineyards and is apparently not offered for sale by any nurserymen. Vine moderately vigorous, not always hardy, medium to productive. Canes long, numerous, rather thick; tendrils intermittent, bifid. Leaves large to below medium, sometimes rugose; lower surface pubescent. Fruit ripens later than Concord, keeps well. Clusters unusually large, long, broad, frequently with a heavy double shoulder, loose. Berries large to medium, oval to nearly roundish, dark red covered with thin lilac bloom, very persistent, rather soft. Skin thick, tough, adheres considerably to the pulp. Flesh very juicy, rather soft, granular, sweet and sprightly, high in flavor, good to best in quality, closely resembling Black Hamburg in many characters. Seeds medium in size, rather blunt, sometimes with a short enlarged neck. FAITH. (Riparia, Labrusca.) =1.= _Ill. Hort. Soc. Rpt._, =1881=:164. =2.= _Bush. Cat._, =1883=:100. =3.= _Mo. Hort. Soc. Rpt._, =1883=:43. =4.= _Rural N. Y._, =45=:622, 640. 1886. =5.= _Ind. Hort. Soc. Rpt._, =1889=:85. =6.= _N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt._, =11=:623. 1892. =7.= _Ill. Sta. Bul._, =28=:263. 1893. =8.= _Tenn. Sta. Bul._, Vol. =9=:180. 1896. =9.= _N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt._, =17=:530, 548, 555. 1898. Though spoken of as a desirable grape in many other regions Faith is of little or no value in New York. It is very unattractive in appearance as it grows in this State, both in cluster and in berry, the clusters being small and variable and the berries small and of unattractive color. The quality of the fruit is not high and there are many other white sorts which surpass it as a table grape, more especially Diamond which ripens at the same time. If it has any preeminently good character for this region it is productiveness but this cannot offset its mediocre characters. Another fault is that the blossoms put forth so early that they often suffer from spring frosts. Faith is of the same breeding and from the same originator, Jacob Rommel of Morrison, Missouri, as Etta, both having come from seed of Elvira. This seedling was introduced to the public about 1881 and though an excellent grape it is hardly the equal of Etta and has never been able to compete with that variety. It was named in honor of Jacob Faith, a prominent Missouri viticulturist.