=1.= _Horticulturist_, =18=:313. 1863. =2.= _Mag. Hort._, =29=:420. 1863. =3.= Grant, _Descript. Cat._, =1864=:8, 9, 18, 19, 21, 32. =4.= Grant, _Grape Vines_, =1864=:1, 2, 3, 5, 11, 12. =5.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Cat._, =1867=:44. =6.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt._, =1867=:105. =7.= _Iowa Hort. Soc. Rpt._, =1867=:108. =8.= _Am. Jour. Hort._, =5=:15, 187, 298, 299. 1869. =9.= _Horticulturist_, =25=:186. 1870. =10.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt._, =1871=:69. =11.= _Horticulturist_, =29=:20, 245. 1874. =12.= _Mich. Pom. Soc. Rpt._, =1875=:355. =13.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt._, =1881=:39. =14.= _Mich. Pom. Soc. Rpt._, =1881=:222. =15.= _W. N. Y. Hort. Soc. Rpt._, =31=:120. 1886. =16.= _N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt._, =9=:328. 1890. =17.= _Col. Sta. Bul._, =29=:21. 1894. =18.= _Bush. Cat._, 1894:140. =19.= _N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt._, =17=:531, 548, 552, 555, 559. 1898. =20.= _Va. Sta. Bul._, =94=:137. 1898. =21.= _Miss. Sta. Bul._, =56=:15. 1899. =22.= _Mo. Sta. Bul._, =46=:39, 43, 44, 45, 51, 76. 1899. [Illustration: IONA] Iona is probably surpassed in delicacy and sprightliness of flavor, in keeping quality, and for making certain wines, as champagne, by few, if any, other American grapes. In spite of these several good qualities it has never been very generally grown, chiefly for the reason that it requires more care than commercial grape-growers are willing to give grapes, though, beside requiring the best of care, its cultivation is hindered by several serious faults. Iona rivals Delaware as the standard in quality of American grapes, though if flavor alone be considered, grape connoisseurs generally agree that it surpasses Delaware and is the finest flavored of all our grapes. In flavor Iona has a rare combination of sweetness and acidity, pure, delicate and vinous. The flesh is transparent, melting, tender, juicy, and of uniform consistence quite to the center. The seeds are few and small and part readily from the flesh. The color is a peculiar dark-red wine with a tint of amethyst, somewhat variable and not always attractive. The bunch, at its best, is large but rather loose with berries varying somewhat in size and ripening unevenly. It cannot be called a particularly handsome grape. The fruit does not decay readily and may be kept in a good fruit room until late winter without loss of flavor and with the berries adhering to the bunch. Beside being a most excellent table grape, it is much sought for by wine-makers for champagne and for making finely-flavored white wines. The vine characters of Iona are not nearly as good as those of the fruit. To do well it must have a soil exactly suited to its wants. Seemingly it does best in deep, dry, sandy or gravelly clays and cannot be grown in damp, rich, black soils on the one hand nor poor sands or gravels on the other. Vergil's lines as to the treatment of soils for vines are especially applicable to the Iona.