Of the several other native varieties of the Labrusca type cultivated in
1830, two deserve attention for their intrinsic and historical value.
The Catawba, of uncertain origin, as we shall see in its history, and
the Isabella, a native of South Carolina, are both classed by most
viticulturists as of the fox or Labrusca type. The two varieties were
distributed among vine-growers at about the same time but the Catawba,
because of its superior merits, soon took the lead and at the time of
which we write was by far the most popular native grape. These, with the
Alexander, may certainly be considered the forerunners of the cultivated
grapes of the species to which they belong. The Catawba is still in
several great grape regions of the country the standard commercial
variety.
While varieties of _Vitis labrusca_ were first cultivated in the North,
it is probable that _Vitis rotundifolia_ furnished the first
domesticated varieties for the South, and likely, too, before the
northern kinds were cultivated. Among these are the white and black
Scuppernongs, or bullet grapes. _Vitis rotundifolia_, while it refuses
to grow out of its habitat, runs riot from Maryland to Florida from
seashore to mountains and in many diverse soils. The Scuppernongs[72]
are natural offshoots of this species and are known in the South in
legend, tradition and history. Undoubtedly they were cultivated for
their fruit or as ornamentals in garden or vineyards from the earliest
colonial times. It is certain that wine was made from the different wild
types of _Vitis rotundifolia_ from the settlement of Jamestown and if
not brought under cultivation at an early day it was because the
bountifulness of the wild vines obviated the necessity of domesticating
them. It was of this grape that Amadas and Barlowe wrote in 1584 "in all
the world the like abundance is not to be found."
The word Scuppernong[73] is often used to designate a group of grapes
rather than as a varietal name; for, there are the black Scuppernong,
the white or green Scuppernong and the red Scuppernong, all much alike
except in color of fruit and in a few minor characters of vine. Indeed,
where _Vitis rotundifolia_ grows wild, all of the forms are often
included in the term Scuppernong. The species is often known, too, as
the Muscadine or Southern Muscadine.
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