bull grape

bull grape n [Abbr of bullet grape n or bullace n 2] chiefly S Atl

Usu = muscadine (grape) n, but see quot 1823.

1803 Med. Repository 1.22, Bull-grape, Vitis taurina of Bartram, Vit. vulpina of Linnæus and Walter. This excellent grape is called by the inhabitants of Georgia, Carolina and Florida, Bull-grape. 1823 E. FL Herald (St. Augustine) 4 Jan [3]/1, The Fox grape of every variety has a tough jelly-like pulp, and when pressed hard an acrid or sharp taste—on the contrary, the juice of the Bull grape is sweet throughout, and the pulp soft and melting. The people in the country often call the Fox grape the Bull grape: it will not therefore do to rely upon the name given by them to any of the vines. 1855 Charleston Daily Courier (SC) 11 Oct 1/3, The chesnuts and persimmons, around which clustered in profusion, the fox and bull grape, were duly appreciated by the palate. 1859 (1880) Darlington Amer. Weeds 84, Vulpine or Foxy Vitis. Fox-Grape, of the Southern States; also called “Muscadine,” and “Bullet- or Bull-Grape.” 1893 Jrl. Amer. Folkl. 6.139 AL, Vitis vulpina, bull grape. 1923 Youth’s Companion 97.326 SC, I had once heard Jesse Melon say that the muscadine grapes grew so thick along the creek that a man could run his boat under the vines and strip a boatload of big bull grapes in an hour. 1960 Williams Walk Egypt 224 GA, It was only two tree stumps covered with a bull-grape vine. 1966–70 DARE (Qu. I46) Infs SC4, 9, 70, (Wild) bull grape(s). 2011 in 2016 DARE File—Internet SC, Bull Grape Kinda Morning . . . That’s right, here in the South, the Bull Grapes, also known as Muscadines, are in season! 2016 Ibid SC, The gentleman at the counter asked, “You tried bull grapes?” . . I did not know what bull grapes were. In fact, if you’re not from the low country, then it’s likely you’ve never heard of them. . . “Now try that,” he adds. “Don’t eat the skin. You can, but just bite into it and suck out the inside.”