VARIETIES OF GRAPES 



399 



small warts; brush long, light wine-color. Berries usually large, oval, dark 

 purplish-black, dull with heavy bloom, persistent, firm; skin tough, thin, 

 adherent with dark red pigment, astringent; flesh green, translucent, juicy^ 

 coarse, vinous, sweet from skin to center; good. Seeds free, 1-4, light 

 brown, often with yellow tips. 



612. Eclipse (Fig. 228) is a seedling of Niagara, and, there- 

 fore, a descendant of Concord, which it resem- 

 bles, differing chiefly in earlier fruit which is 

 of better quality. Unfortunately, the bunches 

 and berries are small. The vines are hardly 

 surpassed by those of any other variety, being 

 hardy, healthy, and productive. The ripe 

 grapes hang on the vines for some time with- 

 out deterioration, and do not crack in wet 

 weather. The crop ripens several days earlier 

 than that of Concord. Eclipse originated with 

 E. A. Riehl, Alton, Illinois, from seed planted 

 about 1890; introduced in 1906. 



Fig. 228. Eclipse. 



Vine \agorous, hardy, productive. Leaves large; lobes wanting or 3 

 with terminal one acute; petiolar sinus narrow, often notched; teeth shallow, 

 narroAV. Flowers self -sterile, open in midseason; stamens reflexed. Fruit 

 early. Clusters of medium size, broad, tapering, frequently single-shoul- 

 dered, compact; pedicel short, thick, covered with small warts; brush 

 long, pale green. Berries large, oval, dull black with abundant bloom, 

 persistent, firm; skin tender, fine-grained, foxy, sweet; good. Seeds free, 

 1-4, short, broad, distinctly notched, blunt, brown. 



613. Worden (Fig. 229).— Of the many offspring of Concord, 

 Worden is most meritorious. The grapes 

 differ from those of Concord in having bet- 

 ter quality and in being a week to ten days 

 earlier. The vine is equally hardy, healthy, 

 vigorous, and productive, but is more fas- 

 tidious in its adaptations to soil. The chief 

 fault of the variety is that the fruit cracks 

 badly. The fruit-pulp of Worden is softer 

 than that of Concord, there is more juice, 

 and the keeping qualities are not so good. 

 Early season is against Worden, for a com- 

 and, with the defects mentioned, prevents it 



Fig. 229. Worden. 

 mercial variety. 



