THE GRAPES OF NEW YORK. 



245 



seed of a native reddish Labrusca that grew near a Catawba vine. The 

 seed was planted about 1855 and Mr. Clement called the resulting vine 

 the Amber grape. Later the new variety was introduced by Jacob W. 

 Manning under the name Dracut Amber. Catawba is supposed by Clement 

 to have been the male parent, but this is wholly conjectural and doubtful 

 as the botanical and horticultural characters are those of a northern 

 Labrusca. It was placed on the grape list of the American Pomological 

 Society fruit catalog in 1883 and was dropped, probably inadvertently, in 

 1897, as it was replaced in 1899 and has since remained. 



Vine vigorous, hardy, productive, somewhat susceptible to attacks of leaf-hoppers. 

 Canes long, rather numerous, medium to below in size, darkish-brown; nodes slightly- 

 enlarged, usually flattened; internodes medium to below in length; diaphragm of 

 average thickness; pith above medium size; shoots pubescent; tendrils continuous, 

 long, bifid to sometimes trifid. 



Leaf-buds decidedly variable in size, length, and thickness, prominent, obtuse to 

 conical. Young leaves tinged on lower side with bright carmine and very strongly 

 colored along margin of upper side with carmine. Leaves large to medium, rather thick; 

 upper surface dark green, dull, smoothish; lower surface pale green or grayish, faintly 

 cobwebby; veins indistinct; lobes three or sometimes five in number with terminal 

 lobe obtuse to acute; petiolar sinus moderately deep, rather narrow to medium; basal 

 sinus shallow to narrow; lateral sinus usually shallow, medium to rather wide; teeth 

 shallow, of average width. Flowers sometimes on plan of six, slightly sterile to fertile, 

 open in mid-season; stamens variable in length. 



Fruit ripens earlier than Concord, does not keep well, as the berries soon shrivel. 

 Clusters not especially satisfactory in general appearance, variable in size, short to 

 medium, rather broad, somewhat cylindrical, irregular, rarely shouldered, compact to 

 medium; peduncle short, slender; pedicel nearly short, of average thickness, covered 

 with numerous warts, enlarged at point of attachment to berry; brush rather long, 

 light yellowish-green. Berries medium to large, variable in shape ranging from oval 

 to roundish, dull pale red or dark amber, covered with thin lilac or faint blue bloom, 

 often inclined to drop when overripe, soft. Skin unusually thick, somewhat tender, 

 adheres slightly to pulp, contains no pigment, slightly astringent. Flesh greenish, 

 translucent, juicy, rather fine-grained and tough, very foxy, moderately sweet to 

 decidedly acid at center, inferior in quality. Seeds adherent, two to five in number 

 averaging three, large to below medium, broad to medium, light brown; raphe shows 

 only as a groove; chalaza intermediate in size, oval, above center, rather distinct and 

 in a depression. 



