THE GRAPES OF NEW YORK. 255 



without deterioration and not to crack in wet weather. The color-plate 

 and the description given below show the Eclipse as it grows at this 

 Station and if the grape-grower wishes a variety answering to the general 

 characters so depicted, the Eclipse is certainly worthy a trial in New 

 York. 



E. A. Riehl of Alton, Illinois, is the originator of Eclipse, the date of 

 its origin being about 1890. He states that this is one of the seedlings 

 from a lot of Niagara seed which was probably cross-pollinated by other 

 varieties. The variety was introduced in 1906 by the Stark Brothers 

 Nurseries and Orchards Company, Louisiana, Missouri. 



Vine vigorous, hard3^ productive. Canes medium to above in length and number, 

 intermediate in size, rather dark reddish-brown; nodes slightly enlarged; internodes of 

 average length; diaphragm thick; pith large to medium; shoots pubescent; tendrils 

 continuous, somewhat long, bifid. 



Leaf-buds medium to nearly small, short, inclined to slender, pointed to conical, 

 open in mid-season. Young leaves colored on lower side only, prevailing color pale green 

 with slight rose-camaine tinge. Leaves medium to large, of average thickness; upper 

 surface dark green, intermediate in smoothness; lower surface whitish with slight bronze 

 tinge, heavily pubescent, veins well defined; lobes none to three with terminal lobe 

 acute to acuminate; petiolar sinus deep, medium to narrow; basal sinus usually lacking; 

 lateral sinus of average depth, rather narrow, often notched; teeth medium to shallow, 

 nearly narrow. Flowers sterile, open in mid-season; stamens reflexed. 



Fruit ripens slightly earlier than Concord, keeps fairly well. Clusters intermediate 

 in size, below average length, medium to rather broad, tapering to cylindrical, frequently 

 single-shouldered, moderately compact; peduncle nearly short, thick to medium; pedicel 

 short, somewhat thick, covered with numerous small warts; brush long, pale green. 

 Berries large to medium, slightly oval, rather dull black, covered with abundant blue 

 bloom, persistent, finn. Skin intermediate in thickness, tender, adheres but slightly 

 to the pulp, contains a small amount of wine-colored pigment, somewhat astringent. 

 Flesh pale green, translucent, juicy, tender, rather fine-grained, foxy, sweet next the 

 skin to agreeably tart at center, resembles Concord very closely in flavor, good in quality. 

 Seeds separate very easily from the pulp, one to four, average two or three, of mean size, 

 somewhat short, broad to medium, distinctly notched, rather blunt, brownish; raphe 

 buried in a deep groove; chalaza of average size, slightly above center to nearly central, 

 circular to nearly pear-shaped, distinct. 



