THE GRAPES OF NEW YORK. 285 



only partly self-fertile so that in seasons when there is bad weather during 

 blooming time the clusters are usually loose and straggling. 



The original vine of Hartford was a chance seedling in the garden of 

 Paphro Steele of West Hartford, Connecticut. It fruited for the first 

 time in 1849. This seedling was supposed by those familiar with the 

 surroundings at the time to be a cross of Isabella and the wild fox grape. 

 It was named Hartford Prolific by the Hartford County Horticultural 

 Society. The American Pomological Society placed it in their fruit catalog 

 in 1862 and it has never been removed. The word " Prolific " appears 

 to have been dropped from this name by common consent about 1890. 



Vine medium to vigorous, injured in severe winters, very productive as an early 

 grape. Does not require as close pruning as many other varieties. Canes above mediuia 

 in length, intermediate in number, not thick, dark brown, covered with considerable 

 pubescence ; nodes enlarged, flattened ; internodes medium to short ; diaphragm medium 

 to below in thickness ; pith of average size ; shoots very pubescent; tendrils continuous, 

 long, bifid. 



Leaf-buds of average size, short, thick to medium, obtuse to conical. Leaves nearly 

 large, thick; upper surface dark green, dull, rugose; lower surface pale green, often 

 with trace of bronze, thinly pubescent; veins indistinct; lobes variable with terminus 

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

 lateral sinus shallow, narrow, often a mere notch; teeth shallow, of average width. 

 Flowers fertile, open in mid-season; stamens upright. 



Fruit ripens early, does not keep well. Clusters above average size, nearly long, 

 slender except when shouldered, slightly tapering, irregular, often with a long, large, 

 single shoulder, loose; peduncle long to medium, of fair size; pedicel short, intermediate 

 in thickness, covered with few small warts; brush greenish with dull tinge of reddish- 

 brown. Berries regular in size averaging above medium, roundish to oval, black, not 

 glossy, covered with blue bloom, drop badly from pedicel, of average firmness. Skin 

 thick, tough, adheres considerably to the pulp, contains much purplish-red pigment, 

 somewhat astringent. Flesh greenish, translucent, juicy, toughish, stringy and foxy, 

 rather sweet at skin but somewhat tart at center, resembles Concord but ranks below 

 that variety in flavor and quality. Seeds separate rather easily, one to four, average 

 three or four, intermediate in size, almost broad, of fair length, dark brown; raphe 

 obscure; chalaza intermediate in size, at center or slightly above, irregularly circular, 

 rather distinct. Must 71°. 



