298 THE GRAPES OF NEW YORK. 



with something of the fine flavor and tender texture of the Jura Muscat, 

 one of its parents. The flesh is soUd, and while the skin is thin, yet it is 

 firm and the fruit keeps and ships well. The vine is fairly vigorous but 

 doubtfully hardy and productive to a fault. In all localities where the 

 climate is sufficiently temperate and the season sufficiently long for vine 

 and fruit of Highland to develop perfectly, it is one of the choicest of grapes 

 for the amateur. 



This fine grape was originated at about the close of the Civil War by 

 James H. Ricketts of Newburgh, New York, from seed of Concord fertilized 

 by Jura Muscat. It was introduced by Messrs. Asher Hance & Sons, 

 who bought it of the originator. It is very common in varietal vineyards 

 but it has not become popular as a commercial sort; it is a popular grape 

 for exhibitions where, when well grown, it is hardly surpassed in appearance 

 by any other American grape. 



Vine variable in vigor, productive, healthy, often inclined to overbear. Canes 

 long, numerous, medium to thick, light and dark brown, often with a dull, ash-gray- 

 tinge, covered with thin bloom; nodes strongly enlarged, not flattened; internodes 

 medium to very long ; diaphragm thick ; pith large to medium ; shoots usually pubescent ; 

 tendrils intermittent, of average length, bifid to trifid. 



Leaf-buds large to medium, rather short and thick, obtuse to conical. Leaves 

 large, intermediate in thickness, upper surface often dark green, dull, medium to rugose; 

 lower surface grayish-green, pubescent; veins rather indistinct; lobes none to five, with 

 terminal lobe acute to obtuse; petiolar sinus rather deep, variable in width; basal sinus 

 shallow, narrow; lateral sinus of average depth and width, sometimes a mere notch; 

 teeth rather deep and wide. Flowers fertile or nearly so, open in mid-season ; stamens 

 upright. 



Fruit ripens with Catawba or after, keeps fairly well. Clusters large, rather long 

 and broad, tapering, usually single-shouldered but sometimes with a double shoulder, 

 usually two bunches per shoot, intermediate in compactness; peduncle of average 

 length and thickness; pedicel long to medium, moderately thick, nearly smooth; brush 

 below average length, green with yellowish-brown tinge. Berries large, roundish-oval, 

 dark purplish-black to bluish-black, rather dull, covered with dark lilac or slightly blue 

 bloom, persistent, moderately firm. Skin intermediate in thickness, tough, nearly free 

 from the pulp, contains little, if any, pigment, not astringent. Flesh greenish, trans- 

 lucent, juicy, somewhat tender, slightly vinous, good in quality. Seeds separate rather 

 easily from the pulp, one to six, average three, above medium to large, nearly long, 

 intermediate in breadth, slightly notched with a one-sided tendency, riper seeds brown- 

 ish; raphe obscure; chalaza of average size, above center, variable in shape, not distinct. 



