Secretary. 



DESCRIPTION OF VARIETIES. 



Senasqua. 179 



Secretary. (liip.-Hybr.) Obtaiued by J. 

 H. Ricketts, Newbiirgh, X. Y., by crossing 

 the Clinton with Muscat-Hamburg. It was 

 considered the tinest new grape at the 

 Massachusetts Horticultural Exhibition of 

 1872, and pronounced by Downing to be one 

 of Riclietts' best in (jiiality; but, being very 

 much inclined to mildew and rot, it will 

 remain a superb amateur variety, for some 

 favorable localities. 



Vine vigorous, hardy, of Vinifera char- 

 acter; bunch large, moderately compact, 

 shouldered, with a large roundish-oval 

 berry, hlack with handsome bloom; its 

 peduncle red at the base when drawn from 

 the berry; flesh juicy, sweet, meaty, slightly 

 vinous. Foliage like Clinton but thicker, 

 and of about the same size. 



THE SECRETARY GRAPE. 



SENASQUA. 



Senasqua. {Labr.-Hybr.) Raised by Ste- 

 phen Underbill, Croton Point, N. Y., from 

 Concord and Black Prince. Seed was 

 planted in 1863 and the vine bore its first 

 fruit 186.5. The vine is vigorous and prO" 

 ductive in rich soil; moderately hardy. It 

 is one of the latest to open its buds im 

 spring, and thereby less subject to injury 

 from late frosts ; it nevertheless ripens here? 

 only a few days later than Concord. The 

 leaf is very large and firm, and shows no 

 trace of foreign origin, except w'hen it 

 ripens, at wliich time, instead of the yellow 

 of the Concord it takes on the crimson color 

 of the mature leaf of the Black Prince. 

 With us, at Bushberg, it did not succeed so 

 well, and is not as desirable as Underhill's 

 other grapes, the Black Eagle and Black 

 Defiance. Clay soil is not best for Senas- 

 qua; it requires a light, deep soil. Bunch 

 and berry varying from medium to large; 

 the bunch is very compact, so much so as 

 to cause the berries to crack; color black 

 with blue bloom; quality best. The fruit 

 has the peculiar fleshy character of certain 

 foreign grapes, with a brisk, vinous flavor. 

 The originator himself does not recommend 

 the Senasqua as a profitable grape for 

 market purposes, but only as a fine and 

 valuable amateur fruit. As such it is of 



