VARIETIES OF GRAPES 337 



the lower surface. Flowers open in mid-season, on plan of five or six, 

 self-fertile. 



Fruit mid-season, keeps well. Clusters large, long, slender, cylin- 

 drical, usually high-shouldered, compact. Berries variable in size, 

 round, purplish-black, dull with heavy bloom, firm ; skin tough, 

 adherent with a large amount of purplish-red pigment, astringent; 

 flesh tender, aromatic, spicy, vinous, mildly subacid ; good. Seeds 

 free, large, broad, blunt, notched. 



BERCKMANS 



(Vulpina, Labrusca, Bourquiniana) 



In Berckmans we have the fruit of Delaware on the vine of 

 Clinton. The berry and bunch resemble Delaware in shape ; 

 the fruit is of the same color ; bunch and berry are larger ; the 

 grapes keep longer ; the flesh is firmer but the quality is not so 

 good, the flesh lacking tenderness and richness in comparison 

 with Delaware. The vine of Berckmans is not only more 

 vigorous, but is less subject to mildew than that of Delaware. 

 The vine characters are not, however, as good as those of 

 Clinton. The variety is poorly adapted to some soils, and on 

 these the grapes do not color well. In spite of many good 

 qualities, Berckmans is but an amateur's grape. The name 

 commemorates the viticultural labors of P. J. Berckmans, 

 a contemporary and friend of A. P. Wylie, of Chester, South 

 Carolina, who originated the variety. Berckmans came from 

 Delaware seed fertilized by Clinton, the seed having been sown 

 in 1868. 



Vine vigorous, hardy, productive. Canes long, numerous, slender, 

 dark brown ; nodes prominent, flattened ; internodes short ; shoots 

 glabrous ; tendrils intermittent, long, bifid. Leaves small, thin ; 

 upper surface light green, smooth ; lower surface pale green, glabrous ; 

 lobes one to three, terminal one acute ; petiolar sinus shallow, wide ; 

 basal sinus usually lacking ; lateral sinus shallow. Flowers open 

 early, self-fertile ; stamens upright. 



Fruit ripens with Delaware. Clusters shouldered, compact, 

 slender ; pedicel long, slender with few warts ; brush short, light green. 

 Berries small, oval, Delaware-red, darker when well ripened, covered 

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