338 MANUAL OF AMERICAN GRAPE-GROWING 



with thin bloom, persistent ; skin thin, tough, adherent, astringent ; 

 flesh pale yellowish-green, translucent, fine-grained, tender, melting, 

 vinous, sweet, sprightly ; very good. Seeds free, one to four, small, 

 broad, blunt, brown. 



BLACK EAGLE 



(Labrusca, Vinifera) 



The fruit of Black Eagle is of the best, but the vine lacks in 

 vigor, hardiness and productiveness and is self-sterile. Bunch 

 and berry are large and attractive. The season is about with 

 Concord. Black Eagle has wholly failed as a commercial 

 variety, and its several weaknesses prevent amateurs from 

 growing it widely. The variety originated with Stephen W. 

 Underbill, Croton-on-Hudson, New York, from seed of Con- 

 cord pollinated by Black Prince. It fruited first in 1866. 



Vine vigorous, precariously hardy, unproductive. Canes rough, 

 thick, reddish-brown with light bloom ; nodes enlarged, flattened 

 internodes long; tendrils continuous, long, bifid or trifid. Leaves 

 thick ; upper surface dark green, glossy, smooth to rugose ; lobes five ; 

 terminal lobe acute ; petiolar sinus deep ; lateral sinus wide, narrowing 

 towards top, deep. Flowers open in mid-season, self-sterile ; stamens 

 reflexed. 



Fruit mid-season, keeps well. Clusters large, long, tapering, single- 

 or double-shouldered, compact ; pedicel long, slender with few warts ; 

 brush short, pale green. Berries variable in size, oval, black, glossy 

 with thick bloom ; skin tender, thin, adherent with wine-colored pig- 

 ment ; flesh pale green, translucent, tender, vinous ; good. Seeds free, 

 one to four, large. 



BLACK HAMBURG 



(Vinifera) 



Black Hamburg (Plate VI) is an old European sort, long the 

 mainstay in forcing-houses in Belgium, England and America 

 and now popular out of doors in California. It is an excellent 

 table-grape but, while it keeps well, its tender skin does not 

 permit its being shipped far, especially when grown out of doors. 



