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 pigment; 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. The vine is subject to disease. The following description of the fruit is made from grapes grown in the greenhouse:
Bunches very large, often a foot in length and weighing several pounds; very broad at the shoulder and gradually tapering to a point; compact, oftentimes too compact; berries very large, round or slightly round-oval; skin rather thick; dark purple becoming black at full maturity; flesh firm, juicy, sweet and rich; quality very good or best. Season early in the forcing-house but rather late out of doors.
Black Malvoise
(Vinifera)
This variety is rather widely grown in California as an early table-grape and might be worth trying in eastern grape regions. While the fruit is not of the best quality, it is good. The following description is compiled:
Vine vigorous, healthy and productive; wood long-jointed, rather slender, light brown. Leaves of medium size, oval, evenly and deeply five-lobed; basal sinus open, with nearly parallel sides; upper surface smooth, almost glabrous; lower surface slightly tomentose on the veins and veinlets. Bunches large, loose, branching; berries large, oblong, reddish black with faint bloom; flesh firm, juicy, crisp; flavor lacking in richness and character; quality not high. Season early, keeping and shipping but poorly.