Clevener
(Vulpina, Labrusca)
This variety has long been grown in New Jersey and New York, and in both states is highly esteemed as a wine-grape. The fruit is remarkable in coloring very early and in ripening late. The vine is hardy, very vigorous, succeeds in various soils, and since it bears grafts well is an excellent sort upon which to graft varieties not thriving on their own roots. Clevener is self-sterile and must be planted with some other variety to set fruit well. In spite of its good qualities, Clevener is hardly holding its own in commercial vineyards, and it is not a desirable fruit for the amateur who wants a table-grape. Clevener has been raised in the vicinity of Egg Harbor, New Jersey, since about 1870, but its place and time of origin are unknown.
Vine a rampant grower, hardy, productive. Canes long, numerous, thick, dark reddish-brown with heavy bloom; nodes enlarged; tendrils continuous, bifid. Leaves unusually large, dark green with well-defined ribs showing through the thin pubescence of the under surface; lobes wanting or faint; teeth deep, wide. Flowers self-sterile, open very early; stamens reflexed.
Fruit late, keeps well. Clusters do not always fill well, small, short, slender, irregularly tapering, often with a single shoulder. Berries small, round or slightly flattened, black, glossy, covered with heavy bloom, persistent, firm; skin tough, thin, inclined to crack, adherent with much purplish-red pigment; flesh reddish-green, juicy, tender, soft, fine-grained, aromatic, spicy; good. Seeds free, notched, sharp-pointed, dark brown.
Clinton
(Vulpina, Labrusca)
Worthington
Clinton ([Plate X]) came into prominence because of vigor, hardiness, fruitfulness and immunity to phylloxera. A serious defect is that the vines bloom so early that the blossoms are often caught by late frosts in northern climates. Other defects are: the fruit is small and sour, and the seeds and skins prominent. The fruit colors early in the season but does not ripen until late, a slight touch of frost improving the flavor. Clinton bears grafts well, making a quick and firm union with Labrusca and Vinifera, and the vines are easily propagated from cuttings. This variety has been used widely in grape-breeding, and its blood can be traced in many valuable varieties. The offspring of Clinton are usually very hardy, and this, taken with its other desirable characters, makes it an exceptionally good starting-point for breeding grapes for northern latitudes. Clinton is an old sort, the Worthington, known as early as 1815, renamed; it began to attract attention about 1840.
Vine vigorous, hardy, healthy, productive. Canes long, numerous, slender, reddish-brown; nodes enlarged, flattened; shoots smooth; tendrils intermittent, sometimes continuous, bifid. Leaves hang until late in the season, small, thin; upper surface dark green, smooth; lower surface pale green, glabrous; petiolar sinus deep, narrow, urn-shaped; basal and lateral sinuses shallow; teeth wide. Flowers self-fertile, open early; stamens upright.