Plate XXVI.—Niagara (×2/3).
Downing
(Vinifera, Æstivalis, Labrusca)
Downing is well worthy a place in the garden because of the high quality, handsome appearance and good keeping qualities of the grapes. Added to these qualities of the fruits are fair vigor and health of vine. When grown as far north as New York, the vine should be laid down in the winter or receive other protection. In most seasons, unremitting warfare must be kept up to check mildew. In appearance of bunch and berry, Downing is distinct, the clusters being large and well-formed and the berries having the oval shape of a Malaga. The flesh, also, shows Vitis vinifera in texture and quality, while neither seeds nor skins are as objectionable as in pure-bred American varieties. J. H. Ricketts, Newburgh, New York, first grew Downing about 1865.
Vine tender to cold, unproductive. Canes short, few, slender, dark green with an ash-gray tinge, surface covered with thin bloom, often roughened with a few small warts; nodes much enlarged, strongly flattened; internodes short; tendrils intermittent, bifid or trifid. Leaves small, round, thick; upper surface dark green, glossy, rugose; lower surface dark green, glabrous; lobes one to five, terminal lobe acute; petiolar sinus narrow, closed and overlapping; basal sinus shallow and narrow when present; lateral sinus shallow, narrow; teeth wide, deep. Flowers open late; stamens upright.
Fruit late, keeps until spring. Clusters large, long, slender, cylindrical, sometimes loosely shouldered; pedicel slender, covered with numerous warts; brush long, slender, green. Berries large, markedly oval, dark purplish-black, glossy, covered with light bloom, strongly persistent, firm; skin thick, tender, adherent; flesh green with a yellow tinge, translucent, very juicy, tender, fine-grained, vinous, mild; very good in quality. Seeds free, one to three, notched, long, brown.