Vine variable in vigor, not always hardy, somewhat uncertain in bearing. Canes intermediate in length and number, above average thickness, dark reddish-brown; nodes enlarged and flattened; internodes of fair length; diaphragm thick; pith medium to below in size; shoots slightly pubescent to nearly glabrous; tendrils intermittent to continuous, intermediate in length, bifid to trifid.
Leaf-buds rather small and short, medium to slender, conical to pointed, open late. Young leaves faintly tinged on the under side only with rose-carmine. Leaves medium to large, often irregularly roundish, thick; upper surface light green, dull, medium to slightly rugose; lower surface pale green to bronze, heavily pubescent; veins distinct; lobes three when present with angle at terminus variable; petiolar sinus not uniform in depth, narrow, sometimes closed and overlapping; basal sinus usually none; lateral sinus shallow, narrow, often a mere notch; teeth very shallow, narrow to medium. Flowers semi-fertile, open after mid-season; stamens upright.
Fruit ripens about with Concord, keeps and ships well. Clusters large but smaller than Niagara, long to medium, inclined to slender, cylindrical to slightly tapering, often blunt, usually not shouldered, one to two bunches per shoot, medium to compact; peduncle long and slender; pedicel long, moderately slender, covered with numerous small warts; brush of average size, not thick, yellowish-green with brown tinge. Berries above medium in size, inclined to oval, attractive greenish-yellow, rather glossy, covered with thin gray bloom, persistent, firm. Skin thin to medium, tough, adheres slightly to the pulp, contains no pigment, astringent. Flesh greenish-white, somewhat transparent, juicy, tender and melting, aromatic, sweet from skin to center, very good to best. Seeds separate easily from the pulp, two to four in number, average two, above medium in size, intermediate in length and breadth, plump, light brown; raphe obscure; chalaza large, slightly above center, irregularly circular, distinct.
HIGHLAND.
(Vinifera, Labrusca.)
1. Gar. Mon., 16:375. 1874. 2. Horticulturist, 29:329. 1874. 3. Gar. Mon., 21:149. 1879. 4. W. N. Y. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 27:29. 1882. 5. Ohio Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1882-3:46. 6. Bush. Cat., 1883:109. 7. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 11:626. 1892. 8. Ib., 17:531, 548, 552. 1898. 9. Kan. Sta. Bul., 110:241. 1902.
Ricketts’ No. 37 (2). Ricketts’ No. 37 (1, 6).
Highland has been on trial in New York for at least thirty years but has not become widely distributed, though few varieties of black grapes surpass it or equal it in appearance or in quality. The chief trouble has been that the variety is too late for New York, ripening with, or a little later than Catawba. When given good care and under favorable conditions the bunches are unusually large and handsome in appearance, sometimes attaining a weight of two pounds and having beautiful bluish-black berries with something of the fine flavor and tender texture of the Jura Muscat, one of its parents. The flesh is solid, and while the skin is thin, yet it is firm and the fruit keeps and ships well. The vine is fairly vigorous but doubtfully hardy and productive to a fault. In all localities where the climate is sufficiently temperate and the season sufficiently long for vine and fruit of Highland to develop perfectly, it is one of the choicest of grapes for the amateur.