LADY WASHINGTON.
(Labrusca, Vinifera.)

1. Gar. Mon., 19:336. 1877. 2. Ib., 20:47. 1878. 3. Ib., 21:147. 1879. 4. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1881:33, 46. 5. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1881:24. 6. Gar. Mon., 26:14, 334. 1884. 7. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 5:167, 168. 1886. 8. Ib., 9:331. 1890. 9. Ala. Sta. Bul., 10:11. 1890. 10. Kan. Sta. Bul., 28:164. 1891. 11. Col. Sta. Bul., 29:22. 1894. 12. Bush. Cat., 1894:147. 13. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 17:532, 541, 544, 545, 547, 552. 1898.

Were there not so many really fine green grapes, and were they sought for by grape-buyers, more might be said commendatory of Lady Washington. It is in many respects a most excellent grape but it falls short in quality for a green grape and does not excel greatly in vine characters; it cannot therefore be highly recommended to grape-growers except to give variety in the vineyard and for locations where it does preeminently well. The fruit makes an excellent appearance, keeps well and ships well, and is fairly tender, juicy and sweet, with a delicate aroma. The vine is very luxuriant,—too much so,—hardy for a grape with Vinifera blood, and healthy, though slightly susceptible to mildew. As an exhibition grape few green varieties show better when grown with all possible care and in a favorable location, for the variety is somewhat capricious as to soils and locations. It appears to be a desirable variety for home use. In the West and Southwest it is said to succeed better than most others of Ricketts’ grapes.

Lady Washington is another of J. H. Ricketts’ fine seedlings, this variety having come from seed of Concord fertilized by Allen’s Hybrid. It was introduced in 1878, placed on the grape list of the American Pomological Society fruit catalog in 1881, and is still retained there. The vine characters of Lady Washington are mostly those of Vitis labrusca but the fruit plainly shows the admixture of Vinifera.

Vine usually more vigorous than Concord, sometimes sustains winter injury, productive, susceptible to mildew. Canes long, few, thick, moderately dark brown; nodes greatly enlarged, variable in shape; internodes medium to long; diaphragm thick; pith large to medium; shoots strongly pubescent; tendrils continuous, long, bifid to trifid.

Leaf-buds large to medium, short, thick, open late. Young leaves lightly tinged on under side and along margin of upper side with light rose-carmine. Leaves medium to large, rather thick; upper surface dark green, older leaves strongly rugose, glossy; lower surface pale green, strongly pubescent; veins distinct; leaf not lobed, with terminus acute; petiolar sinus medium to deep, narrow, frequently closed and overlapping; basal sinus usually none; lateral sinus shallow, often a mere notch; teeth shallow to medium, rather narrow. Flowers fully self-fertile, open in mid-season; stamens upright.

Fruit ripens after mid-season, keeps and ships well. Clusters large to medium, broad to medium, irregularly cylindrical, single-shouldered to frequently double-shouldered, loose to medium; peduncle long, slender to medium; pedicel inclined to short, not thick, covered with numerous conspicuous warts, distinctly enlarged at point of attachment to fruit; brush very short, greenish. Berries variable in size, roundish to oblate, dark green changing to yellowish-amber, glossy, covered with thin gray bloom, persistent, of medium firmness. Skin thin, tender, adheres considerably to the pulp, contains no pigment, not astringent. Flesh pale green, transparent, juicy and tender, somewhat stringy, aromatic, sweet, ranks above Concord in quality. Seeds separate fairly well from the pulp, one to four, average three, intermediate in size and length, broad to medium, brown with yellowish tinge; raphe obscure; chalaza intermediate in size, above center, irregularly circular, obscure.