Fruit ripens in mid-season, keeps fairly well. Clusters medium to below, short and slender, cylindrical to tapering, single-shouldered, compact; peduncle short, intermediate in thickness; pedicel short, slender, covered with few, inconspicuous warts; brush very short, wine-colored. Berries medium to small, roundish, black, slightly glossy, covered with abundant blue bloom, persistent, firm. Skin medium to thin, rather tough, adheres slightly to the pulp, contains much dark wine-colored pigment, slightly astringent. Flesh dark green, translucent, juicy, fine-grained, tough, sprightly, spicy, agreeably tart but free from astringency, no more than fair in quality. Seeds adhere somewhat to the pulp, one to five, average four, above medium in size, broad, short, usually not notched, very plump, brownish; raphe buried in a narrow, shallow groove; chalaza small, nearly central, oval, obscure.
(II) MARION.
(Labrusca, Vinifera?)
1. U. S. Pat. Off. Rpt., 1856:433. 2. Downing, 1857:341. 3. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1860:83. 4. Mag. Hort., 26:100. 1860. 5. (?) Gar. Mon., 3:52. 1861. 6. Fuller, 1867:244. 7. Rural N. Y., 53:793. 1894.
German Grape (7).
This variety much resembles Isabella and was said by some to be identical with it. It is probably the same as York Maderia. Downing[200] discusses it as follows:
“Origin unknown. Sent to Mr. Longworth from Marion, Ohio, and by him disseminated. It much resembles the Isabella in shape and size of berry and form of bunch, but more uniform in its ripening and more delicate in flavor, ripening about the same time. Growth healthy, making firm and short-jointed wood, with strong, red tendrils; a good bearer.
“Bunches large, regular, seldom shouldered. Berries large, round, inclining to oval, dark purple with a bloom, juice abundant, pulp thin, not sufficiently tested for wine, a promising variety.”
MARTHA.
(Labrusca, Vinifera?)
1. Mag. Hort., 30:26. 1864. 2. U. S. D. A. Rpt., 1865:196. 3. Fuller, 1867:227. 4. Mag. Hort., 34:236. 1868. 5. Grape Cult., 1:10, 14, 15, 42, 129, fig., 130. 1869. 6. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1869:42. 7. Bush. Cat., 1883:119. fig. 8. Kan. Sta. Bul., 14:89. 1890. 9. Ill. Sta. Bul., 28:265. 1893. 10. Mo. Sta. Bul., 46:40, 42, 44, 46. 1899. 11. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 18:396. 1899.
Miller No. 1 (2, 5).