There are either two varieties under the supposedly synonymous names, Nectar and Black Delaware, or else this variety varies greatly in different localities. Reports from different sources give the vigor as from weak to vigorous, the hardiness from hardy to tender, the season from earlier than Moore Early to later than Concord, the size of berry from small to large, the productiveness from unproductive to productive to a fault.
The Nectar vines at this Station were secured from Caywood, the originator, in 1888, and from the T. S. Hubbard Company, in 1883. Vines from both sources are vigorous, small-leaved, bearing medium-sized black berries of good but not high quality. These vines are nearly worthless on account of their susceptibility to mildew. The resemblance to Delaware is not apparent.
We have received from Massachusetts, under the name Black Delaware, and there is described in several publications, a grape which is strikingly like Delaware except that the color is black. It is a grape of high quality, and the vine is described as being resistant to mildew. This variety may be worth something. The Nectar on the Station grounds is not. Possibly Nectar and Rommel’s Black Delaware have been confused.
The variety here described was originated by Caywood. It is said to be from seed of Concord fertilized by Delaware. Nectar first became known to the public about 1880 under the name Black Delaware, which was afterward changed by Caywood to Nectar. It was placed on the grape list of the American Pomological Society fruit catalog in 1899, as a recommended variety.
Vine medium to vigorous, not always hardy, usually produces light crops, very susceptible to attacks of mildew. Canes long, of average number, thick, surface roughened, dark reddish-brown; nodes enlarged, flattened; internodes variable in length, of medium thickness; pith intermediate in size; shoots pubescent; tendrils intermittent to continuous, long, trifid.
Leaf-buds medium to above in size, short and thick, open in mid-season. Young leaves faintly tinged on under side and along margin of upper side with rose-carmine. Leaves small to medium, thick; upper surface dark green, rugose, often heavily wrinkled; lower surface dull whitish or light gray, strongly pubescent; veins distinct; lobes three to five with terminus obtuse to acute; petiolar sinus medium in depth, wide; basal sinus shallow and open when present; lateral sinus medium to deep, often wide; teeth very shallow, medium to narrow. Flowers partly self-fertile, open moderately late; stamens upright.