Pocklington is a seedling of Concord and resembles its parent in most of its vine characters, fully equaling or surpassing it in hardiness, but of slower growth and not quite as healthy, vigorous or productive. In quality it is as good if not better than either Concord or Niagara, being sweet, rich and pleasant flavored, though as with the other two grapes it has a little too much foxiness for critical consumers of grapes. It is a handsome fruit, a delicate golden yellow in color, being often called the Golden Pocklington, and with finely formed bunches and berries making it one of the most attractive of all green grapes. Pocklington keeps and ships better than Concord or than any of the latter’s seedlings, having a tough, though comparatively thin, skin. Under some conditions, it ripens unevenly and in some localities it is unfruitful. Pocklington is not equal to several other of the grapes of its season in quality, as, for instance Iona, Jefferson, Diana, Dutchess and Catawba, but it is far above the average as a table grape and for this reason and because of its handsome appearance, one of the most attractive of all green grapes, it should be retained in our list of grapes for the garden.
John Pocklington of Sandy Hill, Washington County, New York, originated Pocklington from seed of Concord about 1870. The variety was first exhibited at the New York State fair in Rochester, in 1877, and was exhibited before the American Pomological Society two years later. It was introduced by John Charlton of Rochester, New York, about 1880. In 1881 it was placed on the grape list of the American Pomological Society fruit catalog. In spite of its general failure as a commercial sort, it is still offered for sale by many nurserymen.
Vine medium in vigor, hardy, variable in productiveness, somewhat subject to mildew in the Hudson River and Central Lakes districts. Canes intermediate in length, number, and size, very dark reddish-brown; nodes enlarged, flattened; internodes medium to below in length; diaphragm thin; pith slightly above average size; shoots pubescent; tendrils continuous, of fair length, bifid to trifid.
Leaf-buds small, very short, slender, pointed, open late. Young leaves tinged on lower side only, prevailing color light rose-carmine. Leaves variable in size, medium to rather thick; upper surface light green, glossy, of average smoothness; lower surface tinged with bronze, pubescent; veins distinct; lobes none to three with terminus acuminate to acute; petiolar sinus medium to deep, rather wide; teeth of average depth, medium to rather narrow. Flowers fertile, open in mid-season; stamens upright.
Fruit not uniform in season of ripening but averaging later than Concord, keeps and ships fairly well. Clusters medium to large, intermediate in length and breadth, cylindrical to slightly tapering, often single-shouldered, medium to compact; peduncle medium to short, of average thickness; pedicel short to medium, thick, covered with few small warts; brush short, greenish. Berries large to above medium, slightly oblate, attractive yellowish-green or with tinge of amber, covered with thin gray bloom, variable in adhesion to pedicel, nearly firm. Skin covered with scattering russet dots, thin and tender, adheres slightly to the pulp, contains no pigment, faintly astringent. Flesh light green, often with yellow tinge, translucent, juicy, tough, fine-grained, slightly foxy, nearly sweet at skin to tart at center, good in quality. Seeds do not separate easily from the pulp, one to six, average three, intermediate in size, length and breadth, brownish; raphe obscure; chalaza of medium size, slightly above center, usually oval, obscure.