Vine medium to weak, with a tendency to winter injury, unfruitful, capricious in bearing, somewhat subject to attacks of mildew. Canes intermediate in length and number, thick, light to dark brown; tendrils continuous, bifid.
Leaves above medium to small, thick; upper surface light green, smooth to rugose in the older leaves; lower surface pale green, pubescent; veins obscure. Flowers self-fertile, open in mid-season; stamens upright.
Fruit variable in season of ripening averaging about with Concord, keeps well. Clusters not large, medium to short, of average width, tapering to cylindrical, sometimes with a slight single shoulder, compact. Berries above medium to small, vary in shape from roundish to oval, light green with strong yellowish tinge covered with thin gray bloom, persistent, firm. Skin of medium thickness, somewhat tough, contains no pigment. Flesh pale green, juicy, medium in tenderness, slightly foxy, sweet next the skin to agreeably tart at center, good in quality. Seeds adherent, sometimes numerous, intermediate in size, variable in width, very slightly notched, short to medium, sharp-pointed, dark brown; raphe buried in a shallow, narrow groove; chalaza large, slightly above center, irregularly circular to oval, surface often roughened, obscure.
REBECCA.
(Labrusca, Vinifera.)
1. Mag. Hort., 22:458, 484, 502. 1856. 2. Horticulturist, 11:528. 1856. 3. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1856:39, 162, 201. fig. 4. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1856:214. 5. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1858:67. 6. Gar. Mon., 2:200. 1860. 7. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1862:90. 8. Grant’s Descrip. Cat., 1864:5. 9. Mag. Hort., 33:70, 148. 1867. 10. Grape Cult., 1:43, 150, 327. 1869. 11. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1883:59. 12. Bush. Cat., 1883:132. 13. Kan. Sta. Bul., 110:237. 1902.
During the middle and latter part of the last century, when grape-growing was more in the hands of connoisseurs than now, Rebecca was one of the sterling green varieties. It is wholly unsuited for commercial vineyards and for years has gradually been disappearing from cultivation. The fruit of Rebecca is exceptionally fine, consisting of well-formed bunches and berries, the latter a handsome yellowish-white and semitransparent. In quality it is of the best, with a rich, sweet flavor and pleasing aroma. But the vine characters condemn it for any but the amateur and even in the garden it must have exceptionally good care to succeed. The vines lack in hardiness and vigor, are susceptible to mildew and other fungi, and are productive only under the best conditions. It is recommended as being especially desirable to plant on south walls where it seems to succeed much better than in exposed situations.
The original vine of this variety was an accidental seedling found in the garden of E. M. Peake at Hudson, New York. It bore its first fruit in 1852 when the vine was four years old and was brought to the notice of the public four or five years later. The Massachusetts Horticultural Society awarded the variety their silver medal in 1856 and it was exhibited before the American Pomological Society the same year. Here it made so favorable an impression that it was placed with Concord and Delaware under “new varieties which promise well.” In 1862 it was placed on the regular list where it remained till 1891, when it was removed. It was introduced by W. Brooksbank of Hudson.
Vine weak to vigorous, not always hardy, not productive, somewhat susceptible to attacks of mildew. Canes long to below medium, numerous, above medium to slender, inclined to dull brown, deepening in color at the nodes; tendrils continuous to intermittent, bifid to trifid. Leaves variable in size, of average thickness; upper surface dark green, dull, medium to rugose; lower surface grayish-green, pubescent; veins variable in distinctness. Flowers fertile or nearly so; stamens upright.
Fruit ripens with Concord or later, ships and keeps well. Clusters medium to small, medium to short, of average width, cylindrical to roundish, rarely with a small single shoulder, compact. Berries intermediate in size, oval, green with yellowish tinge sometimes verging on amber, not glossy, covered with thin gray bloom, persistent, firm. Skin intermediate in thickness and toughness, contains no pigment. Flesh pale green, very juicy, tender, nearly melting, vinous and a little foxy, sweet from skin to center, good to very good in quality. Seeds separate easily from the pulp, medium to below in size, medium to short, above medium to narrow, blunt, medium brown; raphe obscure; chalaza of average size, above center, circular to oval, not distinct. Must 69°.