Leaf-buds medium to below in size, short, of average thickness, conical, open in mid-season. Young leaves tinged on upper and under sides with dull rose-carmine. Leaves medium to large; upper surface light green, slightly glossy, nearly smooth; lower surface grayish-green, pubescent; veins distinct; lobes none to three with terminus acute; petiolar sinus deep to medium, variable in width; basal sinus absent; lateral sinus shallow to a mere notch when present; teeth shallow, of average width. Flowers fertile, open mid-season; stamens upright.
Fruit ripens earlier than Concord, does not always ripen evenly, does not keep well. Clusters large to medium, about average length, broad, tapering, usually single-shouldered but sometimes heavily double-shouldered, very compact; peduncle short, intermediate in thickness; pedicel short, slender, covered with few warts; brush of medium length, slender, yellowish-brown. Berries above medium to small, oval, dark red to purplish-red but the berries do not color uniformly, dull, covered with thin, lilac bloom, inclined to drop from pedicel, soft. Skin thick to medium, somewhat tough, inclined to crack sometimes on account of compactness of cluster, does not adhere to pulp, contains no pigment, astringent. Flesh pale green, transparent, juicy, tender, fine-grained, somewhat vinous and foxy, sweet, good to very good in quality. Seeds separate easily from the pulp, one to three, average two, large, medium to short, rather broad but often blunt, quite variable, however, in general characters, medium to dark brown; raphe buried in a slight groove; chalaza of average size, above center, circular to oval, obscure.
ROCKWOOD.
(Labrusca.)
1. Mass. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1874:154. 2. An. Hort., 1889:101. 3. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 14:279. 1895. 4. Bush. Cat., 1894:107. 5. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 17:534, 548, 556. 1898. 6. Mich. Sta. Bul., 169:175. 1899. 7. Ala. Sta. Bul., 110:74, 88. 1900. 8. Ga. Sta. Bul., 53:49. 1901. 9. Kan. Sta. Bul., 110:237. 1902. 10. Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1903:30.
Rockwood is a comparatively unimportant black seedling of Concord and from the originator of Concord. It is of higher quality than its parent and since it is earlier, coming with Moore Early or just after, it is worthy a place in garden collections as an early black grape. It has been thoroughly tested and discarded as unprofitable by commercial vineyardists probably on account of its vine characters which on our grounds are not as good as those of Concord and would disqualify it for a market variety. In appearance the fruit is much like Concord.