Vine medium to weak, usually hardy, productive, often overbears, sometimes susceptible to attacks of mildew. Canes medium to short, not numerous, slender, moderately dark brown, surface roughened and covered with faint pubescence; nodes enlarged and flattened; internodes short; diaphragm of average thickness; pith intermediate in size; shoots pubescent; tendrils usually intermittent, of medium length, bifid, dehisce early.

Leaf-buds intermediate in size, short to medium, thick, plump, conical to pointed, open rather late. Young leaves faintly tinged on under side and along margin of upper side, which is rather glossy, prevailing color pale green with considerable rose-carmine tinge. Leaves small to medium, thick; upper surface light green, glossy, somewhat smooth; lower surface grayish-white, pubescent; veins distinct; leaf usually not lobed with terminus acute to acuminate; petiolar sinus of average depth, medium to wide; basal sinus absent; lateral sinus a mere notch when present; teeth shallow to medium, above medium width. Flowers fertile or nearly so, open rather early; stamens upright.

Fruit usually ripens with Concord or a little later, keeps and ships well. Clusters intermediate in size, above average length, intermediate in breadth, cylindrical to slightly tapering, often single-shouldered, compact; peduncle short, slender; pedicel intermediate in length, slender to medium, covered with numerous warts; brush short, yellowish-green. Berries above medium to medium in size, roundish to roundish-oval, rather dark dull red but do not always color well, covered with thin light to dark lilac bloom, persistent, of average firmness. Skin thick, tough, adheres slightly to the pulp, contains no pigment, somewhat astringent. Flesh pale green, translucent, juicy, tender, fine-grained, faintly aromatic, slightly foxy, sweet next the skin to tart at center, good to very good in quality. Seeds separate easily from the pulp, one to six, average three, medium to above in size, variable in length and breadth, somewhat plump, brownish; raphe obscure; chalaza intermediate in size, above center, oval to circular, not distinct; surface of seeds slightly roughened.

UNION VILLAGE.
(Labrusca, Vinifera?)

1. Elliott, 1854:247. 2. U. S. Pat. Off. Rpt., 1856:433. 3. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1856:39, 165. 4. Downing, 1857:346. 5. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1858:69. 6. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1858:235. 7. Mag. Hort., 24:92, 94. 1858. 8. Horticulturist, 14:74. 1859. fig. 9. Mass. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1860:49. 10. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1860:89. 11. Mag. Hort., 27:533. 1861. 12. Horticulturist, 16:234. 1861. fig. 13. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1862:146. 14. Mag. Hort., 29:422. 1863. 15. Ib., 31:103. 1865. 16. Mead, 1867:198. 17. Grape Cult., 1:43, 44, 151, 239, 262, 327. 1869. 18. Bush. Cat., 1883:142. 19. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1883:59.

Imitation Hamburg (1). Ontario (8, 9, 10, 14). Ontario (13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19). Shaker (2). Shaker (4, 17, 18).

Rampant in vine, with thick wood, large coarse leaves, bunches and berries, Union Village is marked by grossness in all of its characters. Its vigor of vine and showiness of fruit attracted the attention of the viticulturists of a half century ago and it was then quite commonly grown but has now been almost wholly discarded because of poor quality, susceptibility to disease, and lack of hardiness. It ripens somewhat late and quite unevenly. It might prove of some value in breeding for the characters for which, even among the largest and most vigorous grapes of to-day, it is distinguished.

This variety was originated by the Shakers at Union Village, Warren County, Ohio. It was introduced by Nicholas Longworth of Cincinnati about the middle of the last century. In 1858 it was placed on the American Pomological Society’s list of grapes that promise well and in 1862 was placed on the regular list of recommended sorts. Here it remained until 1883, when it was dropped. Ontario, another grape of this type, which was originated by W. H. Read of Port Dalhousie, Ontario, was considered by many synonymous with Union Village but the evidence seems to show that, though very similar, it had a distinct origin. Union Village is said to be a seedling of Isabella. The characters generally indicate Labrusca although the lobing of the leaves and the susceptibility to fungi may indicate a strain of Vinifera.

The following description has been compiled from various sources: