Headlight

(Vinifera, Labrusca, Bourquiniana)



Headlight is more desirable for southern than for northern vineyards,

yet it is worthy of trial in the North. Its meritorious characters

are: productiveness, outyielding Delaware, with which it competes;

disease-resistant foliage and vines; more than average vigor of vine;

high quality of fruit, being almost the equal of Delaware in flavor

and having tender, melting pulp which readily parts from the seeds;

and earliness, ripening before Delaware and hanging on the vines or

keeping after being picked for some time without deterioration. The

originator of Headlight, T. V. Munson, states that the variety came

from seed of Moyer fertilized by Brilliant. The seed was planted in

1895 and the grape was introduced in 1901.



Vine vigorous, hardy, very productive. Canes short, few in number,

slender, reddish-brown; nodes enlarged; internodes short; tendrils

continuous, short, bifid, very persistent. Leaves small, thick;

upper surface light green, dull, smooth; lower surface pale green,

pubescent; lobes one to three with terminus obtuse; petiolar sinus

intermediate in depth and width; basal sinus usually lacking;

lateral sinus shallow, narrow; teeth shallow. Flowers

self-sterile, open in mid-season; stamens reflexed.



Fruit early, keeps well. Clusters small, short, tapering,

frequently single-shouldered, compact; pedicel short, slender,

covered with a few small warts; brush yellowish-brown. Berries

small, round, dark red with thin bloom, persistent, firm; skin

tough, adherent, astringent; flesh green, translucent, very juicy,

tender, fine-grained, vinous, sweet; very good. Seeds free, one to

three, small, light brown.