Isabella Seedling

(Labrusca, Vinifera)



Isabella Seedling is an early, vigorous, productive offspring of

Isabella. In fruit characters it greatly resembles its parent, but

ripens its crop earlier and has a more compact bunch. Like that of its

parent, the fruit is of good quality and keeps remarkably well. This

seedling is now grown more than Isabella and, while not of any

considerable commercial importance, is far more dese ving attention as

a market grape than some of the poorly flavored kinds more generally

grown. There are several varieties under this name. Two are mentioned

by Warder; one of Ohio and one of New York origin. The Isabella

Seedling here described originated with G. A. Ensenberger,

Bloomington, Illinois, in 1889.



Vine vigorous, healthy, hardy, productive. Canes long, thick, dark

brown, often with a red tinge, with thin bloom; nodes prominent,

flattened; internodes long; tendrils intermittent or continuous,

bifid. Leaves healthy, large, thick; upper surface green, dull;

lower surface pale green or grayish-green, occasionally with a

tinge of bronze, pubescent. Flowers self-fertile; stamens upright.



Fruit early, keeps well. Clusters large, long, slender,

cylindrical, usually single-shouldered, loose, compact. Berries

large, oval, often pear-shaped, dull black with thick bloom,

persistent, soft; skin thick with some red pigment; flesh pale

green, juicy, tender, coarse, vinous; good. Seeds numerous, free,

large, broad, notched, dark brown.