Bacchus

(Vulpina, Labrusca)



Bacchus is an offspring of Clinton which it resembles in vine and leaf

characters, but surpasses in quality of fruit and in productiveness of

vine. The special points of merit of the variety are: resistance to

cold, resistance to phylloxera, freedom from fungi and insects,

productiveness, ease of multiplication and capacity to bear grafts.

Its limitations are: poor quality for table us , inability to

withstand dry soils or droughts, and nonadaptability to soils

containing much lime. The variety originated with J. H. Ricketts,

Newburgh, New York, and was first exhibited by him in 1879.



Vine very vigorous, hardy, healthy, productive. Canes numerous,

dark brown with bloom at the nodes which are enlarged and

flattened; tendrils bifid. Leaves small; upper surface dark green,

glossy, smooth; lower surface dull green, smooth; lobes three,

terminal one acuminate; petiolar sinus shallow, narrow, sometimes

overlapping; basal sinus lacking; lateral sinus shallow, wide.

Flowers open early, self-sterile; stamens upright.



Fruit late, keeps well, hangs long. Clusters small, slender,

uniform, cylindrical, single-shouldered, compact; pedicel short,

slender with a few small warts; brush short, wine-colored. Berries

small, round, black, glossy, covered with thin bloom, hang well to

pedicels, firm; skin thin, adherent, contains much wine-colored

pigment, slightly astringent; flesh dark green, translucent,

fine-grained, tough, vinous, spicy; fair quality. Seeds clinging,

one to four, many abortive, large, short and wide, plump, sharply

pointed, brown.