Clinton

(Vulpina, Labrusca)



Worthington



Clinton (Plate X) came into prominence because of vigor, hardiness,

fruitfulness and immunity to phylloxera. A serious defect is that the

vines bloom so early that the blossoms are often caught by late frosts

in northern climates. Other defects are: the fruit is small and sour,

and the seeds and skins prominent. The fruit colors early in the

seaso but does not ripen until late, a slight touch of frost

improving the flavor. Clinton bears grafts well, making a quick and

firm union with Labrusca and Vinifera, and the vines are easily

propagated from cuttings. This variety has been used widely in

grape-breeding, and its blood can be traced in many valuable

varieties. The offspring of Clinton are usually very hardy, and this,

taken with its other desirable characters, makes it an exceptionally

good starting-point for breeding grapes for northern latitudes.

Clinton is an old sort, the Worthington, known as early as 1815,

renamed; it began to attract attention about 1840.



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

slender, reddish-brown; nodes enlarged, flattened; shoots smooth;

tendrils intermittent, sometimes continuous, bifid. Leaves hang

until late in the season, small, thin; upper surface dark green,

smooth; lower surface pale green, glabrous; petiolar sinus deep,

narrow, urn-shaped; basal and lateral sinuses shallow; teeth wide.

Flowers self-fertile, open early; stamens upright.



Fruit mid-season. Clusters small, slender, cylindrical, uniform,

single-shouldered, compact; pedicel short, very slender, smooth;

brush tinged with red. Berries small, round, oval, purplish-black,

glossy, covered with thick bloom, adherent, firm; skin very

thin, tough, free from pulp with much wine-colored pigment,

astringent; flesh dark green, juicy, fine-grained, tough, solid,

spicy, sour, vinous. Seeds adherent, two, short, blunt, brownish.