Diamond

(Labrusca, Vinifera)



Few other grapes surpass Diamond in quality and beauty of fruit. When

to its desirable fruit characters are added hardiness, productiveness

and vigor of vine, the variety is surpassed by no other green grape.

Diamond is a diluted hybrid between Labrusca and Vinifera and the

touch of the exotic grape is just sufficient to give the fruit the

richness in flavor of the Old World grape and not overcome the

refreshing sprightliness of the native fox-grapes. The Vinifera

characters are wholly recessive in vine and foliage, the plant

resembling closely its American parent, Concord. Diamond is well

established North and South and can be grown in as great a range of

latitude as Concord. Jacob Moore, Brighton, New York, grew Diamond

about 1870 from Concord seed fertilized by Iona.



Vine vigorous, hardy, productive. Canes short, brown with a slight

red tinge; nodes enlarged; internodes short; tendrils

intermittent, bifid. Leaves thick; upper surface light green,

dull, smooth; lower surface light bronze, downy; lobes three in

number, indistinct; petiolar sinus very shallow; teeth shallow.

Flowers self-fertile, open early; stamens upright.



Fruit early, keeps well. Clusters medium to short, broad, blunt,

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

thick with a few inconspicuous warts; brush slender, pale green.

Berries large, ovate, green with a tinge of yellow, glossy,

covered with thin bloom, persistent, firm; skin thin, tough,

adherent, astringent; flesh pale green, transparent, juicy,

tender, melting, fine-grained, aromatic, sprightly; very good.

Seeds free, one to four, broad and long, sharp-pointed,

yellowish-brown.