Empire State


(Vulpina, Labrusca, Vinifera)



Empire State (Plate XVII) competes with Niagara and Diamond for

supremacy among green grapes. The variety is as vigorous in growth, as

free from parasites, and on vines of the same age is as productive,

but is less hardy, and the grapes are not as attractive in appearance

as those of the other varieties named. In particular, the clusters are

small in some localities, a defect
which can be overcome only by

severe pruning or by thinning. The quality is very good, approaching

the flavor of the Old World grapes, its slight wild taste suggesting

one of the Muscats. Empire State ripens early, hangs long on the vine

and keeps well after picking without losing flavor. This grape

originated with James H. Ricketts, Newburgh, New York, bearing fruit

first in 1879.



Vine vigorous, somewhat tender. Canes short, few, slender,

brownish; nodes enlarged; internodes short; tendrils intermittent,

bifid. Leaves small; upper surface light green, glossy, smooth or

somewhat rugose; lower surface tinged with bronze, heavily

pubescent; lobes three to five when present, terminal one

acuminate; petiolar sinus deep, narrow, often closed and

overlapping; basal sinus variable in depth and width; lateral

sinus deep, narrow, often enlarged at base; teeth deep, wide.

Flowers self-fertile, open late; stamens upright.



Fruit mid-season, keeps well. Clusters large, long, slender,

cylindrical, frequently single-shouldered, compact; pedicel

slender with small warts; brush short, light green. Berries medium

or small, round, pale yellowish-green, covered with thin bloom,

persistent, firm; skin thick, adherent to the pulp, slightly

astringent; flesh pale yellowish-green, translucent, juicy,

fine-grained, tender, agreeably flavored; good to very good. Seeds

adherent, one to four, small, broad, notched, short, blunt, plump,

brown.



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