Highland

(Vinifera, Labrusca)



Few varieties of black grapes equal Highland in appearance and quality

of fruit. When given good care under favorable conditions, the bunches

are unusually large and handsome in appearance, sometimes attaining a

weight of two pounds, and bear beautiful bluish-black berries with the

fine flavor and tender texture of Jura Muscat, one of its parents. The

flesh is solid, firm and the frui keeps and ships well. The vine is

vigorous, productive to a fault but is doubtfully hardy. Where the

climate is temperate and the season long enough for the vine and

fruit of Highland to develop, this is one of the choicest grapes for

the amateur. The variety originated about the close of the Civil War

with J. H. Ricketts, Newburgh, New York, from seed of Concord

fertilized by Jura Muscat.



Vine variable in vigor, productive, healthy. Canes long, numerous,

dark brown with thin bloom; nodes enlarged; internodes long;

tendrils intermittent, bifid or trifid. Leaves large; upper

surface dark green, dull, rugose; lower surface grayish-green,

pubescent; lobes one to five, terminal one acute; petiolar sinus

deep, variable in width; basal sinus shallow, narrow; lateral

sinus a notch; teeth deep, wide. Flowers self-fertile, open in

mid-season; stamens upright.



Fruit late, keeps well. Clusters large, long, broad, tapering,

usually single-shouldered, usually two bunches per shoot; pedicel

long, thick, smooth; brush green with yellow tinge. Berries large,

round-oval, purplish-black, dull with heavy bloom, persistent,

firm; skin tough, free; flesh green, translucent, juicy, tender,

vinous; good. Seeds free, one to six, large, long, notched, brown.