Israella

(Labrusca, Vinifera)



Israella came from C. W. Grant contemporaneously with Iona and was

heralded as the earliest good grape in cultivation. For several years

after its introduction, it was widely tried but was almost everywhere

discarded because of the poor quality and unattractive appearance of

the fruit and lack of vigor, hardiness and productiveness in the vine.

Grant grew Israella from seed of Isabell planted in 1885.



Vine lacking in vigor, unproductive. Canes slender, dark brown;

nodes enlarged, flattened; internodes short; tendrils continuous,

bifid. Leaves large; upper surface light green, dull, rugose;

lower surface pale green, pubescent; lobes one to five, faint;

petiolar sinus deep, narrow; teeth shallow, sharp; stamens

upright.



Fruit late, keeps well. Clusters large, of medium length and

breadth, tapering, often single-shouldered, compact, frequently

with many abortive fruits. Berries of medium size, round-oval,

black or purplish-black with thin bloom, inclined to drop, soft;

skin thick, tough with a large amount of purplish-red pigment;

flesh pale green, juicy, stringy, mild, sweet from skin to center;

fair in quality. Seeds free, medium in size, notched, blunt, light

brown, often covered with grayish warts.