Lucile

(Labrusca)



In vigor, health, hardiness and productiveness, Lucile (Plate XXII) is

not surpassed by any native grape. Unfortunately, the fruit characters

are not so desirable. The size, form and color of bunches and berries

are good, making a very attractive fruit, but the grapes have an

obnoxious, foxy taste and odor and are pulpy and seedy. Lucile is

earlier than Concord, the crop ripening with that of W rden or

preceding it a few days. For an early variety, the fruit keeps well

and in spite of thin skin ships well. The vine thrives in all grape

soils. Lucile may be recommended where a hardy grape is desired and

for localities in which the season is short. J. A. Putnam, Fredonia,

New York, grew Lucile. The vine fruited first in 1890. It is a

seedling of Wyoming, which it resembles in fruit and vine and

surpasses in both.



Vine vigorous, hardy, very productive. Canes long, light brown;

nodes enlarged, flattened; internodes short; tendrils continuous,

bifid or trifid. Leaves large, firm; upper surface light green,

glossy, smooth; lower surface pale green, pubescent; leaf with

terminus acute; petiolar sinus shallow, narrow, sometimes closed

and overlapping; basal sinus usually absent; lateral sinus a notch

when present; teeth shallow. Flowers self-fertile, open early;

stamens upright.



Fruit early, keeps well. Clusters large, long, slender,

cylindrical, usually single-shouldered, very compact; pedicel

short, thick with few, small, inconspicuous warts; brush light

brown. Berries large, round, dark red with thin bloom, persistent,

firm; skin thin, tender, astringent; flesh pale green,

translucent, juicy, tough, stringy, foxy; fair in quality. Seeds

adherent, one to four, small, broad, short, blunt, dark brown.