Secretary


(Vinifera, Vulpina, Labrusca)



Injured by mildew and rot which attack leaves, fruit and young wood,

the vines of Secretary are able to produce good grapes only in

exceptional seasons and in favored localities. The fruit characters

of Secretary, however, give the grapes exceptionally high quality, the

berries being meaty yet juicy, fine-grained and tender, with a sweet,

spicy, vinous flavor. The bunches are
large, well-formed, with

medium-sized, purplish-black berries covered with thick bloom, making

a very handsome cluster. While the vine and foliage somewhat resemble

those of Clinton, one of its parents, the variety is not nearly as

hardy, vigorous nor productive. Moreover, in any but favored

localities in the North, its maturity is somewhat uncertain. These

defects keep Secretary from becoming of commercial importance and make

it of value only to the amateur. Secretary is one of the first

productions of J. H. Ricketts, Newburgh, New York, the original vine

coming from seed of Clinton fertilized by Muscat Hamburg, planted in

1867.



Vine vigorous, doubtfully hardy, variable in productiveness. Canes

numerous, light brown, conspicuously darker at nodes, surface

covered with thin, blue bloom; tendrils intermittent, bifid.

Leaves small to medium, thin; upper surface light green, dull,

smooth; lower surface pale green, glabrous. Flowers semi-fertile,

early; stamens upright.



Fruit ripens after Concord, keeps and ships well. Clusters large,

long, cylindrical with a large, single shoulder, often loose and

with many abortive fruits. Berries large, round, flattened at

attachment to pedicel, dark purplish-black, glossy, persistent,

firm; skin tough with wine-colored pigment; flesh green, juicy,

fine-grained, tender, vinous, sweet; good. Seeds free, large,

broad, notched, long, dark brown.



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