t 1868.

Vine vigorous, hardy, healthy, productive. Canes thick, light
brown with blue bloom; nodes enlarged, flattened; internodes
short; tendrils continuous, long, bifid or trifid. Leaves large,
round, thick; upper surface dark green; lower surface tinged with
bronze, heavily pubescent; lobes three, terminal one acute;
petiolar sinus shallow, wide; basal sinus usually lacking; lateral
sinus shallow, narrow, often notched; teeth shallow. Flowers
semi-sterile, early; stamens upright.

Fruit mid-season. Clusters large, short, broad, blunt, sometimes
double-shouldered, compact; pedicel long, thick, smooth; brush
slender, pale green. Berries large, round, black with heavy bloom,
persistent, firm; skin tough, adherent, purplish-red pigment,
astringent; flesh green, translucent, juicy, tough, stringy, foxy;
fair in quality. Seeds adherent, one to four, broad, notched,
plump, blunt.

ECLIPSE

(Labrusca)

Eclipse (Plate XV) is a seedling of Niagara and, therefore, a
descendant of Concord which it resembles, differing chiefly in earlier
fruit which is of better quality. Unfortunately, the bunches and
berries are small. The vines are hardly surpassed by those of any
other variety, being hardy, healthy and productive, qualities that
should commend it for commercial vineyards. The ripe fruit hangs on
the vines for some time without deterioration, and the grapes do not
crack in wet weather. The crop ripens several days earlier than that
of Concord. Eclipse originated with E. A. Riehl, Alton, Illinois,
from seed planted about 1890.

Vine vigorous, hardy, productive. Canes medium in length, dark
reddish-brown; nodes enlarged; tendrils continuous, long, bifid.
Leaves large; upper surface dark green; lower surface white with a
bronze tinge, heavily pubescent; lobes wanting or three with
terminal one acute; petiolar sinus deep, narrow; basal sinus
usually lacking; lateral sinus narrow, often notched; teeth
shallow, narrow. Flowers self-sterile, open in mid-season; stamens
reflexed.

Fruit early, keeps well. Clusters of medium size, broad, tapering,
frequently single-shouldered, compact; pedicel short, thick,
covered with small warts; brush long, pale green. Berries, large,
oval, dull black with abundant bloom, persistent, firm; skin
tender, slightly adherent, astringent; flesh pale green,
translucent, juicy, t