nes of medium length,
dull reddish-brown; nodes enlarged, flattened; internodes very
short; tendrils continuous, bifid or trifid. Leaves large, thick;
upper surface light green, dull, rugose; lower surface
grayish-white, heavily pubescent; leaf entire with terminus acute;
petiolar sinus deep; basal and lateral sinuses lacking. Flowers
nearly self-fertile.

Fruit mid-season, keeps well. Clusters variable in size, broad,
irregularly tapering, usually not shouldered; pedicel long, thick,
smooth; brush long, slender, green with brown tinge. Berries
unusually large, round, purplish-black with heavy bloom, firm;
skin cracks, adherent to pulp, astringent; flesh pale green,
translucent, juicy, tender, stringy, vinous; fair to good. Seeds
adherent, one to four, short, broad, blunt, plump, light brown.

MARION

(Vulpina, Labrusca)

_Black German, Marion Port_

Marion so closely resembles Clinton in botanical and horticultural
characters as to be clearly of the same type. The vine is vigorous and
hardy, but hardly sufficiently productive, and is susceptible to
mildew and leaf-hoppers. The fruit is pleasantly sweet and spicy,
although not high enough in quality for a table-grape, but makes a
very good dark red wine. The fruit colors early but ripens late, hangs
well on the vines and improves with a touch of frost. Marion was
brought to notice by a Mr. Shepherd, Marion, Ohio, about 1850.

Vine vigorous, hardy, productive. Canes very long, dark
reddish-brown, covered with bloom; nodes enlarged, flattened;
internodes very long; tendrils continuous, sometimes intermittent,
long, bifid. Leaves very large; upper surface dark green, glossy;
lower surface pale green, smooth; leaf entire, terminus acuminate;
petiolar sinus very deep, narrow, often closed and overlapping;
basal and lateral sinuses usually lacking; teeth shallow, wide.
Flowers self-sterile, open very early; stamens reflexed.

Fruit mid-season, keeps well. Clusters medium in size, short,
slender, cylindrical, single-shouldered, compact; pedicel short,
slender with a few inconspicuous warts; brush very short,
wine-colored. Berries small, round, black, glossy with heavy
bloom, persistent, firm; skin thin, tough, adherent with much
wine-colored pigment, astringent; flesh dark green, translucent,
juicy, fine-grained, tough, sprightly, spicy, tart; fair in