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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