Vine tender to cold, unproductive. Canes short, few, slender, dark green with an ash-gray tinge, surface covered with thin bloom, often roughened with a few small warts; nodes much enlarged, strongly flattened; internodes short; tendrils intermittent, bifid or trifid. Leaves small, round, thick; upper surface dark green, glossy, rugose; lower surface dark green, glabrous; lobes one to five, terminal lobe acute; petiolar sinus narrow, closed and overlapping; basal sinus shallow and narrow when present; lateral sinus shallow, narrow; teeth wide, deep. Flowers open late; stamens upright. Fruit late, keeps until spring. Clusters large, long, slender, cylindrical, sometimes loosely shouldered; pedicel slender, covered with numerous warts; brush long, slender, green. Berries large, markedly oval, dark purplish-black, glossy, covered with light bloom, strongly persistent, firm; skin thick, tender, adherent; flesh green with a yellow tinge, translucent, very juicy, tender, fine-grained, vinous, mild; very good in quality. Seeds free, one to three, notched, long, brown. DRACUT AMBER (Labrusca) Dracut Amber is representative of the red type of Labrusca. The fruit has no particular merit, its thick skin, coarse pulp, seeds and foxy taste all being objectionable. However, the vine is very hardy, productive, and ripens its fruit early so that this variety becomes valuable in locations where a vigorous, hardy, early grape is wanted. Asa Clement, Dracut, Massachusetts grew Dracut Amber from seed planted about 1855. Vine vigorous, hardy, productive. Canes long, numerous, dark brown; nodes enlarged, flattened; tendrils continuous, long, bifid or trifid. Leaves large, thick; upper surface dark green, dull, smooth; lower surface pale green, cobwebby; lobes three to five with terminal one obtuse; petiolar sinus deep, narrow; basal sinus shallow, wide; teeth shallow. Flowers on plan of six, semi-fertile, mid-season. Fruit early, season short. Clusters short, broad, cylindrical, irregular, rarely shouldered, compact; pedicel short, covered with warts; brush long, light yellowish-green. Berries medium to large, oval, dull pale red or dark amber, covered with thin bloom, soft; skin very thick, tender, adherent, astringent; flesh green, translucent, juicy, tough, very foxy; inferior in quality. Seeds adherent, two to five, large, broad, light brown. DUTCHESS (Vinifera, Labrusca, Bourquiniana? AEstivalis?)