Dutchess is a variety for the amateur, always to be sought for because of its delicious flavor, its handsome appearance, and its long-keeping qualities. It has never been largely grown in commercial vineyards because the vine is tender to cold and capricious as to soil and other conditions. Moreover the berries do not ripen quite evenly and berries and foliage are very susceptible to fungi. In soils to which it is not adapted berries and bunches are small and the latter are loose and straggling. But in spite of its defects Dutchess should not be discarded by the grape-lover for there are few grapes better for the table and that will take its place as a pure-flavored, refreshing, juicy grape. It is sweet and rich and yet does not cloy the appetite; the flesh is translucent, sparkling, fine-grained and tender; the seeds are small, few and part readily from the pulp; the skin is thin yet tough enough for good keeping but not so much so as to be objectionable in eating. The bunches are large and compact when well grown and the berries, though but medium sized, are attractive because of their translucency, the touch of amber when fully ripe, and the distinctive dots so well shown in the color-plate. Dutchess does not want an extremely rich soil nor close pruning and the bunches should be thinned and as soon as ripe ought to be picked as there is a tendency to crack when overripe or exposed to the wet. Dutchess is self-fertile and therefore desirable where only a few vines are wanted, obviating the trouble of mixed planting for cross-pollination. The clusters are especially fine when bagged. [Illustration: DUTCHESS] Dutchess is another variety from A. J. Caywood[185] of Marlboro, New York, from seed of a white Concord seedling pollinated by mixed pollen of Delaware and Walter planted in 1868. The white fruited maternal vine was an offspring of Concord pollinated by Montgomery. Dutchess was introduced by its originator about 1880. The variety was placed on the grape list of the American Pomological Society fruit catalog in 1881 where it has since been retained. Vine vigorous to weak, depending upon amount of winter injury, often not hardy, an uncertain bearer, susceptible to mildew in some localities. Canes intermediate in length and number, medium to below in size, moderately dark brown, covered with a slight amount of bloom, surface usually somewhat roughened; nodes slightly enlarged and flattened; internodes short to very short; diaphragm unusually thick; pith below average size; shoots slightly pubescent; tendrils intermittent, short, bifid to trifid.