Vine medium to vigorous, not always hardy, productive, but yielding smaller crops than Concord; tendrils intermittent, bifid to trifid. Canes long, numerous, rather slender. Leaves medium to large, variable in color; lower surface pale green, slightly pubescent and cobwebby. Fruit ripens about with Delaware, keeps only fairly well. Clusters large to above medium, long to medium, often rather broad and heavily shouldered, intermediate in compactness. Berries large, roundish, attractive dark red, covered with abundant lilac bloom, often with tinge of blue, usually persistent, firm. Flesh greenish, moderately tender, aromatic, nearly sweet next the skin to acid at center, good to very good in quality. Seeds adherent, large, plump. IMPERIAL. (Vinifera, Labrusca.) =1.= _Horticulturist_, =29=:328. 1874. =2.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt._, =1875=:114. =3.= _W. N. Y. Hort. Soc. Rpt._, =1891=:45. =4.= _Bush. Cat._, =1894=:140. _No. 93 A_ (1). Although introduced nearly forty years ago, Imperial is still little known and does not appear to have especial value. Perhaps its most valuable character is hardiness as it is reputed to be as hardy as Concord which, for a grape having its proportion of Vinifera blood, is the exception. In appearance and quality Imperial is very good and were its vine characters better, and were there not so many excellent green grapes of its season with which it must compete, the variety would be more generally cultivated. Imperial is a seedling of Iona fertilized by Sarbelle Muscat and was raised by J. H. Ricketts of Newburgh, New York, over thirty years ago. The following description has been compiled from various sources: Vine vigorous, healthy, hardy. Leaves large, attractive green. Fruit ripens late. Clusters large, symmetrical, slightly shouldered, rather compact. Berries large, greenish-white, covered with considerable bloom. Flesh tender, juicy, vinous, sprightly, not high in flavor but agreeable, good to very good in quality. Seeds small, not numerous. IONA. (Labrusca, Vinifera.)