The berries and clusters of Gaertner are large and handsomely colored, making a very showy grape. The plant is vigorous, productive and as hardy as any of the hybrids between Labrusca and Vinifera. In view of these qualities, Gaertner has not received the attention it deserves, probably because it is more capricious as to soils than some others of its related hybrids. As a market grape, the variety has the faults of ripening unevenly and of shipping poorly. The fruit keeps well and this, with the desirable qualities noted, makes it an excellent grape for the home vineyard. Gaertner is often compared with Massasoit, the two varieties being very similar in fruit characters, but Gaertner is of distinctly better quality than Massasoit. The variety originated with E. S. Rogers, Salem, Massachusetts. It was first mentioned about 1865.
Vine vigorous, hardy except in severe winters, productive. Canes long, dark reddish-brown, surface covered with thin bloom; tendrils continuous, bifid or trifid. Leaves medium in size, round; upper surface dark green; lower surface pale green, pubescent. Flowers self-sterile, open late; stamens reflexed.
Fruit mid-season, matures unevenly, keeps only fairly well. Clusters medium in size, short, cylindrical, usually with a single shoulder but sometimes double-shouldered, loose with many abortive fruits. Berries large, round-oval, light to dark red, glossy, covered with bloom, persistent; skin thin, tender; flesh pale green, juicy, fine-grained, tough, stringy, agreeably vinous; good to very good. Seeds free, large, broad, distinctly notched, brown.
Geneva
(Vinifera, Labrusca)
Geneva is surpassed by so many other grapes of its season in quality that it has never become popular, although it has much to recommend it. The vine is vigorous and productive, although not quite hardy, and the berries and clusters are attractive; the fruit is nearly transparent and there is so little bloom that the grapes are a lustrous green or iridescent in sunlight; the berries cling well to the stem and the fruit keeps exceptionally well. Geneva originated with Jacob Moore, Brighton, New York, from seed planted in 1874 from a hybrid vine fertilized by Iona.
Vine vigorous, healthy, productive. Canes covered with thin bloom; tendrils intermittent or continuous, bifid or trifid. Leaves medium in size; upper surface light green, dull; lower surface grayish-white, pubescent; lobes three to five, acute; petiolar sinus, shallow, wide; teeth shallow, narrow. Flowers self-sterile or partly fertile, open late; stamens upright.
Fruit mid-season, ships well and keeps into the winter. Clusters large, blunt at the ends, usually not shouldered, with many abortive fruits; pedicel long, slender, smooth; brush long, green. Berries large, oval, dull green changing to a faint yellow with thin bloom; skin thick, tough, unpigmented; flesh pale green, tender, soft, vinous, sweet at skin but tart at center; fair to good. Seeds of medium size and length.
Goethe
(Vinifera, Labrusca)