Requa
(Labrusca, Vinifera)
This is one of Rogers' hybrids which equals other grapes of its color and season. The grapes are attractive in cluster and berry and are of very good quality but are subject to rot and ripen too late for northern regions. The variety was named Requa in 1869, it having been previously known as No. 28.
Vine vigorous, hardy except in severe winters, medium in productiveness. Canes long, thick; tendrils continuous or intermittent, trifid or bifid. Leaves medium in size, dark green, often thick and rugose; lower surface grayish-green, pubescent. Flowers semi-fertile, late; stamens reflexed.
Fruit late, keeps long. Clusters large, cylindrical, often with a long, single shoulder, compact. Berries large, oval, dark, dull red covered with thin bloom, strongly adherent; skin thin, tough, adherent; flesh pale green, tender, stringy, vinous, foxy, sweet; good to very good. Seeds adherent, medium in size and length, broad, blunt.
Rochester
(Labrusca, Vinifera)
The fruit of Rochester is a large-clustered red grape, handsome and very good in quality. The vine is a strong grower, productive and free from diseases. The variety is difficult to propagate and, therefore, not in favor with nurserymen. The grapes are sweet, rich and vinous but should be used as soon as ripe, as they do not keep well and the berries quickly shatter from the bunch. As an attractive early red grape, Rochester is worth a place in the garden and in favored locations for a special market. Ellwanger and Barry, Rochester, New York, in 1867 grew Rochester from mixed seed of Delaware, Diana, Concord and Rebecca.
Vine vigorous, hardy, productive. Canes long, dark reddish-brown; nodes enlarged, flattened; internodes short; tendrils intermittent, long, bifid or trifid. Leaves large; upper surface light green, glossy, smooth; lower surface grayish-green, pubescent; lobes one to three with terminus acute; petiolar sinus deep; basal sinus absent; lateral sinus shallow; teeth shallow. Flowers fertile, mid-season; stamens upright.
Fruit does not keep well. Clusters large, broad, tapering, usually single-shouldered, compact; pedicel short, slender with few warts; brush slender, yellowish-brown. Berries medium, oval, purplish-red, dull with thin, lilac bloom, drop from the pedicel, soft; skin thick, tough, inclined to crack, free, without pigment, astringent; flesh pale green, transparent, juicy, tender, fine-grained, vinous, sweet; good to very good. Seeds free, one to three, large, short, broad, dark brown.