Rogers’ No. 14 (1). Rogers’ No. 14 (2, 3, 4, 5).
When at its best Gaertner is probably surpassed in appearance and in quality by no other one of Rogers’ hybrids. Fruit and clusters are large and handsomely colored making a showy grape which attracts attention wherever shown and which sells in fancy fruit stores at the highest price. The plant is vigorous, productive, and as hardy as any of the primary hybrids between Labrusca and Vinifera. In view of its good qualities Gaertner has not received the attention it deserves from either the amateur or the commercial grape-grower, probably because it is more capricious as to soils than some others of its related hybrids and that to have it in perfection it must have the very best care. As a market grape it has the faults of ripening somewhat unevenly and of shipping rather poorly because of a thin tender skin. As with nearly all of the hybrids of its kind it keeps well and this, with the desirable qualities above noted, makes it a splendid grape for the home vineyard where in favorable situations it may be expected to bear annual crops of most excellent grapes. Gaertner is often compared with Massasoit, the two varieties being very similar in fruit characters, but Gaertner is of distinctly better quality than Massasoit.
Gaertner was originated by E. S. Rogers of Salem, Massachusetts, and the early history of the variety will be found under “Rogers’ Hybrids.” It was first mentioned separately from the other seedlings of Rogers about 1865 under the name Rogers’ No. 14. In 1869, at the request of the Lake Shore Grape Association, Rogers gave names to certain of his productions which had previously been known by numbers only. One of the varieties then named was Gaertner, in honor of the German botanist of this name. It has never been as popular as some of the other Rogers’ hybrids and is to-day offered for sale by but few nurserymen.
Vine medium to vigorous, usually hardy except in severe winters, produces fair to good crops. Canes rather long; intermediate in number, medium to below in size, vary in color from dark reddish-brown to ash-gray tinge, surface covered with thin blue bloom; tendrils continuous, bifid to trifid. Leaves medium to above in size, often rather roundish; upper surface moderately dark green, intermediate in thickness; lower surface pale green, pubescent; veins distinct. Flowers sterile, open moderately late; stamens reflexed.
Fruit ripens about with Concord, matures unevenly, keeps only fairly well. Clusters above medium to medium in size, short to medium, cylindrical to slightly tapering, usually with a fair-sized single shoulder but sometimes double-shouldered, rather loose, with many abortive fruits. Berries large to below medium, roundish to sometimes slightly oval, light to dark red, rather glossy, covered with a moderate amount of lilac bloom, persistent, intermediate in firmness. Skin medium to thin, inclined to tender, contains no pigment. Flesh very pale green, juicy, fine-grained, somewhat tough, slightly stringy, agreeably vinous, sweet at skin to tart at center, good to very good in quality. Seeds separate from the pulp rather easily, large to above medium, intermediate in length, broad to medium, distinctly notched, sometimes with a very short enlarged neck, brownish; raphe obscured in a deep groove; chalaza of average size, above center to nearly central, oval to roundish, somewhat obscure.
GENEVA.
(Vinifera, Labrusca.)
1. An. Hort., 1889:101. 2. Rural N. Y., 48:49, 50, fig., 165. 1889. 3. W. N. Y. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 35:180. 1890. 4. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 9:330. 1890. 5. Rural N. Y., 50:691. 1891. 6. Ib., 51:607, 655. 1892. 7. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 11:623. 1892. 8. Rural N. Y., 52:71, 122, 655. 1893. 9. Bush. Cat., 1894:128. 10. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 17:530, 548, 555. 1898. 11. Mich. Sta. Bul., 169:170. 1899.
Jacob Moore’s Geneva is another secondary hybrid between Labrusca and Vinifera in which the Labrusca blood predominates. In quality it is somewhat below any of the other grapes put out by Moore and is surpassed by so many other grapes of its season that it has never become popular though it has much to recommend it. Thus it is vigorous, though not quite hardy, only fairly productive, with ample foliage which is very healthy. The berries and clusters are attractive. The color is more nearly transparent than any other of our grapes and there is so little bloom that the grapes are a beautiful lustrous green often becoming iridescent in sunlight. It is pure in flavor but somewhat insipid. The berries cling well to the stem and the fruit keeps exceptionally well.
Geneva was originated by Jacob Moore, Brighton, Monroe County, New York, from seed planted in 1874 of a hybrid vine fertilized by Iona. The maternal vine was from seed of a wild Labrusca fertilized with Muscat Alexandria. The variety was introduced by the R. G. Chase Company, of Geneva. It is still quite commonly found in varietal vineyards and is listed by a few grape nurserymen. Geneva seems to have succeeded somewhat better to the south of New York and is notably better in quality when grown in lower latitudes.
Vine moderately vigorous to vigorous, not very hardy, healthy, produces smaller crops than Concord. Canes intermediate in length and number, covered with slight blue bloom; tendrils intermittent to continuous, bifid to trifid. Leaves medium in size, light green; lower surface grayish-white, pubescent. Flowers nearly sterile to partly fertile, open medium late; stamens upright. Fruit ripens soon after Niagara, ships well and keeps into the winter. Clusters medium to above in size, of average width, often blunt at ends, usually not shouldered, intermediate in compactness, with many abortive fruits. Berries medium to large, slightly oval or obovate, dull green changing to a faint yellow tinge, covered with thin gray bloom. Flesh pale green, tender and soft, vinous, nearly sweet at skin to tart at center, fair to good in quality but not equal to some other white grapes of the same season. Seeds intermediate in size and length.