Vine vigorous to very vigorous. Canes rather long and strong, bright green, with more or less purple, with considerable bluish-white bloom; internodes short; tendrils intermittent, of medium size, bifid or trifid. Leaves large, roundish, sometimes entire, or three- to seven-lobed, nearly glabrous above and below; upper surface clear green; lower surface lighter green, slightly glaucous; veins prominent and covered with rather abundant hair. Flowers self-fertile. Fruit ripens very late. Clusters large, long, tapering to cylindrical, prominently shouldered, compact; peduncle long and strong; pedicels somewhat short with few rather large warts; brush pinkish. Berries round, below medium in size, uniform, reddish-black or brown with abundant blue bloom. Skin thin, rather tough, with considerable pigment below. Flesh tender, very juicy; juice colorless or slightly pink; rather sweet, sprightly to slightly acid. Seeds two to four, usually two, small, reddish-brown, slightly glossy; chalaza round, prominent; raphe distinct.
HERBERT.
(Labrusca, Vinifera.)
1. Mag. Hort., 31:106. 1865. 2. Horticulturist, 24:126. 1869. 3. Grape Cult., 1:180, 182. 1869. 4. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1869:42. 5. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1881:32, 43, 121, 123, 136. 6. Bush. Cat., 1883:109. 7. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 11:625. 1892. 8. Ill. Sta. Bul., 28:260. 1893. 9. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 17:531, 548, 549, 555. 1898.
Rogers’ No. 44 (1). Rogers’ No. 44 (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7).
Although Rogers’ hybrids have not made a great impression upon the commercial grape culture of the country, all will agree that they are hardly surpassed for the home vineyard and, among them, at least none of the black varieties is superior for this purpose to Herbert. Barry equals it and possibly surpasses it to the taste of most grape connoisseurs in delicacy of flavor but Herbert is the handsomer fruit, is a little earlier and if anything its vine characters are somewhat better. When at its best, Herbert, and Barry too, nearly equal Black Hamburg in the characters that constitute high quality. They lack the richness of the Old World variety but they are more sprightly and refreshing and do not cloy the appetite as does the Vinifera variety. In all that constitutes a fine table grape Herbert is about as near perfection as we have yet reached in the evolution of American grapes. As is the case with most black grapes the fruit colors long before it is ripe and when thus picked there is an astringency in its taste that wholly disappears when the fruit is fully ripe. For a Vinifera-Labrusca hybrid the Herbert is vigorous, hardy and fruitful ranking in these respects above many pure-bred Labruscas. While the fruit ripens with Concord it keeps long after and is a very good winter grape. It keeps, packs and ships well. It is unable to fertilize itself and must be set near other varieties. Herbert is well deserving attention from commercial growers who supply a discriminating market and its many good qualities will give it a high place in the esteem of grape connoisseurs.
For an account of the origin and early history of Herbert the reader is referred to “Rogers’ Hybrids.” The Herbert is first mentioned separately from the rest of Rogers’ seedlings in 1865, under the designation Rogers’ No. 44. In 1869 Rogers gave names to several of his seedlings and the Rogers’ No. 44 received the name Herbert. The same year it was placed on the grape list of the American Pomological Society fruit catalog. It has never been cultivated extensively but has always been a favorite with amateur growers. The differences in the descriptions furnished by different growers leads one to suspect that there are two or more varieties passing under this name.
Vine medium to very vigorous, injured in severe winters, productive. Canes very long, numerous, unusually thick, dark brown; nodes enlarged, somewhat flattened; internodes long to medium; diaphragm thick; pith medium to large; shoots pubescent; tendrils intermittent, long, bifid to trifid.
Leaf-buds above medium in size, shortish, plump, obtuse, open early. Young leaves strongly tinged on under side and along margin of upper side with bright carmine. Leaves very large to medium, roundish, of average thickness; upper surface dark green, dull, smooth; lower surface pale green with some pubescence; veins numerous and quite prominent; leaf not lobed, with terminus obtuse; petiolar sinus very deep, narrow, closed and overlapping; basal and lateral sinuses lacking; teeth shallow to medium. Flowers sterile, open in mid-season; stamens reflexed.
