To Lindley, less productive than several others of its class, but when cross-fertilized usually bearing a crop of excellent grapes, is due much of the popularity of Rogers’ hybrids. By common consent it is the best of the red grapes originated by Rogers in his crosses between Labrusca and Vinifera. Unfortunately the color-plate does not do the variety justice. Both berry and bunch should be shown a little larger, even for average-sized specimens.
When well grown Lindley is a very handsome grape. The bunches are of only medium size and are somewhat loose but the berries are well-formed, of uniform size, and of an attractive dark red color. The flesh is firm, fine-grained, juicy and tender without pulpiness and with a peculiarly rich aromatic flavor. The skin is thick and rather tough but is not objectionable in fully ripe fruit. The fruit keeps well and ships well and the berries neither crack nor shatter. The vine is vigorous, comparatively hardy for a Vinifera hybrid, fairly healthy, but as with most of its kind, susceptible to mildew. The chief defects of Lindley are its self-sterility and precariousness in bearing, and its lack of adaptation to many soils. Lindley has long been a favorite grape in the garden and should continue to be such, and might well be grown in commercial plantations as a fancy product.
For an account of the origin and parentage of Lindley see “Rogers’ Hybrids.” Rogers’ No. 9, or Lindley, is first mentioned separately from the others of Rogers’ hybrids about 1862. In 1869 Rogers gave this grape the name Lindley in honor of John Lindley, the English botanist. The variety has been used by a number of breeders, Munson in particular, as a parent for improved pure-bred or cross-bred offspring. Lindley was placed on the American Pomological Society fruit catalog list in 1867 and has not been removed.
Vine vigorous to rank, usually hardy but sometimes injured in exposed locations, not a heavy yielder, somewhat susceptible to mildew, often subject to attacks of leaf-hoppers. Canes very long, intermediate in number, of medium thickness, dark reddish-brown, covered with thin blue bloom; nodes enlarged, usually flattened; internodes medium to long, thick; pith of medium size; shoots pubescent; tendrils continuous, medium to long, bifid to trifid.
Leaf-buds large, of average length, above medium in thickness, obtuse to conical, open in mid-season. Young leaves heavily tinged on upper and under sides with mahogany-red. Leaves medium to large, thickish; upper surface light green, dull, slightly rugose; lower surface grayish-white, pubescent; obscurely three-lobed with terminus acute; petiolar sinus deep, narrow, often closed and overlapping; teeth shallow, intermediate in width. Flowers sterile, open in mid-season; stamens reflexed.