1. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1862:148, 152. 2. Horticulturist, 18:99. 1863. 3. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1867:44. 4. Horticulturist, 24:126. 1869. 5. Grape Cult., 1:180, 326. 1869. 6. Ind. Sta. Bul., 33:34. 1890. 7. Gar. and For., 3:214, 255, 490. 1890. 8. Kan. Sta. Bul., 28:164. 1891. 9. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 10:497. 1891. 10. Bush. Cat., 1894:154. 11. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 17:533, 548, 555. 1898.
Rogers’ No. 3 (1, 2, 3). Rogers’ No. 3 (4, 5, 6, 10).
Massasoit is distinguished as being the earliest of Rogers’ hybrids though it is not, as some viticulturists say, as early as Hartford, ripening rather with Delaware or a little later. It has the peculiarity or defect of being at its best before full maturity, and of developing after ripening a degree of foxiness which impairs its quality. In shape and size of berry, and sometimes in bunch, there is a striking resemblance to Isabella, another suggestion of Vinifera in the latter sort, but the color is that of Catawba. The texture of the fruit is especially good, firm but tender and juicy, while the flavor, as with all of Rogers’ grapes, is rich and sweet, though in the case of Massasoit, hardly as good as others of these hybrids. The vine is vigorous, hardy and productive but very subject to mildew and rot. Massasoit is well worth a place in the home vineyard, and as an early grape, of fine quality for the local market.
For an account of the early history and parentage of Massasoit the reader is referred to Rogers’ Hybrids. The variety attracted considerable attention even while it was known only as Rogers’ No. 3 and was placed on the American Pomological Society’s list of recommended sorts as early as 1867. In 1869 it was named by Rogers after Massasoit, the Indian chief who was so intimately connected with the early history of Massachusetts.
Vine vigorous to very vigorous, hardy in all but unusually cold winters, often very productive, very subject to rot and mildew. Canes long, intermediate in number, thick, inclined to dark brown with slight reddish tinge; nodes enlarged, flattened; internodes long to medium; diaphragm of average thickness; pith large; shoots thinly pubescent; tendrils continuous, long, trifid to bifid.
Leaf-buds large to medium, long, unusually thick, obtuse to conical, heavily coated with brownish pubescence. Young leaves tinged on upper and under sides with rose-carmine. Leaves variable in size, medium to thin, upper surface light green, dull, smooth to medium; lower surface pale green, slightly pubescent; veins well defined; lobes three to sometimes obscurely five with terminus acute; petiolar sinus deep, narrow to medium; basal sinus shallow, narrow, often obscure; teeth very shallow, of average width. Flowers sterile, open moderately late; stamens reflexed.
Fruit ripens about with Delaware, keeps well. Clusters variable in size, of medium length, often rather broad, cylindrical to tapering, frequently single-shouldered, variable in compactness; peduncle short to medium, thick; pedicel of average length, slender to medium, covered with few, indistinct warts, enlarged at point of attachment to fruit; brush of fair length, pale green. Berries large to medium, roundish to oval, dark brownish-red, dull, covered with lilac bloom, very persistent, moderately firm. Skin thin, tender, adheres considerably to the pulp, contains no pigment, astringent. Flesh pale green, translucent, juicy, fine-grained, somewhat soft, stringy, foxy, sweet next the skin but acid at center, good to very good in quality, somewhat resembling Salem. Seeds slightly adherent, one to five, average three, large to medium, somewhat broad, distinctly notched, above medium in length, plump, blunt; raphe buried in a deep, broad groove; chalaza small, slightly above center, circular to nearly oval, often showing only as a depression.
MAXATAWNEY.
(Labrusca, Vinifera.)
1. Horticulturist, 15:134, 191, 538. 1860. 2. Gar. Mon., 3:341. 1861. col. pl. 3. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1862:135, 152. 4. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1862:90. 5. Grape Cult., 1:10, 42, 141, 149, 296, 368. 1869. 6. Ib., 2:76, 85, fig., 86, 297. 1870. 7. Bush Cat., 1883:120, 121. fig. 8. Ala. Sta. Bul., 10:11. 1890. 9. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 11:630. 1892. 10. Tenn. Sta. Bul., Vol. 9:184. 1896. 11. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 17:533, 548, 556. 1898.
At one time very popular, grape-growers now seldom hear of Maxatawney. At best it is not a northern grape, ripening its fruit in New York only occasionally, and is much subject to fungal diseases. It is an interesting variety historically as being one of the first good green grapes and as showing almost unmistakable Vinifera characters, probably another example of the fortuitous hybridization which gave us so many valuable varieties before artificial hybridization of Vinifera with native grapes had been tried.