The grapes of New York

by U. P. Hedrick

In 1843, a man living in Eagleville, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, received several bunches of grapes from a friend in Maxatawney, Berks County, Pennsylvania. The seeds of these grapes were planted and the following spring one seed grew. This was the original vine of what was later named Maxatawney. It attracted no more than local attention until about 1860 when, through the efforts of Peter Crans of Philadelphia, it received several favorable notices in the horticultural press and cuttings were disseminated for testing. The man who had originated the variety, for fear of being besieged by amateur grape cultivators, never allowed his name to become known. Maxatawney was placed on the American Pomological Society list of sorts recommended for cultivation in 1862, but was dropped in 1897. From the first it has been recognized that Maxatawney shows Vinifera blood. Some have even gone so far as to say that it is a derivative, in part, from Malaga. It does not appear, however, that such preciseness is justified. The vine shows the continuous tendrils and the thick, pubescent leaf of Labrusca. In the lobing of the leaves, the susceptibility to mildew, the oval berries, the vinous flavor, and the appearance of occasional seeds, one can detect the characters of Vinifera.

Vine medium to vigorous, not always hardy, variable in productiveness. Canes medium to above in length, of average number, slender to medium; tendrils continuous, bifid. Leaves medium to large, dark green, thick; lower surface grayish-white with tinge of bronze, heavily pubescent. Flowers sterile or nearly so, some blossoms imperfectly self-fertile, open in mid-season; stamens upright. Fruit ripens after Concord, in some seasons fully as late as Catawba, keeps fairly well. Clusters small to above medium, often short and slender, cylindrical, occasionally with a small single shoulder, rather open to fairly compact. Berries variable in size, oval, not uniform in color, pale red or dull greenish with amber tinge, covered with thin gray bloom, persistent. Skin medium in thickness, often very tough, astringent. Flesh slightly tender, foxy, sweet at skin to tart at center, good to very good in quality. Seeds few, separate easily from the pulp, large, of medium length, very broad, blunt. Must 76°.

MERRIMAC.
(Labrusca, Vinifera.)

1. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1860:86. 2. Gar. Mon., 6:23, 140, 276, 277. fig. 1864. 3. Mass. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1865:40. 4. N. Y. Ag. Soc. Rpt., 1865:339. fig. 5. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1867:44. 6. Fuller, 1867:229, 230. 7. Horticulturist, 24:126. 1869. 8. Am. Jour. Hort., 5:263. 1869. 9. Grape Cult., 1:181, 239, 327. 1869. 10. Mich. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1875:397. fig. 11. Bush. Cat., 1883:121. 12. Mich. Sta. Bul., 7:133. 1885. 13. Ark. Sta. Bul., 39:32. 1896. 14. Tenn. Sta. Bul., Vol. 9:184. 1896. 15. Tex. Sta. Bul., 48:1150, 1159. 1898. 16. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 17:533. 541, 544, 548, 556. 1898.

Rogers’ No. 19 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6). Rogers’ No. 19 (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13).

Merrimac is accredited by some grape-growers as the best black grape among Rogers’ hybrids, but an analysis of the characters of the several black varieties produced by Rogers seems to show that it is surpassed at least by Wilder and Herbert and possibly by Barry. The attributes of Merrimac are so nearly those given for the several others of these grapes hitherto described, that there need be no general discussion of it here other than to state its chief points of difference. It is stronger in growth, slightly more productive, possibly hardier, and more exempt from fungal diseases than the average of Rogers’ hybrids. Its season is about that of Concord, a little earlier than that of most of its kindred hybrids. It is not as high in quality, and its flesh, skin and seed characters are such that it is not as pleasant to eat as the black varieties named above. Merrimac is worthy a place in collections and in the gardens for the sake of variety.

For a full account of the parentage and details of the origin of the variety see “Rogers’ Hybrids.” Merrimac was first known as No. 19, and was considered by those to whom Rogers sent his grapes of peculiar excellence, and was granted a premium by the Essex Agricultural Society in 1859. In 1867, Merrimac, with five others of Rogers’ numbered varieties, was placed on the grape list of the American Pomological Society fruit catalog, where it is still retained. In 1869, Rogers gave this variety the name Merrimac after the historic New England river.

Vine vigorous, usually hardy but subject to injury in severe seasons, moderately productive to productive. Canes intermediate in length and number, medium to slender, dark brown, surface slightly roughened; nodes somewhat enlarged, usually flattened; internodes medium to short; diaphragm thick; pith of average thickness; shoots nearly glabrous; tendrils intermittent, short, bifid.

Leaf-buds intermediate in size, short to medium, thick, obtuse to conical, open in mid-season. Young leaves tinged on lower side and along margin of upper side with rose-carmine. Leaves large to medium, thin; upper surface very light green, glossy, nearly smooth; lower surface pale green, slightly pubescent and cobwebby; veins distinct; lobes usually three with terminal lobe obtuse; petiolar sinus medium to deep, narrow, sometimes closed and overlapping; basal sinus usually lacking; lateral sinus shallow, narrow; teeth shallow to medium, of average width. Flowers sterile, open in mid-season; stamens reflexed.