The variety was originated by E. W. Bull of Concord, Massachusetts, from seed of Concord. It was introduced in 1889 by George S. Josselyn of Fredonia, New York.
ROGERS’ HYBRIDS.
1. Mag. Hort., 23:86. 1857. 2. Horticulturist, 13:86, 119. 1858. 3. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1860:35, 85. 4. Ib., 1862:148. 5. U. S. Pat. Off. Rpt., 1864:135, 136, 137. figs. 6. N. Y. Ag. Soc. Rpt., 1865:338. figs. 7. Horticulturist, 20:81. 1865. 8. Strong, 1866:31, 339. 9. Mead, 1867:204. 10. Fuller, 1867:228, 246. 10. Rec. of Hort., 1868:46. 11. Horticulturist, 24:126. 1869. 12. Grape Cult., 1:153, 193, fig., 194, 262. 1869. 13. Am. Jour. Hort., 5:261. 1869. 14. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1875:39. 15. Bush. Cat., 1894:173. fig. 16. Meehan’s Mon., 9:94. 1899. 17. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1901:166.
The forty-five seedlings known as Rogers’ Hybrids were originated by Edward S. Rogers of Salem, Massachusetts.[209] Rogers states that the suggestion which started him in this work was an article by Dr. Lindley of the University of London, originally printed in the London Horticulturist and reprinted in Downing’s Horticulturist for September, 1847. This article, which is entitled “Remarks on Hybridizing Plants,” is a general discussion of the results of this practice so far as they were then known.
The female parent used by Rogers was a four or five year old, large-fruited Labrusca known locally as Carter or Mammoth Globe, and very similar to, but not identical with Sage. The pollen for fertilizing the blossoms of this vine was secured from vines of Black Hamburg and White Chasselas growing in a cold grapery near by. In the summer of 1851, clusters of the Carter were fertilized with pollen from the Vinifera vines both at the time of emasculation and later, and small cotton bags were tied on the blossoms to prevent the interference of foreign pollen. In addition to the repeated applications of pollen to the stigmas, Rogers placed clusters of blossoms of the Vinifera sorts in the enclosing sacks. As a result of these pollinations, he secured about one hundred and fifty seeds which were planted in the garden that fall. In the spring of 1852 practically every seed germinated, but cut worms and other accidents reduced the number to forty-five which finally fruited. These were left to grow on poles where they were originally planted for three years, when, because of crowding, twenty-five of them were removed to another part of the garden. The untransplanted vines began to bear fruit in 1856 and the transplanted ones a few years later. The seedlings were numbered by Rogers from one to forty-five and for a long time they were known under these numbers. Of these, one to five inclusive were of the Carter-Black Hamburg cross; six to fourteen inclusive were of the Carter-White Chasselas cross; and all of the numbers from fifteen to forty-five were of Hamburg parentage. As will be noted under Salem, this was later given a number higher than forty-five, owing to the confusion of the sort with some other after being sent out. With this exception, the original crosses were all included in these numbers. In 1858 and 1859, Rogers sent many of these varieties, under the original numbers, to various people for testing. He was compelled to do this, owing to lack of room in the half acre which comprised the Rogers’ garden, to properly test the sorts himself. Of this garden Marshall P. Wilder says: “It is 150 years old; a cold matted soil, filled with old apple and pear trees, currant bushes, flax, and everything mingled in together. It is in a close, hived up place in the city of Salem, and it is a wonder that he ever had a bunch of grapes to show.”
Unfortunately, this dissemination led to the confusion of some of the numbers, a confusion which has never been satisfactorily straightened out.
In 1867, No. 22, or 53, was given the name Salem. Two years later at the earnest request of a committee from the Lake Shore Grape Growers’ Association, Rogers gave names to several of his hybrids, as listed below. He stated that the names selected were either those of persons noted for scientific or literary attainments, or else of counties and towns in Massachusetts. There was some criticism at the time from those who thought there were other numbers as well deserving of names as those which were so distinguished. And it must be admitted that the vines of this collection are remarkably equal in their possession of good and bad characters. About 1870, Bush of Bushberg, Missouri, received three sorts as Rogers’ No. 39. One of these which was particularly promising, he, with Rogers’ consent, named Aminia. None of the others has ever been named, although several of them are still cultivated to a minor extent. The named varieties, with the corresponding numbers, are as follows: 1. Goethe. 3. Massasoit. 4. Wilder. 9. Lindley. 14. Gaertner. 15. Agawam. 19. Merrimac. 28. Requa. 39. Aminia. 41. Essex. 43. Barry. 44. Herbert. 53 or 22. Salem (but not the Salem now known).
For some years, many grape-growers believed that these hybrids were nothing more than seedlings of the wild Labrusca mother but it was soon generally accepted that they were genuine hybrids. To those who are familiar with Rogers’ work, this was evident from the first, as the Carter or Mammoth Globe is a self-sterile sort, and the sacks enclosing the blossoms would prevent the introduction of other pollen than that intentionally placed on the stigmas by Rogers himself. A. D. Rogers, a brother of E. S. Rogers, in a communication to the Horticulturist, in 1858, says that “many of these seedlings had upright stamens,” but of the ones which were later named, Agawam alone is thus characterized. This is important in considering the value of these varieties, as no variety has ever become popular as a market sort which is self-sterile.
Rogers’ Hybrids are unique in that the standard of excellence was so high in all of the forty-five seedlings produced. Some have credited this to the manner in which he did his work and in particular to the excess of pollen applied to the stigmas; others consider it more likely due to his choice of parent vines. Unfortunately the evidence bearing on this point is not sufficient to form definite conclusions.
After the production of the seedlings mentioned above Rogers continued the work, recrossing the varieties already produced with various Vinifera varieties. None of these ever showed sufficient promise to be introduced.