ROMMEL.
(Labrusca, Riparia, Vinifera.)
1. An. Hort., 1889:101. 2. Ia. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:117. 3. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 13:606. 1894. 4. Bush. Cat., 1894:174. fig. 5. Husmann, 1895:125. 6. Kan. Sta. Bul., 73:182. 1897. 7. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 17:535, 548, 556. 1898. 8. Tex. Sta. Bul., 48:1151, 1162. 1898. fig. 9. Mo. Sta. Bul., 46:41, 42, 44, 45, 53, 76. 1899. 10. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1899:31. 11. Tex. Sta. Bul., 56:271, 280. 1900.
Rommel is rarely found under cultivation in New York, lacking somewhat in robustness, hardiness and productiveness, and being very susceptible to the leaf-hopper. The variety comes from Munson of Denison, Texas, and is seemingly too far removed from the warm climate in which it originated to be profitable in New York. Besides the defects named above, it does not attain its natural high quality in this latitude and the grapes crack badly as they ripen. The bunch and berry are attractive in form, size and color as shown in the color-plate, though the illustration does not do justice to the size of the bunch, the season of 1908, in which the fruit was produced, having been cold and wet and therefore very unfavorable to this variety. At its best, Rommel is a very good table grape and the authorities say makes a very fine white wine. The variety is of interest to the student of grapes from the standpoint of its breeding, having very largely the vine characters of its maternal parent, Elvira, with somewhat better fruit. The name commemorates the service to viticulture of Jacob Rommel of Morrison, Missouri.
T. V. Munson originated Rommel in 1885 and introduced it in 1889. The parents are Elvira pollinated by Triumph. Rommel was placed on the grape list of the American Pomological Society fruit catalog in 1899.
Vine medium to vigorous, not always hardy, medium to productive, susceptible to injury by leaf-hoppers. Canes medium to long, moderately numerous, thick to medium, light to dark reddish-brown, surface somewhat rough; nodes enlarged, often flattened; internodes medium to short; diaphragm thick or nearly so; pith medium to large; shoots slightly glabrous; tendrils intermittent, medium to long, bifid to trifid.
Leaf-buds intermediate in size and thickness, short to medium, prominent, obtuse to conical, open very late. Young leaves tinged on under side and along margin of upper side with light rose-carmine. Leaves medium to above in size, roundish, thick; upper surface light green, dull, rugose; lower surface pale green, nearly free from pubescence but slightly hairy; leaf usually not lobed with terminus acute to acuminate; petiolar sinus medium to deep, narrow, often closed and overlapping; basal sinus lacking; lateral sinus very shallow when present; teeth medium to deep, of average width. Flowers semi-fertile, open moderately late; stamens upright.