The grapes of New York

by U. P. Hedrick

Vine medium to very vigorous, hardy, variable in productiveness, susceptible to attacks of fungi under unfavorable conditions. Canes intermediate in length, rather numerous, inclined to slender; tendrils continuous to intermittent, bifid to trifid. Leaves above average size, intermediate in color and thickness; lower surface pale green, often with considerable pubescence, slightly cobwebby. Flowers partly sterile, open early; stamens upright. Fruit ripens about a week before Delaware, keeps well. Clusters variable in size, intermediate in length, slender, frequently single-shouldered, variable in compactness. Berries medium to small, oval to roundish, light green, sometimes with a yellow tinge, covered with thin gray bloom, persistent. Skin sprinkled with reddish-brown dots, thin, tender, without astringency. Flesh pale green, fine-grained, tough, sweet at skin to agreeably tart at center, somewhat sprightly, good to best in quality. Seeds not numerous, medium to small, sharp-pointed.

WILDER.
(Labrusca, Vinifera.)

1. Mass. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1861:68. 2. Horticulturist, 18:98. 1863. 3. Ib., 21:325. 1866. fig. 4. Mead, 1867:205, 207. 5. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1867:44. 6. Horticulturist, 24:126. 1869. 7. Grape Cult., 1:181. 1869. 8. Ib., 2:29, fig., 30. 1870. 9. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1881:40, 42, 123, 138, 153, 162, 168. 10. Ill. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1883:81. 11. Bush. Cat., 1894:187, fig., 188. 12. Va. Sta. Bul., 94:136. 1898. 13. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 17:537, 548, 553. 1898. 14. Mo. Sta. Bul., 46:41, 43, 44, 46, 64, fig. 1899. 15. Ala. Sta. Bul., 110:70, 89. 1900. 16. Kan. Sta. Bul., 110:243. 1902.

Rogers’ No. 4 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5). Rogers’ No. 4 (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 15).

The accompanying color-plate scarcely does Wilder justice as to size of bunch and berry but were the illustration somewhat enlarged it would be very typical of the variety. The berries when fully ripe are quite similar in size and color to Black Hamburg but the bunches have fewer berries than the European parent and the quality, as would be expected, is not so good, falling short chiefly in flesh characters. While Wilder is surpassed in quality, and, as usually grown, in appearance by other of Rogers’ hybrids, it is one of the most reliable of all of them for vineyard culture, the vines being vigorous, hardy, fairly productive, and, though somewhat susceptible to mildew, as healthy as any of the hybrids of Labrusca and Vinifera. Wilder is not as well known in the markets as it should be, and now that fungal diseases can be controlled by spraying, this, with other such hybrids, should be more generally planted in commercial vineyards and especially for local and special markets. The wine from this, and for that matter from any of Rogers’ grapes, is not of quality such as recommends it and neither are the grapes suitable for grape juice. Surplus fruit would often, therefore, be a loss in large plantations.

Wilder is one of the forty-five Labrusca-Vinifera hybrids raised by E. S. Rogers of Salem, Massachusetts. For an account of its origin and parentage, see Rogers’ Hybrids. The first notes as to the qualities of this variety were published in 1858. The variety was placed on the American Pomological Society list of recommended sorts in 1867 and has never been removed. In 1869, Rogers expressing a desire to name one of his seedlings after Marshall P. Wilder, Mr. Wilder selected this one as in his estimation the best of all Rogers’ hybrids and it was given his name.

Vine medium to very vigorous, hardy, productive, somewhat susceptible to attacks of mildew. Canes long, moderately numerous, often below average thickness, ash-gray to dark reddish-brown with darker tinge at the nodes which are usually not flattened; internodes long; diaphragm of average thickness; pith intermediate in size; shoots thinly pubescent; tendrils intermittent, medium in length, bifid to trifid.

Leaf-buds of average size, short, thick, roundly obtuse to conical, open early. Young leaves tinged on lower side and along margin of upper side with rose-carmine. Leaves large, often irregularly roundish, of average thickness; upper surface dark green, glossy, smooth; lower surface pale green, pubescent; veins distinct; usually not lobed with terminus acute to obtuse; petiolar sinus deep, narrow, often closed and overlapping; basal sinus lacking; lateral sinus shallow, narrow, or a mere notch when present. Flowers sterile, open mid-season or earlier; stamens reflexed.

Fruit ripens with Concord or earlier, keeps and ships fairly well. Clusters variable in size but are not large, short and broad, irregularly tapering, heavily single-shouldered, sometimes double-shouldered, loose; peduncle of average length, thick; pedicel long, thick, covered with numerous, prominent warts; brush of fair length, thick, green with tinge of light red. Berries large, slightly oval, purplish-black to black, not glossy, covered with heavy blue bloom, persistent, firm. Skin thick, variable in toughness, adheres somewhat to the pulp, with bright red pigment, astringent. Flesh greenish, translucent, juicy, tender, has some Vinifera sprightliness, sweet at skin to tart at the seeds, good in quality. Seeds adherent to the pulp, one to five, average three, above medium in size, often long, intermediate in breadth, light brown; raphe sometimes shows as a partially submerged cord; chalaza small, above center, oval, distinct.