THE GRAPES OF NEW YORK. 273 



wherever shown and which sells in fancy fruit stores at the highest price. 

 The plant is vigorous, productive, and as hardy as any of the primary 

 hybrids between Labrusca and Vinifera. In view of its good qualities 

 Gaertner has not received the attention it deserves from either the amateur 

 or the commercial grape-grower, probably because it is more capricious as 

 to soils than some others of its related hybrids and that to have it in per- 

 fection it must have the very best care. As a market grape it has the 

 faults of ripening somewhat unevenly and of shipping rather poorly because 

 of a thin tender skin. As with nearly all of the hybrids of its kind it keeps 

 well and this, with the desirable qualities above noted, makes it a splendid 

 grape for the home vineyard where in favorable situations it may be expected 

 to bear annual crops of most excellent grapes. Gaertner is often compared 

 w-ith Massasoit, the two varieties being very similar in fruit characters, 

 but Gaertner is of distinctly better quality than Massasoit. 



Gaertner was originated by E. S. Rogers of Salem, Massachusetts, 

 and the early history of the variety will be found under " Rogers' Hybrids." 

 It was first mentioned separateh' from the other seedlings of Rogers about 

 1865 vmder the name Rogers' No. 14. In 1869, at the request of the Lake 

 Shore Grape Association, Rogers gave names to certain of his productions 

 which had previously been known by numbers only. One of the varieties 

 then named was Gaertner, in honor of the German botanist of this name. 

 It has never been as popular as some of the other Rogers' hybrids and is 

 to-day offered for sale by but few nurserymen. 



Vine medium to vigorous, usually hardy except in severe winters, produces fair 

 to good crops. Canes rather long; intermediate in number, medium to below in size, 

 vary in color from dark reddish-brown to ash-gray tinge, surface covered with thin 

 blue bloom; tendrils continuous, bifid to trifid. Leaves mediimi to above in size, often 

 rather roundish; upper surface moderately dark green, intermediate in thickness; lower 

 surface pale green, pubescent; veins distinct. Flowers sterile, open moderately late; 

 stamens reflexed. 



Fruit ripens about with Concord, matures unevenly, keeps only fairly well. Clusters 

 above medium to medium in size, short to medium, cylindrical to slightly tapering, 

 usually with a fair-sized single shoulder but sometimes double-shouldered, rather loose, 

 with many abortive fmits. Berries large to below medium, roundish to sometimes 

 slightly oval, light to dark red, rather glossy, covered with a moderate amount of lilac 

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