Massasoit is distinguished as the earliest of Rogers' hybrids, ripening with Delaware. The grapes have the peculiarity of being best before full maturity, developing, after ripening, a degree of foxiness which impairs the quality. In shape and size of berry and bunch, there is a striking resemblance to Isabella, but the color is that of Catawba. The texture of the fruit is especially good, firm but tender and juicy, while the flavor is rich and sweet. The vine is vigorous, hardy and productive but subject to mildew and rot. Massasoit is worth a place in the home vineyard and as an early grape of fine quality for local markets. Vine very vigorous, hardy, very productive, subject to rot and mildew. Canes long, thick, dark brown with reddish tinge; nodes enlarged, flattened; tendrils continuous, long, trifid or bifid. Leaves variable in size; upper surface light green, dull, smooth; lower surface pale green, pubescent; lobes three to five with terminus acute; petiolar sinus deep, narrow; basal sinus shallow, narrow, obscure; teeth shallow. Flowers self-sterile, open late; stamens reflexed. Fruit early, keeps well. Clusters variable in size, broad, cylindrical, frequently single-shouldered; pedicel slender with a few indistinct warts; brush pale green. Berries large, round-oval, dark brownish-red, dull with thin bloom, very persistent, firm; skin thin, tender, adherent, astringent; flesh pale green, translucent, juicy, fine-grained, soft, stringy, foxy; good to very good. Seeds adherent, one to five, large, broad, distinctly notched, plump, blunt. MAXATAWNEY (Labrusca, Vinifera) While at one time very popular, grape-growers now seldom hear of Maxatawney. It is a southern grape, ripening its fruit in the North only occasionally. The variety is interesting historically as being the first good green grape and as showing unmistakable Vinifera characters, another example of the fortuitous hybridization which gave so many valuable varieties before artificial hybridization of Vinifera with native grapes had been tried. In 1843, a man living in Eagleville, Pennsylvania, received several bunches of grapes from Maxatawney. The seeds of these grapes were planted and one grew, the resulting plant being the original vine of Maxatawney. Vine vigorous, doubtfully hardy, variable in productiveness. Canes medium in length, slender, reddish; nodes enlarged, flattened; internodes short; tendrils continuous, bifid. Leaves large, dark green, thick; lower surface grayish-white with tinge of bronze, heavily pubescent; lobes three to five; petiolar sinus narrow; teeth shallow. Flowers self-sterile, open in mid-season; stamens upright.