Vine very vigorous, hardy, very productive. Canes long, dark reddish-brown; nodes enlarged, flattened; internodes long; tendrils continuous, bifid. Leaves large; upper surface light green, glossy, smooth; lower surface grayish-green, p.u.b.escent; lobes one to three, terminus acute; petiolar sinus deep, narrow; basal sinus usually absent; lateral sinus shallow; teeth shallow.

Flowers self-sterile, open in mid-season; stamens reflexed.

Fruit mid-season, keeps well. Cl.u.s.ters very large, broad, tapering, one to three cl.u.s.ters per shoot, compact; brush pale green. Berries very large, round, black, glossy with heavy bloom, firm; skin adherent, astringent; flesh green, translucent, juicy, very tough, coa.r.s.e, stringy, foxy; fair in quality. Seeds adherent, one to five, large, broad, deeply notched, blunt, brown.

HICKS

(Labrusca)

Hicks is a remarkably good grape and were it not that the fruit is almost identical with that of Concord, ripening with it or a little earlier, it would have a place in the viticulture of the country.

However, since it was introduced some years ago and has not found great favor with growers, it seems that it cannot make headway against Concord, with which it must compete. In many localities the vines are more prolific than those of Concord and of stronger growth. Hicks was introduced in 1898 by Henry Wallis, Wellston, Missouri, who states that it is a chance seedling sent from California about 1870 to Richard Berry, a nurseryman of St. Louis County, Missouri.

Vine very vigorous, hardy, very productive. Canes medium to long, numerous, reddish-brown, covered with thin bloom; tendrils continuous, bifid or trifid. Leaves large, thick; upper surface dark green, glossy; lower surface white, changing to a heavy bronze, strongly p.u.b.escent. Flowers self-fertile, open early; stamens upright.

Fruit mid-season, keeps well. Cl.u.s.ters large, long, broad, tapering, often single-shouldered. Berries large, round, purplish-black with heavy bloom, shatter when over-ripe, firm; skin tender with dark wine-colored pigment; flesh green, juicy, tough, fine-grained, faintly foxy; good. Seeds adherent, large, short, broad, blunt, brown.

HIDALGO

(Vinifera, Labrusca, Bourquiniana)

The grapes of Hidalgo are rich, sweet, delicately flavored, and with color, size and form of berry and bunch so well combined as to make the fruits singularly handsome. The skin is thin but firm and the variety keeps and ships well. The vines, however, are doubtfully hardy, variable in vigor and not always fruitful. While Hidalgo may not prove of value for the commercial vineyard, in favorable situations it may give a supply of choice fruit for the amateur. The parentage of Hidalgo, as given by its originator, T. V. Munson, is Delaware, Goethe and Lindley. The variety was introduced by the originator in 1902.

Vine variable in vigor, hardiness and productiveness. Canes thick, dark reddish-brown; nodes enlarged, flattened; tendrils intermittent or continuous, bifid or trifid. Leaves large, irregularly round, thick; upper surface light green, dull, rugose; lower surface pale green, bronzed, heavily p.u.b.escent; lobes three when present; petiolar sinus narrow, sometimes closed and overlapping; basal sinus wanting; lateral sinus shallow, narrow; teeth very shallow, narrow. Flowers semi-fertile, open after mid-season; stamens upright.

Fruit mid-season, keeps and ships well. Cl.u.s.ters large, long, slender, cylindrical, often blunt, not shouldered, one to two bunches per shoot, compact; pedicel long, slender with small warts; brush yellowish-green with brown tinge. Berries large, oval, greenish-yellow, glossy with thin bloom, persistent, firm; skin thin, tough, adherent, astringent; flesh green, transparent, juicy, tender, melting, aromatic, sweet; very good to best. Seeds free, two to four, large, plump, light brown.

HIGHLAND

(Vinifera, Labrusca)

Few varieties of black grapes equal Highland in appearance and quality of fruit. When given good care under favorable conditions, the bunches are unusually large and handsome in appearance, sometimes attaining a weight of two pounds, and bear beautiful bluish-black berries with the fine flavor and tender texture of Jura Muscat, one of its parents. The flesh is solid, firm and the fruit keeps and ships well. The vine is vigorous, productive to a fault but is doubtfully hardy. Where the climate is temperate and the season long enough for the vine and fruit of Highland to develop, this is one of the choicest grapes for the amateur. The variety originated about the close of the Civil War with J. H. Ricketts, Newburgh, New York, from seed of Concord fertilized by Jura Muscat.

Vine variable in vigor, productive, healthy. Canes long, numerous, dark brown with thin bloom; nodes enlarged; internodes long; tendrils intermittent, bifid or trifid. Leaves large; upper surface dark green, dull, rugose; lower surface grayish-green, p.u.b.escent; lobes one to five, terminal one acute; petiolar sinus deep, variable in width; basal sinus shallow, narrow; lateral sinus a notch; teeth deep, wide. Flowers self-fertile, open in mid-season; stamens upright.

Fruit late, keeps well. Cl.u.s.ters large, long, broad, tapering, usually single-shouldered, usually two bunches per shoot; pedicel long, thick, smooth; brush green with yellow tinge. Berries large, round-oval, purplish-black, dull with heavy bloom, persistent, firm; skin tough, free; flesh green, translucent, juicy, tender, vinous; good. Seeds free, one to six, large, long, notched, brown.

HOPKINS

(Rotundifolia)

Hopkins is named by grape-growers in the South Atlantic states as the best early Rotundifolia grape. Its season in North Carolina begins early in August, nearly a month before any other. It is, also, one of the best in quality and for quality and earliness should be in every home vineyard in the region in which it grows. Hopkins was found near Wilmington, North Carolina, about 1845, by John Hopkins.

Vine very vigorous, hardy, productive. Canes long, slender, upright. Leaves of medium size, variable, cordate, longer than broad, thick, leathery, smooth, dark green; margins sharply serrate. Flowers self-fertile.

Fruit very early. Cl.u.s.ters large, containing from four to ten berries. Berries large, dark purple or almost black, round-oblong, sh.e.l.ling badly; skin thick, tough, faintly marked with dots; pulp white, tender, juicy with a sweet, pleasant flavor; one of the best of the Rotundifolias in quality.

HOSFORD

(Labrusca)

Hosford is an offspring of Concord, differing from the parent chiefly in the greater size of bunch and berry and in being less fruitful. The variety is surpa.s.sed by Worden and Eaton, of the same type, and is probably not worth cultivation. It is claimed by some that Hosford is identical with Eaton but there are noticeable differences in both vine and fruit characters. The vine looks very like that of Concord except that the indentations along the margins of the leaves are deeper.

Hosford originated in the garden of George Hosford, Ionia, Michigan, about 1876, as a chance seedling growing between two Concord vines.

Vines lacking in vigor, hardy, unproductive. Canes short, few in number, slender; nodes enlarged; internodes very short; tendrils continuous, bifid or trifid. Leaves medium in size; upper surface light green, rugose; lower surface grayish-white to bronze, heavily p.u.b.escent; lobes faint; petiolar sinus wide; teeth small, sharp. Flowers shallow, semi-fertile, open in mid-season; stamens upright.

Fruit mid-season, does not keep well. Cl.u.s.ters large, tapering, slightly shouldered, compact; pedicel short with small warts; brush slender, green. Berries large, round-oval, dull black with abundant bloom, persistent; skin thick, tender; flesh pale green, juicy, fine-grained, tender, vinous, sweet; good. Seeds few, large, broad, blunt, plump, brown.

HYBRID FRANC

(Vinifera, Rupestris)

Hybrid Franc is the best-known cross between Rupestris and Vinifera.

It is one of the few varieties used in Europe as a resistant stock now recommended for a direct producer. The vines are hardy, vigorous and very productive. The fruit is fit only for wine or grape-juice, being too acid to eat out of hand. The coloring matter in the fruit is very intense and might be used in giving color to grape products. The variety is of French origin.

Vine vigorous, hardy, productive. Canes numerous, thick, light brown with blue bloom; nodes enlarged; internodes short; tendrils intermittent, long, bifid or trifid. Leaves small, thin; upper surface light green, glossy, smooth; lower surface green, hairy along ribs and large veins; lobes three to five with terminal one acute; petiolar sinus narrow, sometimes closed and overlapping; lateral sinus a notch. Flowers semi-fertile, open early; stamens upright.

Fruit mid-season, does not keep well. Cl.u.s.ters medium in size, short, cylindrical, single-shouldered, compact; pedicel long, slender with few small warts; brush short, wine-colored. Berries small, oblate, black, glossy with thick bloom, persistent, firm; skin thin, tender with very dark wine-colored pigment; flesh green with reddish tinge, translucent, juicy, fine-grained, tender, spicy, tart; fair in quality. Seeds free, one to five, small, short, light brown.

IDEAL

(Labrusca, Vinifera, Bourquiniana)

Ideal is a handsome seedling of Delaware, from which it differs chiefly in being larger in bunch and berry, attaining in both of these characters nearly the size of Catawba. In Kansas and Missouri, this variety is highly recommended, not only for the high quality of the fruit, ranking with Delaware in quality, but because of vigorous, healthy, productive vines. But farther north the vines are precariously hardy and not sufficiently fruitful, healthy nor vigorous to warrant high recommendation. Ideal originated with John Burr, Leavenworth, Kansas, from seed of Delaware, about 1885.

Vine vigorous, doubtfully hardy, productive; tendrils intermittent, bifid or trifid. Canes long, numerous, slender, dark brown; nodes enlarged, flattened; internodes long. Leaves large, variable in color; lobes three to five; petiolar sinus deep, wide; teeth deep, narrow; upper surface light green, dull; lower surface pale green, p.u.b.escent.

Fruit early mid-season, keeps well. Cl.u.s.ters large, broad, heavily shouldered; pedicel thick; brush green. Berries large, round, dark red with thin bloom, usually persistent, firm; skin thick, tough, adherent; flesh green, tender, aromatic, sweet next the skin, acid at the center; good to very good. Seeds adherent, large, plump, brown.

IONA

(Labrusca, Vinifera)

In flavor, the fruit of Iona (Plate XIX) has a rare combination of sweetness and acidity, pure, delicate and vinous. The flesh is transparent, melting, tender, juicy and of uniform consistency quite to the center. The seeds are few and small and part readily from the flesh. The color is a peculiar dark-red wine with a tint of amethyst, variable and not always attractive. The bunch is large but loose, with berries varying in size and ripening unevenly. The fruit may be kept until late winter. The vine characters of Iona are not as good as those of the fruit. To do well, the vine must have a soil exactly suited to its wants, seemingly thriving best in deep, dry, sandy or gravelly clays. Iona responds especially well when trained against walls or buildings, attaining under such conditions rare perfection.

The vines are doubtfully hardy and in many parts of the North must have winter protection; they are not vigorous and are inclined to overbear, to remedy which they must have close pruning. In localities in which mildew and rot thrive, the variety is badly attacked by these diseases. Iona originated with C. W. Grant, Iona Island, New York, from seed of Diana planted in 1885.

Vine weak, doubtfully hardy, unproductive. Canes short, light brown; nodes enlarged; internodes short; tendrils intermittent, bifid. Leaves thick; upper surface light green, dull, smooth; lower surface grayish-green, heavily p.u.b.escent; lobes three to five with terminal one acute; petiolar sinus of medium depth and width; basal sinus shallow; lateral sinus shallow, wide; teeth shallow. Flowers self-fertile, open late; stamens upright.

Fruit late, keeps well. Cl.u.s.ters medium in size, sometimes double-shouldered, slender, tapering, loose; brush pale green.

Berries uniform, oval, round, dull, light and dark red with thin bloom, persistent, firm; skin tough, adherent, slightly astringent; flesh green, translucent, juicy, fine-grained, tender, melting, vinous; very good. Seeds free, one to four, small, broad, plump, brown.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PLATE XXIX.--Vergennes (2/3).]