1. Mo. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1898:46. 2. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1899:89. 3. Ill. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1904:228. 4. Iowa Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1904: 228, 240, 241. 5. Mich. Sta. Sp. Bul., 30:11. 1905.
Hicks has proved itself a remarkably good grape in the vineyard of this Station, and were it not for the fact that the fruit is almost identical with that of Concord, ripening with it or but a little earlier, there certainly would be a place for it in the viticulture of the State. The fact that it was introduced some years ago and has not found great favor with growers is assumptive evidence that it cannot make headway against Concord with which it must compete. On the Station grounds it is more prolific than Concord and its vines are of stronger growth. The variety is well worthy a trial.
The origin of the Hicks is apparently unknown. It was introduced in 1898 by Henry Wallis of Wellston, Missouri, who states that it is a chance seedling sent from California about 1870 to Richard Berry, a well-known nurseryman of St. Louis County, Missouri. After Berry’s death it passed into the hands of Wallis, who named it Hicks. It is supposed from its characters to be of Concord parentage.
Vine vigorous to very vigorous, hardy, very productive. Canes medium to long, numerous, of average thickness, moderately dark brown to reddish-brown, surface covered with thin blue bloom; tendrils continuous, bifid to trifid. Leaves large, medium to thick; upper surface dark green, slightly glossy, of average smoothness; lower surface whitish, changing to a rather heavy bronze, strongly pubescent; veins well defined. Flowers fertile or nearly so, open early; stamens upright.
Fruit ripens with Concord or slightly earlier, keeps fairly well. Clusters large to medium, long to medium, broad, tapering, often single-shouldered, medium in compactness. Berries large, roundish, dark purplish-black to black, covered with heavy blue bloom, inclined to shatter somewhat when overripe, firm. Skin intermediate in thickness, tender, contains a small amount of very dark wine-colored pigment. Flesh greenish, juicy, rather tough, fine-grained, faintly foxy, sweet at skin to acid at center, mild when fully ripe, good in quality. Seeds somewhat adherent, above medium in size, short, broad, blunt, brownish; raphe buried in a rather broad groove; chalaza of average size, slightly above center, oval to circular.
HIDALGO.
(Vinifera, Labrusca, Bourquiniana.)
1. Rural N. Y., 60:637. 1901. 2. Mo. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1904:306.
Hidalgo is a comparatively recent addition to the list of grapes for table use. While it has not been tried generally, and is not widely known as yet, it is accorded a color-plate and a full description in this work chiefly because of its remarkably fine quality. It is rich and sweet, delicately flavored, yet sprightly, and with color, size and form of berry and bunch so well combined as to make it a singularly handsome fruit. The skin is thin but firm and the variety keeps well and ships well. The vine characters for this State are not well known. On the grounds of this Station it is 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 be expected to 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 and is now being tested in various parts of the country. The reports that come from those who have seen or grown Hidalgo agree in the main with the characterization given above and bespeak for it a high degree of popularity, at least as a table grape for the garden and possibly for the vineyard.