Hybrid Franc is illustrated and described in full in The Grapes of New York because it 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 vine characters are seemingly all good,—hardy, vigorous and very productive. The fruit is fit only for wine being too acid for a table grape. The coloring matter in the fruit is very intense and it might be used for giving color to wines. Hybrid Franc is of much interest to the grape-breeder, and experiments with it as a parent are desirable for New York. The variety is of French origin.
Vine vigorous, hardy, productive. Canes variable in length, numerous, thick to medium, light brown, covered with slight blue bloom; nodes enlarged, roundish; internodes very short; diaphragm thin; pith unusually large; shoots glabrous; tendrils intermittent, often rather long, bifid to trifid.
Leaf-buds large to medium, short, above average thickness, obtuse to conical, open moderately late. Young leaves tinged on upper and lower sides with carmine; the tips of the buds in opening show strongly the leaf serrations. Leaves very small to medium, rather thin; upper surface light green, decidedly glossy, smooth; lower surface greenish, showing Riparia characters, quite hairy along ribs and larger veins; lobes usually three to five with terminal lobe acute to acuminate; petiolar sinus intermediate in depth, narrow to medium, sometimes closed and overlapping; basal sinus of average depth and width; lateral sinus medium in depth to a mere notch; teeth intermediate in depth and width. Flowers semi-fertile, open early; stamens upright.
Fruit ripens before mid-season, does not always keep well. Clusters medium to below in size, short, intermediate in breadth, tapering to cylindrical, usually single-shouldered, average three bunches per shoot, medium to compact; peduncle below medium length, rather slender; pedicel long, slender, covered with few, small, inconspicuous warts; brush short, wine-colored. Berries below medium to small, uniform, slightly oblate to roundish, black, glossy, covered with thick, blue bloom, persistent, firm. Skin thin, tender, does not adhere to the pulp, contains a very dark wine-colored pigment, not astringent. Flesh pale green, often with a slight reddish tinge, translucent, juicy, fine-grained, somewhat tender, spicy, tart to acid, fair in quality. Seeds separate easily from the pulp, one to five, average three and four, medium to small, rather short, intermediate in breadth, light brown; raphe obscure; chalaza of average size, slightly above center, oval to pear-shaped, distinct.
