Arnold’s No. 16 (1, 2, 5). Arnold’s No. 18 (3, 4, 7).
Canada is justly considered the most desirable of Arnold’s several hybrids of Riparia and Vinifera and is well known in Europe as well as in America. In France when American varieties were being largely used in the reconstruction of the vineyards destroyed by phylloxera, Canada was one of the prime favorites, because of its short period for fruit development and maturity and the comparatively high quality of the wine which could be made from it. In America it has never gained great popularity on account of its susceptibility to fungal diseases. In this respect as in some others, it shows Vinifera more than Riparia parentage; thus in shape, color and texture of foliage, in the flavor of the fruit, and in the seeds there are decided indications of Vinifera while the vine, especially in the slenderness of the shoots, and the bunch and berry, shows Riparia. If, as is surmised, there is some Labrusca in Clinton, the Riparia parent of Canada, there are no discernible traces of the first named species in this variety. Canada and Brant, its full brother, are often confused with each other but there are numerous minor differences in buds, foliage, canes, in the shape of the bunch, in the seeds and in the time of ripening which a reading of the descriptions of the two varieties will reveal. Canada has little value as a dessert fruit but makes a very good red wine, having, according to the French, a most agreeable bouquet, but in America it is surpassed by other wine grapes in so many characters that it can probably never attain a place in this country for other than breeding purposes.
The grape to which Arnold[171] gave the name Canada is a seedling of Clinton, a Labrusca-Riparia hybrid, fertilized by Black St. Peters, a variety of Vitis vinifera. Arnold planted the seed which produced Canada and its brother Brant about 1860. During the decade that followed the variety was sent out as Arnold No. 16, but as it became more widely distributed the name was changed to Canada.
Vine medium to very vigorous, hardy, not always healthy, usually productive. Canes long, numerous, variable in size but averaging slender, nearly ash-gray at internodes to reddish-brown at nodes, covered with a slight blue bloom; nodes enlarged, not flattened; internodes above medium to short; diaphragm of average thickness, rather large; shoots strongly pubescent; tendrils intermittent, nearly short, trifid to bifid.
Leaf-buds intermediate in size, short, of average thickness, conical to obtuse, open rather late. Young leaves pale green with faintest trace of carmine, prevailing color green on upper and lower sides. Leaves intermediate in size, medium to thin; upper surface light green, nearly smooth; lower surface pale green, hairy; veins obscure; lobes five in number, often obscure, terminal lobe acute to acuminate; petiolar sinus deep, medium to narrow; basal sinus variable in depth and width; lateral sinus usually deep and narrow when well defined; teeth deep, wide. Flowers occasionally on plan of six, somewhat fertile to partly sterile, open moderately early; stamens upright.
Fruit ripens in mid-season or later, keeps fairly well. Clusters intermediate in size, long to medium, rather slender, uniform, often strongly cylindrical, sometimes single-shouldered, very compact; peduncle short, slender; pedicel long, slender, nearly smooth; brush short, light brown. Berries not uniform, average medium to small, roundish when not compressed by compactness of cluster, attractive purplish-black to black, glossy, covered with heavy dark blue bloom, persistent, firm. Skin thin, does not crack, rather tough, adheres but slightly to the pulp, contains a slight amount of pigment, not astringent. Flesh rather dark green, very juicy, fine-grained, somewhat tender when fully ripe, spicy, pleasant vinous flavor, nearly sweet to agreeably tart, ranking medium to above in quality. Seeds separate readily from pulp, one to three, average two, intermediate in size and breadth, of average length, blunt, light brown; raphe completely obscure; chalaza intermediate in size, slightly above center, oval, distinct, somewhat obscure.
