A FEW FACTS ABOUT THE FRENCH HYBRIDS 
All grape growers are familiar with the fungus diseases which 
attack our native varieties and many of them with phylloxera, 
a very tiny plant louse which does most of its damage‘on the 
roots of the vine. Few know that these diseases and phyllox- 
era were unknown in the vineyards of the Old World until after 
the middle of the last century. Introduced on cuttings of our 
native species, they swept over the Continent like a devour- 
ing flame, in a few years reducing the harvest to less than 
one-fourth of its previous level. The main industry of France 
at stake, every man connected with it sought for the answer. 
The very vines that introduced the plague provided the only 
solution. By grafting their traditional varieties to stocks 
of American species, the phylloxera was subdued. And it was 
found that the salts of copper and sulpher were the answer 
to the fungus diseases. Yet grafting is at best an uncertain 
operation, the question of affinity between stock and scion 
sometimes baffling, and the expense of planting greatly in- 
creased. So many workers began the, long work of creating 
new vines, hybrids between the traditional vinifera varieties 
and various American species, hoping to hdve the quality and 
production of the vinifera combined with the disease resist- 
ance and hardiness of the American species. That was nearly 
80 years ago and today, after endless crossing and re-cross- 
ing, that goal is nearly attained. The perfect vine will 
never be found, for one that may be perfect in one location 
may be unsuitable elsewhere, weather conditions and soils 
being what they are. Then too, the use for which the fruit 
is gathered may affect its rating--the finest table variety 
does not make the best wine--or juice--or jelly. 
The main point of difference between our American hy- 
brids and those of the French workers is in the use of the 
species Vitis Labrusca (Of which Concord is an almost pure 
example). Our American breeders used this species because 
it has the largest berries and showiest cluster of all our 
native grapes--but it also has a rank flavor, refreshing 
enough in the fresh fruit to those accustomed to eating it, 
but distasteful to palates accustomed to the neutral vinifera. 
And when made into wine this "foxy" flavor is overpowering. 
Altho some of the early hybrids contained a small percentage 
of this tainted blood, the French hybridizers soon found that 
if they wished to produce varieties capable of producing ex- 
cellent wines, they must turn to other species. Consequent- 
ly, the outstanding varieties of today contain no Labrusca, 
the species represented being Rupestris, Berlandieri, Lince- 
cumii, Aestivalis, Riparia, and the cultigen Bourquiniana,. 
The Seyve-Villard 12-375 may serve to illustrate the 
complex parentage of present day hybrids. Of a total of 64 
parts, 39 are vinifera, 16 Rupestris, 4 Berlandieri, 3 Lince- 
cumii, and 1 Bourquiniana. When one finds that the Bourquin- 
jana is supposed by the French to be a Vinifera X Aestivalis 
--Cinerea hybrid:, it appears that nearly all suitable Ameri- 
can species are represented, Others are not as complex--the 
Seibel 11803 is nearly so and others may contain the blood 
of only three or four species. 
What has been accomplished by all this? One has only to 
grow a few vines to find the answer for himself, but briefly it 
is the superior quality of the fruit, better disease resist- 
“ance and increased production. Table varieties superior to 
the California market shippers may be grown in your own yard, 
delectable juice and wine varieties by your doorstep. And 
with a minimum of care, if certain essentials are observed, 
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