Leaf-buds above medium in size, shortish, plump, obtuse, open early. Young leaves strongly tinged on under side and along margin of upper side with bright carmine. Leaves very large to medium, roundish, of average thickness; upper surface dark green, dull, smooth; lower surface pale green with some pubescence; veins numerous and quite prominent; leaf not lobed, with terminus obtuse; petiolar sinus very deep, narrow, closed and overlapping; basal and lateral sinuses lacking; teeth shallow to medium. Flowers sterile, open in mid-season; stamens reflexed. [Illustration: HERBERT] Fruit comes in season with Concord, keeps unusually well. Clusters medium to large, variable in length, rather broad, slightly tapering, two or three clusters per shoot, often heavily single-shouldered, loose to medium; peduncle of average length, thick; pedicel intermediate in length, thick, covered with small russet warts; brush yellowish-green. Berries irregular in size but usually above medium, roundish to slightly flattened, rather dull black, covered with thick blue bloom, persistent, moderately firm. Skin variable in thickness and toughness, adheres somewhat to the pulp, contains a small amount of wine-colored pigment, astringent. Flesh light green, translucent, juicy, tender, fine-grained, with a little foxiness or muskiness, nearly sweet at skin but quite acid at center, quality good to very good. Seeds separate from the pulp with difficulty, three to six in number, average three, large, broadish, notched, quite long, with swollen neck, blunt, light brown with yellowish tips; raphe obscure; chalaza intermediate in size, decidedly above center, circular to pear-shaped, distinct. HERCULES. (Labrusca, Vinifera.) =1.= _N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt._, =11=:625. 1892. =2.= _Ill. Hort. Soc. Rpt._, =1893=:89. =3.= _N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt._, =12=:620. 1893. =4.= _Bush. Cat._, =1894=:135. =5.= _N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt._, =17=:531, 548, 555. 1898. Hercules is characterized by its extremely large berries, the size being as great, if not greater, than that of any of our native grapes, and approaching that of the largest Old World grapes. The fruit is handsomely colored and the cluster, when at its best, is large and well-formed with a striking resemblance to Black Hamburg. The flavor, while not of the best, is good. But large size, handsome appearance, and good flavor cannot make up for the several defects of the variety. The fruit drops and cracks badly and the pulp is too tough and adheres too firmly to the seed for a dessert grape. These faults are so marked as to make Hercules almost worthless except for breeding purposes. Added to the desirable characters of the fruit given above, the vines are hardy, vigorous and productive so that this variety offers an unusual array of valuable qualities for the grape-breeder.