142 THE PRUNE. 



VAKIETIES OF PKUNES AND PROCESSES OF CURING. 



From Bulletin No. 45, Oregon Experiment Station. 



At jDresent there are but three varieties of prunes largely grown in 

 Oregon — the Italian, or Fellenberg; the Petite, or French or Robe 

 de Sargent ; and the Silver, or Coe's Golden Drop. By far the major 

 part of these are Italians, the Petites being second. Most of the other 

 varieties grown now are sold, when cured, as one or another of these 

 three varieties. All black prunes are sold as Italians, amber ones as 

 Petites, and light-colored ones as Silver. 



Italian (Fellenberg, German, Swiss). — Medium size or large, 

 roundish, but tapering at both ends ; suture small but distinct ; color 

 dark purjDle with a heavy bluish bloom ; stalk one inch long ; cavity 

 shallow ; flesh yellowish green, juicy, parting easily from the stone ; 

 flavor sweetish, subacid, delicious. Tree hardy, vigorous, very produc- 

 tive ; rather late. It is not known where the Italian prune originated, 

 but it has been grown in Italy for a long time, where it finds great 

 favor in the fresh state. The Italian is at present the leading prune 

 in the Northwest, probably more than four-fifths of the trees in that 

 section being of this variety. 



Petite ( Prune d'Agen, Prune d'Ente, Lot d'Ente, French, Robe 

 de Sargent). — The fruit, as grown in Oregon, may be described as fol- 

 lows: Medium size or small, oval or egg-shaped, not uniformly pyri- 

 form ; suture small, distinct ; color violet-purple with bright-colored 

 bloom ; stem short, slender ; cavity small and shallow ; flesh greenish 

 yellow, sweet, full of sugar, rich and delicious, clinging slightly to the 

 stone. Tree hardy, strong grower, very productive. This is the prune 

 most widely grown in the great prune-growing countries, the favorite 

 in the markets, and is mostly known as Prune d'Agen, excepting in 

 the Northwest, where it is always called the Petite. 



Silver (Coe's Golden Drop). — Size large, oval or roundish; 

 suture distinct, one side abnormally large oftentimes, necked ; color 

 light yellow in the sun, dotted with small red spots; stalk stout, 

 nearly one inch long ; flesh yellow, juicy, firm, adhering slightly to a 

 very pointed stone ; flavor rich, sugary, good quality ; tree a precari- 

 ous grower, but very productive when all conditions are favorable ; 

 season late. This variety originated with a Mr. Coe in England in 

 the early part of this century, and received the name of Coe's Golden 

 Drop. A few years ago it was introduced in the Northwest as a new 

 variety, the Silver, a supposed seedling. Much discussion was en- 

 gendered because of the close resemblance to Coe's Golden Drop, and 

 finally led to the appointment of a committee from the state horti- 



