45 



PROMISING NEW FRUITS. 275 



DESCRIPTION. 



Form oblong oval to obovate, with a rather distinct neck; size 

 medium to large; cavity regular, small, shallow; stem medium to 

 long; suture shallow, except near apex; apex very slightly depressed; 

 surface smooth, glossy, purplish red, with minute russet dots and 

 covered with a rather profuse bluish bloom; skin moderately thick 

 and tenacious, slightly acid; stone small to medium, long, oval, free; 

 flesh yellowish, translucent, with light veins, of meaty texture; flavor 

 sweet and rich; quality very good; season about a week earlier than 

 Agen in Sonoma County, Cal. 



The tree is described by Mr. Burbank as resembling its female 

 parent in general appearance, with more sturdy branches, abundantly 

 vigorous and productive. The fruit hangs long to the tree, and 

 objection to it has on this account been made by some prune growers, 

 as it renders picking of the fruit from the tree necessary instead of 

 shaking it to the ground. This characteristic should commend it to 

 Eastern growers in sections where occasional high winds at ripening 

 time damage the crop by shaking oif and bruising. 



The specimen illustrated on PI. XXXVI was grown by Mr. Leonard 

 Coates, at Napa, Cal., in 1902. 



SUGAR PRUNE. 



[PLATE XXXVI.] 



This very promising seedling of Agen (synonyms, Petite, French^ 

 etc.) is not known to be the result of a cross with any other variety. 

 It gives every indication of surpassing its parent in all the qualities 

 that go to make up a first-class drying prune, being equal in all 

 observed characteristics and superior in sweetness, size, earliness of 

 ripening, and rapidity of curing. 



The variety was named by Mr. Burbank, and appears to have been 

 described first by the late B. M. Lelong in the preliminary report of 

 the California State board of horticulture for 1897-1898. It was 

 introduced by Mr. Burbank in the form of scions for grafting and a 

 few two-year-old trees on peach roots in 1899. On account of its 

 earliness, it quickly assumed commercial importance in the California 

 prune districts, and has been top grafted on other prunes and on 

 almonds to the extent of hundreds of acres in that State and in Oregon. 

 Its behavior thus far marks it as the most promising curing prune yet 

 brought to notice. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Form oblong to oval oblong or obovate; size medium to large (very 

 large for the Agen class); cavity regular, medium in size, depth, and 

 slope; stem short, rather slender, loosening easily when ripe; suture 

 shallow, extending from cavity to apex; apex depressed; surface 



