SHENSE 



WIGGIN 



135 



Moorpark. Besides furnishing an excellent 

 product for shipping as a fresh fruit, Royal 

 supplies canners and dryers with a favorite 

 product. In addition to the variety, there seem 

 to be two quite distinct strains of Royal in 

 California. The Derby Royal is like the type 

 variety, but is two weeks earlier. White Royal 

 is lighter in color and flesh; this strain is not 

 liked by canners. Royal and Blenheim are 

 almost indistinguishable, though the latter is 

 larger. The variety is an old European sort. 



Tree large, vigorous, regular in bearing large crops 



which ripen uniformly. Fruit midseason ; large, oval, 



sides compressed ; suture shallow but distinct ; color 



pale yellow or orange with orange cheek tinged with 



red with a few red dots ; flesh rich, dull, yellow, firm, 



juicy, vinous ; very good in quality ; stone large, free, 

 round-oblong, thick, rough ; kernel bitter. 



SHENSE. Fig. 112. Acme. A letter on 

 file at the New York Agricultural Experiment 

 Station, Geneva, New York, from Professor 

 J. L. Budd, Ames, Iowa, noted as an authority 

 on Russian fruits, says that Shense is by far 



112. Shense. (X%) 



the hardiest Russian apricot; that the tree is 

 vigorous, handsome, productive, and the fruit 

 large and of good quality in Iowa and Ne- 

 braska. In the last-named state, the variety 

 is grown under the name Acme. Shense origi- 

 nated from a stone brought from China about 

 1883. The fruit appears as follows in New 

 York: 



Fruit early ; large, 2 inches in diameter, round, 

 compressed ; suture distinct ; color pale yellow, the half 

 exposed to the sun overspread with intense red deepening 

 to purple ; flesh deep yellow, juicy, mild subacid, 

 pleasant ; good in quality ; stone large, free, ovate. 



SMYRNA. Smyrna is grown on the grounds 

 of the Experiment Station, Davis, California. 

 The following description of the fruit is sent 

 by Lloyd Austin, a student specialist in apri- 

 cots: 



Fruit midseason ; large, round-oval, slightly conical, 

 sides compressed ; cavity shallow ; suture medium to 

 deep ; color yellow or pale orange ; flavor distinctive 

 and very pleasing ; stone free, medium in size, oval, 

 plump ; kernel sweet. 



SPARK MAMMOTH. In the sixth edi- 

 tion of California Fruits, Wickson says of this 

 variety : 



"Popular in Ventura County. Largest size, even 

 larger than Moorpark ; pale yellow, very tender, juicy 

 and sweet ; abandoned for shy bearing." 



ST. AMBROISE. Fig. 113. The tree of 

 St. Ambroise is accredited as being most pro- 

 ductive and very good in other characters as 

 well, but the fruits are a little coarse, lacking in 



113. St. Ambroise. (X%) 



richness of flavor, and not well adapted for 

 either canning or drying, although they ship 

 well in the fresh state. The variety is grown 

 more or less in the interior valleys of Cali- 

 fornia, but is not liked near the coast. St. 

 Ambroise is an old European variety. 



Tree vigorous, hardy, healthy, very productive. Fruit 

 early ; large, more than 2 inches in diameter, oblong- 

 elliptical, sides compressed, suture side swollen, ribbed 

 at base ; suture distinct ; color deep, rich yellow, blushed 

 next the sun ; a few reddish dots ; flesh rich yellow, firm, 

 a little stringy, melting, juicy, perfumed ; very good in 

 quality; stone free, very large, rough, elliptical, flat, 

 winged. 



TILTON. Wickson, pomological authority 

 of California, says of this variety: 



"Chance seeding first noticed about 1885 on place of 

 J. E. Tilton, near Hanford, Kings County, and distin- 

 guished by regular bearing. Propagated and introduced 

 by J. W. Bairstow, of Hanford. Fruit large ; freestone ; 

 symmetrical, prolific. Widely planted recently and 

 very promising, though condemned for shy bearing in 

 some places. Colors in advance of ripening and is 

 often picked too green for best quality in drying." 



TOYAHVALE. This is a Russian apricot 

 recently introduced by the Texas Nursery 

 Company, Sherman, Texas. It was grown from 

 seed planted by C. W. Giffin, Toyahvale, 

 Texas, in 1899. The introducer describes the 

 variety as follows: 



"Blooms very late, hence sure ; very prolific. Medium 

 size, yellow, fine flavor. The original tree stands 2 feet 

 in diameter of trunk, 50 feet spread of limbs, bearing 

 enormously." 



WIGGIN. Wickson, writing of this variety 

 in California, says it is favored in the Winter's 

 district as the best of early apricots. He char- 

 acterizes the fruits as of "good size, fine color, 

 solid red cheek, ten days earlier than Royal." 

 The trees, Wickson says, are "good bearers." 

 The origin of the variety is not given. 



