USPP2213P - armstrong - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 8, 1963 ARMSTRONG Plant Pat. 2,213

PEACH TREE FiledMarch 15, 1962 United States Patent Ofifice Plant Pat. 2,213 Fatented Jan. 8, 1963 PEACH TREE David L. Armstrong, Ontario, Calif, assignor to Armstrong Nurseries, Inc., Ontario, Calif, a corporation of California Filed Mar. 13, 19152, Ser. No. 179,503 1 Claim. (Cl. 47-62) The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of peach tree of the yellow-fleshed, freestone, fruiting, dwarf tree type, which was originated by me by crossing two unnamed and unpatented peach varieties derived from an extended series of crosses over four to six generations. W In the case ofthe unnamed seed parent, the ancestors were Socala peach (unpatented), Coolidge Double Red peach (unpatented), Early Imperial peach (unpatented),Rio Oso Gem peach (Plant Patent No. 84), July Elberta peach (Plant Patent No. 15), Golden Blush peach (Plant Patent No. 473), and Chinese Dwarf peach (unpatented). As the result of this breeding, the seed parent was characterized by a tree of normal or standard peach habit, combined with yellow-fleshed, freestone fruit of medium size, said fruit being fairly attractive and of reasonably good quality, and ripening in late July or early August in southern California. The flowers of this parent are double,'showy and light pink in color.

In the case of the unnamed pollen parent, the ancestors were Mayflower peach'(unpatented), Babcock peach (unpatented), RioOso Gem peach (Plant Patent No. 84),"Golden Blush peach (Plant Patent No. 473), Goldmine nectarine (unpatented), July Elberta peach (Plant Patent No. 15) and Chinese Dwarf peach (unpatented). As the result of this breeding, the unnamed pollen parent was characterized by a tree of normal or standard peach habit, bearing yellow-fleshed, freestone fruit or fairly attractive appearance and of reasonably good quality, said fruit ripening from mid June to late June in southern California. The flowers of this parent variety are single in pctalage, but showy and light pink in color. V

The primary objective of the breeding of my new variety was to produce a new variety of peach tree having a dwarf tree habit, but which bears large, attractive, yellow-fleshed, freestone fruit of good eating quality. This objective was fully achieved, along with other desirable features, as evidence by the following unique combination of characteristics which are outstanding in the new variety and which distinguish itfrom its parents, as well as from all other varieties of which I am aware: (l) A vigorous tree habit and compact, bushy, dwarf form, said tree being characterized by internodes of the stem averaging approximately inch in length, together with leaves of relatively 'normalor standard size and appearance for peaches, thereby giving the tree an attractive bushy and densely foliaged appearance, and said tree attaining a height of no more than about or 6 feet at the age of years, with little or no pruning;

(2) Showy semi-double pink flowers which give the tree a very attractive appearance when in bloom;

(3) A tree chilling requirement about equal to that of Springtime peach (Plant Patent No. 1,268);

(4) A habit of beginning to bear at a relatively early age, combined with a habit of bearing heavy crops generally under conditions which prevail in California;

(5) Yellow-fleshed, freeestone fruit of medium size, combined with good qualityand flavor;

(6) Attractive, relatively uniform, nearly symmetrical fruit of nearly round shape;

(7) An attractive fruit skin color of light yellow general tonality, moderately flecked, blushed and occasionally streaked with red; and

(8) A fruit ripening period in early June at Wasco, California, said ripening period averaging from a few days to.a week after that of June Gold peach (Plant Patent No. 1,884).

In comparison with its pollen parent, the new variety essentially differs therefrom by a dwarf tree habit characterized by short internodes, as compared with the normal, long internode habit of this parent, with the new variety ripening from one to two weeks earlier than this parent, and having semi-double flowers instead of the characteristic single petalage flowers of this parent.

As compared with the seed parent, my new variety essentially differs therefrom by having a dwarf tree habit characterized by short internodes rather than the normal, long internode habit of this parent, and a fruit ripening period ranging from early to mid June, as distinguished from the late July to early August ripening period of this parent.

In comparison with the various ancestral varieties referred to in the foregoing, excepting for the variety Chinese Dwarf peach, the new variety essentially differs from them all by having a dwarf tree habit characterized by short internodes, instead of the normal, long internodes of the standard peach habit of the ancestral varieties, whereas in comparison with Chinese Dwarf peach, the new variety bears yellow-fleshed, freestone fruit of reasonably goodeating quality, with the fruit ripening from early June to mid June, as distinguished from the white-fleshed, clingstone, barely edible fruit of the Chinese Dwarf peach variety which normally ripens in August.

The dwarf habit of the new variety is similar to that of Flory Dwarf peach (unpatented), but the fruit of the new variety is of medium size, yellow-fleshed, attractively blushed red, and good quality, with a ripening period of from early June to mid June, whereas the fruit of Flory Dwarf peach is small, white-fleshed with a rather greenish skin color, and of poor quality, and said fruit ripening in August. Also, the new variety has a chilling requirement about equal to that of Springtime peach, whereas that of Flory Dwarf peach is much higher. The new variety is still further characterized by pink flowers, in contract to the red flowers of Flory Dwarf peach.

Asexual reproduction of my new variety as performed by budding at Wasco, California, shows that the foregoing characteristics and distinctions come trueto form and are established and transmitted through succeeding propagations.

The accompanying drawing shows typical specimens of the fruit, foliage and wood of my new variety, with both exterior and section views of the fruit being shown, and all views being depicted in color as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in a color illustration of this character.

The following is a detailed description of my new variety, as based upon observations of specimens grown at Wasco, California, with color terminology in accordance with Robert F. Wilsons Horticultural Color Chart (hereinafter abbreviated as Wilson) and Ridgways Color Standards and Nomenclature (hereinafter abbreviated as Ridgway), except where general color'terms of ordinary dictionary significance are obvious:

Tree

Chilling requirement: About equal to that of Spring time peach.

Fruit production: Under California conditions, trees bear heavy crops and begin to bear at a relatively early age for peaches.

Current growth:

Surface texture-Smooth at first, with lenticels small and minute; with age, some larger, cracked, slightly raised lenticels appear toward the base of the more vigorous shoots.

Colon-Green or reddish on exposed surfaces at first, with lenticels appearing as small, nearly white dots, but all becoming more brown with age.

Two-year wood:

Surface texture-Somewhat bumpy and rough eifect from raised nodes and buds and their closeness together on the stem; otherwise, internodes generally are smooth, with some slightly raised lenticels and irregular, longitudinal striations.

Colon-Generally brown, but sometimes reddish brown.

Old wood:

Surface texture-With increasing diameter of the stem, the bumpiness and rough efiect from the nodes and buds becomes less after they are covered by the growth of the stem; becoming more smooth overall, with moderate number of raised lenticels and some small longitudinal fissures.

Cl0r.-Fr0m grey to greyish brown or reddish brown on more exposed surfaces.

Leaves:

Siz'e.-Length--from 6 /2 inches to 7% inches.

Width-=from 1% inches to 1 /2 inches.

Shape.--Lanceolate; apex acuminate.

Color (mature).--Upper surface-meat Forest Green, Plate XVII (Ridgway). Under surfacenear Chromium Green, Plate XXXII (Ridgway).

Peti0le.-Medium length; from medium thickness Margin.Finely serrate; glandular.

Glands.-Mixed g'lobose and reniform; medium size; usually 3, but sometimes from 4 to 6 in number; borne both on the petiole and on the base of the blade.

Vegetative Buds:

Size.Sma1l.

Shape.--Ovoid, unless compressed between flower buds.

Scales.--Thick pubescence; moderate length.

C0l0r.-Dark brown.

Flowers Dates of first and full bloom: Over prolonged period of observation, varied from February 16 to February 25 for first bloom, and from February 24 to March 8 for full bloom, due to weather vrariations from year to year.

Dormant flower buds:

Shape.-Ovoid. Scales.-Pubescent. Colon-Dark brown, with pubescence giving a whitish effect.

Size (when fully open): Showy; medium size; about 1% inches in diameter.

Petalage: Semi-double; usually from 10 to 14 petals.

Form: Cupped.

Color (open flower): Between Rose Pink, Plate 427/3, page 126 (Wilson) and Rose Pink, Plate 427/2, page 126 (Wilson), darkening with age generally toward near Spirea Red, Plate 025/3, page 112 (Wilson) and toward near Spirea Red, Plate 025/1, page 112 (Wilson) at point of attachment.

Fruit Ripening dates: Generally ripens from early June to mid 4 June at Wasco, California; over prolonged period of observation, the dates of first ripening ranged from June 5 to June 12; ripening dates ranged from a few days to a week after June Gold peach.

Maturity when described: Eating ripe.

Size: Somewhat variable, but generally medium size. Axial diameterfrom 2% inches to 2% inches. Transverse diameter in suture plane-from 2% inches to 2% inches. Transverse diameter at right angles to suture planefrom 2%, inches to 2 /2 inches.

Form: Relatively uniform; nearly symmetrical; from globose to broadly ovoid.

Suture: Generally shallow; extending from base to apex;

slight depression beyond pistil point.

Ventral surface: Rounded; sometimes slightly lipped toward base and/0r apex; rarely lipped throughout; sometimes not lipped at all.

Stem cavity: Somewhat rounded; elongated in suture plane, with suture showing on one side.

Depth.--From about inch to about /2 inch.

Width.-From about 1 inch to about 1% inches.

Markings.-Usually distinct red streaks of varying width and length radiating from stem attachment opposite to suture.

Base: From rounded to truncate.

Apex: Short; apical pistil point.

Stem: Medium caliper; glabrous; from medium to weak adherence to stone. Length-about /2 inch.

Skin:

Thickness.-Medium.

T exture.--Medium.

Tenacity to flesh .--Free.

Pabescence.From moderate to heavy; medium length.

Colon-Ground color varies from near Dresden Yellow, Plate 64/2, page 64 (Wilson) to near Maize Yellow, Plate 607/1, page 69 (Wilson), all lightly overlaid with flecks, streaks, mottling and blushes of from near Delft Rose, Plate 020/2, page 108 (Wilson) to near Rose Opal, Plate 022/1, page 110 (Wilson).

Flesh:

Qualizy.Medium firm; melting; few tender fibres.

Aroma.--Pronounced.

Flav0r.Subacid.

Colon-Varies from near Saffron Yellow, Plate 7/3, page 7 (Wilson) to near Maize Yellow, Plate 607/ 1, page 69 (Wilson), with some small flecks of near Rose Madder, Plate 23/ 1, page 23 (Wilson); surface of pit cavity near Yellow Ochre, Plate 07, page 101 (Wilson), with some small flecks of near Rose Madder, Plate 23/1, page 23 (Wilson).

Stone:

Tenacity of flesh.--Free, but sometimes adheres to stone along ventral edge.

Size.--Medium. Length-about 1% inches. Width-from inch to inch. Thicknessfrom /9 inch to /1 inch.

F0rm.-Ovoid; cuneate toward apex.

Base.-Somewhat oblique.

Hilum.-Narrow; oval to oblong.

Apex.--From rounded to acuminate.

Sides.-Slightly unequal; irregularly furrowed toward apex and sometimes near base; pitted from base to past center; sometimes pitted throughout.

Ventral edge.--Medium thickness; generally without wing.

Dorsal edge.--Narrow, shallow groove toward base;

ridges on either side interrupted.

Colon-Between near Mikado Brown, Plate XXIX (Ridgway) and near Sayal Brown, Plate XXIX (Ridgway).

I claim: A new and distinct variety of peach tree of the yellowfleshed, freestone, fruit-bearing type, substantially as herein shown and described, characterized particularly as to novelty by the unique combination of a vigorous, compact, bushy, dwarf tree habit, with internodes of the stem averaging approximately inch in length, but bearing leaves of relatively normal or standard size and appearance which give the tree an attractive, bushy, densely foliaged appearance, while requiring little or no pruning to maintain its dwarf size, attractive, showy, semi-double pink flowers, a tree chilling requirement approximately 10 equal to that of Springtime peach (Plant Patent No. 1,268), a habit of bearing heavy fruit crops under Cali- No references cited.

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