the present inventionrelates to a new and distinct variety of nectarine tree which originated from open pollination of an unnnamed and unpatented nectarine variety.
the parent varietyoriginated from an extended series of crosses, which on one side goes back three generations to the ancestor varieties known as Babcock peach, Boston nectarine, Gold Mine nectarine, and July Elberta peach, all unpatented, and on the other side going back two generations to Gold Mine nectarine and July Elberta peach.
the unnamed parent varietywas a yellow-fleshed, freestone nectarine whose fruit ripens in the general period of Redhaven peach (unpatented), with the fruit being of medium size, nearly round in shape, and having an extensive and solid red skin color.
the quality and flavor of the fruit of this parentwere very good, and the tree was very productive, but had a medium chilling requirement.
the new varietyis distinguished from its immediate parent primarily by ripening of the fruit from two to three weeks earlier than the fruit of the parent; it is distinguished from the ancestor Babcock peach by being earlier ripening and yellow-fleshed, whereas the fruit of the Babcock peach ripens about a month later and is white-fleshed; it is distinguished from its ancestor Boston nectarine primarily by being earlier in its ripening habit, with the fruit having an extensive and solid red skin color, in contrast to the late mid-season ripening habit and considerably less red skin color of this Boston variety; in comparison with Gold Mine nectarine, the
new varietyis primarily distinguished by being yellowfleshed and earlier ripening, whereas Gold Mine is white-fleshed and ripens in mid-season; and in comparison with the ancestor July Elberta peach, the new variety is primarily distinguished by having an earlier ripening habit and an extensive and solid red skin color of the fruit as contrasted with the fact that July Elberta is a peach which ripens about a month later and has relatively little skin color.
Margin.-Finely serrateglandular. Glands.Mixed; reniform and globular; medium size; usually 2 or 3, but sometimes 4 or 5 in number; borne both on the petiole and on the base of the blade.
PetalageSingle; usually petals.
SizeFrom generally small to medium size.
Axial diameterFrom 2 to 2% inches.
SutureGenerally shallow; extending from base to apex;
Ventral surfaceRounded; sometimes slightly lipped toward apex; lips when present usually unequal.
Stem cavityUsually rounded and slightly elongated in suture plane, with suture showing 011 one side.
BaseFrom rounded to truncate.
StemMedium caliper; glabrous; from medium to weak adherence to stone. Length-about inch.
Colon-Ground colorvaries from near Uranium Green, Plate 63/1, page 63 (W) to near Straw Yellow, Plate 604, page 67 (W), heavily blushed with from near Brick Red, Plate 016, page 106 (W) to near Oxblood Red, Plate 00823/3, page 161 (W).
SizeMedium; length from about 1 to 1% inches; width from about '%s to 1 /8 inches; thickness /8 to 1 inch.
