the present inventionrelates to a peach tree and more particularly to a new and distinct variety thereof broadly characterized by a vigorous and productive tree, and by large size fruit, half or more of which is highly colored with red on the skin surface, and which holds its firmness on the tree so that fewer pickings are necessary and the fruit can be handled by machine with less bruising than other peaches ripening at this season.
the texture and color of the flesh, and its complete freedom from the stonemake the fruit of this variety of peach good from commercial freezing.
the accompanying drawingis an oil painting of a characteristic fruit of the subject variety including a showing of the fruit divided on its suture plane to reveal flesh coloration and stone characteristics.
Production characteristicsmedium size tree, medium spread productive, regular bearer.
Trunkmedium in dimensions; gray color; bark, medium shaggy.
Branchesmedium in dimensions; grey and shaggy on older branches; smoother and brown on younger branches; lenticels, medium in size and quantity.
Leavesmedium in size, length 4 to 7 /2 inches, width, to 1% inches; lanceolate in shape; tip, accuminate; medium thick; color, upper surface medium dark green, under surface, light green; veins on underside, yellow green; class (Meader & Blake: Proceeding of the American Society for Horticultural Science, vol. 37, p. 204) two; width-length ratio 4 /2 to 6:1; margin, glandular crenate; petiole, medium size, A; to inch long; glands, reniform, number 1 to 4, alternate, medium size, generally yellow to brown in color, mostly on petiole, few on base of leaves.
FRUIT Maturity(when described): firm ripe, July 31, 1968; season of ripening a few days to a week earlier than Elberta (unpatented).
Sizelarge, variable in shape, generally globose; axial diameter 2% to 3 /3 inches; transverse in suture plane 2 /2 to 3% inches; right angle to suture plane 2 to 3% inches.
Cavityflaring, elongated in suture plane, and showing on both sides; depth to -78 inch; markings, undercolor yellow with red blush when exposed to the sun.
Apexretuse; pistil point, apical, short, almost nonexistent in some, up to /s inch in some.
Skinmedium in thickness, medium tender, sweet, tencious to flesh; pubescence, scant; color, light yellow 9L2 to medium yellow, 919 to dark yellow 9Hl2 undercolor, with red blush from 2Fll to 5L2 to dark red 7C6.
Fleshgenerally light yellow 9G2 to medium yellow 966, with red near stone and sometimes in specks throughout the flesh, lightest red 3L9 to darker red 7A6; amygdalin, moderate; juice, moderate; texture, meaty; fibers, short, fine and few; ripening evenly; flavor, subacid and mild; firm throughout; aroma distinct; eating quality good.
Stonecompletely free from the flesh; size, medium to small; length, 1%; to 1% inches; width to 1 /8 inches; thickness, to 4 inch; generally obovate; 'base, straight to oblique; helium, oval; apex, accuminate; sides, equal and unequal; surface, furrowed and pitted throughout; some elongated; ventral edge, raised with many fine grooves; pits, generally circular, some oblong; dorsal edge, with deep grooves on each side from base usually way to apex; color dark brown when fresh, brown to tan when dried; tendency to split, slight.
a new and distinct variety of peachsubstantially as illustrated and described and which is characterized by a vigorous and productive tree, bearing large size fruit with a skin color which is red over half or more of the surface; which fruit is sufficiently firm to require fewer pickings, and permit machine handling, with less bruising than other peaches of like season, has flesh which is ofiiciencyl free from the stone, and is clear enough in flesh color to make a good freezing peach; and by its resemblance to Angelus (U.S. Plant Pat. 1,966) from which it is distinguished primarily by its greater firmness and more extensive red coloring on the skin.
