USPP549P - Nectakine - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 13, 1942. F. w. ANDERSON Plant Pat. 549

NECTARINE Filed Oct. 13, 1941 Jig.

INVENTOR F Zz/tflndenson Patented Oct. 13, 1942 Plant at. 549

UNIT STATES ATENT OFFICE.

1 Claim.

This invention relates in general to a new and distinct variety of nectarine, and in particular to a nectarine tree characterized by fruit which has a yellow flesh and a cling stone.

As ordinary commercial varieties of nectarines have notoriously poor shipping qualities, the shipping of these varieties for sale in remote markets has not been practical. In contradistinction the present variety provides a table or dessert type nectarine which, in addition to being juicy and highly edible, is of extremely large size, firm in flesh, and has an excellent shipping quality, being capable of transportation to remote markets without loss of its desirable eating qualities.

The present variety was originated by me on my ranch at Merced, California, as a second generation cross between J. H. Hale peach by Quetta nectarine. Blossoms of the J. H. Hale peach were fertilized with pollen of the Quetta nectarine. Seeds resulting from this cross were planted, and resulted in trees which all produced white-fleshed peaches. Open pollinated seeds of these white-fleshed peaches were planted and the resulting trees brought into bearing. While a majority of such resulting trees were peaches, a substantial number were nectarines, most of the latter being white-fleshed but a few having yellow flesh. One of these yellow-fleshed nectarines was particularly outstanding in its size, appearance and firmness when ripe; this nectarine being the one herein described and claimed.

This particular variety fruited first in 1937 and thereafter was asexually propagated by top working on other trees and nursery seedlings; the trees of the new variety thus asexually propagated now being in bearing and maintaining in full the novel characteristics of the original tree and its fruit.

. In the original drawing:

Figure 1 is an outline showing generally the configuration of the fruit.

Figure 2 is a sectional view'taken axially of the fruit and with the stone exposed.

Figure 3 is an elevation of one of the leaves.

The following is a detailed description of the nectarine tree and its fruit:

Tree.The tree is of large size, vigorous, spreading, open, vase-formed, productive, and a regular bearer. The trunk of the tree is of medium size and has a medium bark. The branches of the tree, which are a brownish-green color, likewise are of medium size and have a medium bark. The lenticels are medium in number and size.

Leaoes.The leaves average 6 inches in length and 1%; inches in width, being smooth and of medium size and thickness. The leaves are a medium green color. The margin is crenate; the petiole of medium length and thickness; and the glands average four or more in number, being alternate, medium sized, reniform, and yellowish in color. The glands are usually located two on the petiole and two to four on the margm.

FZOwers.The flower buds are of medium size and length, plump and free. The flowers are pink, large and showy; blooming at approximately the same time as the Elberta peach.

Fruit-The fruit is somewhat variable but extremely large in size, having an average axial diameter of 3 inches, and an average diameter transversely in the suture plane of 3 inches. The fruit is uniform, symmetrical, globose to oblong, and the suture is shallow with a marked depression beyond the pistil point. The ventral surface is rounded strongly and the lips are equal. The cavity is rounded and the suture shows on one side thereof, the cavity being approximately inch in diameter and inch in breadth, and is usually marked with red lines. The base is rounded, while the apex is depressed and the pistil point is almost lacking.

The skin of the fruit is medium in thickness and toughness, and is tenacious to the flesh; there being a slight tendency to crack. The color of the skin is yellow, but is usually almost completely overspread with attractive red color. Down is wanting.

- The flesh of the fruit is yellow, being somewhat streaked with red next to the stone. The surface of the pit cavity is red with yellow fibers. Amygdalin is moderate; juice and fibers are abundant; and the texture of the flesh is very firm. The flesh of the fruit ripens evenly and its flavor is acid and delicate; the aroma being distinct. The eating quality of the fruit is excellent, and the fruit is particularly well suited for table or dessert use.

The dates of first and last picking are approximately July 15 and August 5 respectively.

The stone of the fruit is a fully adherent cling with long fibers; the size of the stone being large, averaging 1% inches in length, 1% inches in breadth and inch in thickness. The stone is oval and full; the base oblique; the hilum broad and oval; the apex rounded; and the sides equal. The surface of the stone is irregularly furrowed and pitted throughout; the ridges are rounded and the pit angular. The ventral edge is thick and the dorsal edge is full with deep grooves throughout; the ridges being continuous. The stone is of a reddish color and has a slight tendency to split.

The variety has medium resistance to insects and plant disease, and these characteristics were determined in the following manner: The present variety was grown and fruited with several thousand other nectarine seedlings without spraying during the period in the nursery, and during such period said variety'suffered from leaf curl, shot hole fungus, and brown rot to a certain extent, but considerably less than the average nectarine seedling of other varieties.

nized by me upon personal observation and comparison with other varieties, as well as by similar observation and comparison by other qualified persons, such as fruit packers and shippers to whom I have exhibited fruit of the variety; such characteristics being evidenced by the tasty and delicate flavor of the flesh of the fruit, as well as by its firmness, and which firmnesswhen the fruit is ripemakes possible shipping thereof with a minimum of bruising or damage. Its shipping qualities are also enhanced by the fact that the fruit does not develop the undesirable softness toward the apex as does the Quetta variety.

As: compared to the Quetta nectarine, which has previously been one of the largest commer- Since removal from the nursery, thevar-iety has been growing in my orchard,- and theBordeaux. spray in the fall, followed by lime-sulphur plus lead arsenate at the red bud stage have satisfactorily controlled these diseases, as, well. as

In my orchards vI have all.t h,e,

mancy; it is less susceptible than John Rivers,

Quetta and Stanwicl:v to. brown rot, but. more susceptible thereto than GOWQI' or Victoria; itis,

about as susceptible to leaf curl as Quetta and,

Stanwick, but more so than. Gower and John Rivers; all varieties seem about. equally susceptible to peach blight andpeach twig, borer; it is less susceptible to mildew, than Gower, which,

has eglandular leaves; it is about assusceptible to mildew as other varieties, which all have leaves. with reniform glands; and

or John Rivers but, more than Gower or Victoria. From the above observations I conclude that the present variety is of medium or. average re,- sistance-to insects, and disease.

The excellent eating and shipping qualities of the fruit, of the present variety were recogit is less. marked by thrips injury than Quetta, Stanwick cial varieties, the present variety averages more than tWentyrfive-per cent larger, has yellow instead of' white flesh, andof greater importanceeismuch firmer, keeps and ships better,

andis of better eating quality. Ascompared to he H m o dt Lip at a d; Hu ter Varieties? which are all relatively small, soft, freestone varieties, the claimed; variety is a very large, m, nes e e a e- The Humboldtand i p t i t es. have ot b en, ommercially successful inthe State of. California due to v theirsmall size, low productiveness, delayed, dorer d usc p ibility o shot. h l un us, brown rot and mildew. The Hunter variety has. not, been brought into. California. on acommercial scale, although Ii hav,e ;obse rvedgthis variety, and; appa it as the. sa e d fficulties. as enumerated above. 7

The tree and its fruit above described may. vary in slight details due to climatic and soil conditions under which the variety may be rown.

Having thus described my inventign Lclairn;

The new and distinct; variety of nectarine as herein disclosed, characterized by yellow and firm-fleshed cling-stone fruit 0f large size, sue

perior eating quality, and excellent shipping quality; all as compared'tothe, Quettanectarine,

FREDERIG" W; nnnnson,

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