USPP693P - Apricot tree - Google Patents

Description

June ,4 1946.

W. H. REEVES APRICOT TREE Filed Aug. 14, 1945 Plant Pat. 693

Patented June 4, 1946 Plant Pat. 693

APRICOT TREE:

William He'm'y Reeves, Burbank, Calif., assi'gnor togArmstron'gNurseries, Inc;, Ontario, Califl, a corporation of California Application August 14, 1945, SerialN'o'. 6103765- The present discoveryrelates to anew and distinct variety of apricot tree, originating as a chancefseedling, and 'having many important features distinguishing it from all other apricots now known commercially.

This new variety has been thoroughly tested by me in Southern California-and its characteristic carefully compared with other Southern California varieties for the: pu'rposeof" developing its distinguishingcharacters, singly and in combination.

Primarily, it is found to have a very early-season of ripening, and the fruit is exceptionally large forsuch earlyripening apricots.

Among. other features of distinction are: the exceptionally vigoroushabit of growth of the trees and the attendant large size of the leave and stomata; a winter. chilling requirement similar in grade to' that of the variety commercially known as Earligold and shorter than that ofsuch varities as Newcastle, Royal, and many of the other more commonv commercial varieties, making it better suited to growing in Southern California; and the production of regular crops of uniformly sized fruiteac'h season regardless of winter temperature conditions.

The ripening season of this new variety is approximately in the same season as Earligold, although it usually begins a few days earlier, but it difiers from Earligold in respect to the size of the fruit, being much larger by an approximate average of 25%, and further it has a more highly developed blush in the skin than Earligold, and is notably a much superior dessert fruit.

This new apricot differs further from Earligold, which is a partial clingstone, in that the flesh of the fruit has a greater freedom from the stone. To the best of my knowledge, no other varieties tested in Southern California, other than Earligold, have as low a chilling requirement as this new variety. It is further characterized by a tenderness of flesh which makes it an excellent dessert fruit with true melting quality suitable only for home planting or local market use.

Asexual reproduction shows that these characteristics hold true through succeeding propagations.

The accompanying illustrations depict the novel characteristics of the foliage and fruit of this new variety as nearly as it is possible to show the same. In the drawing:

Figure 1 shows a spray of young foliage illustrating particularly the color and form of the same;

F ures 2 and 3 are top and bottom views or a 1 Claim. (Cl. 47-62) mature leaf depicting color and other characten istics; I

. Figure 4 isiairagmeritary view of a specimen of the wood: showing the larg sizeof the lenticels constituting a. feature of novelty ofv this variety;

Eiguresifi and: 6 are elevationaland sectional views of'the fruit; and

Figure- '7isanelevation of the seed showing the slight tendency of the flesh to adhere on the suture sid near base.

The following. is. a' detailed descripticn of the new Variety, allreferen'cesto color being in accordance with. the R. F; Wilsonsv Horticultural Colour Chart, except where indicated to be in accordance-with Ridgwafs Color Standards and Nomenclature:

Specimens described were grown at Burbank, California. 1

Dates of first and last picking-z First icking usually about-'May 30th; lastpicking June 10th to June 15th in Burbank, California; ten days later at Ontario; California.

Tree: Large; vigorous; dense; hardy; veryproductive; regular bearer.

Trunk-Medium stocky;

but more so than Royal.

Branches-Medium stocky; medium smooth.

On two-year wood, Vandyke Brown (Ridgway) Plate XXVIII. On new wood (shady side) Empire Green (Ridgway) Plate XXIII. On sunny side, near Grape Green (Ridgway) Plate XLI. LenticeZs-numer ous; large; much broader than Royal.

Leaves-Length, 7 to 10 centimeters. Width, '7 to 10 centimeters. Size, large. Ovate, Very broadly ovate; nearly orbicular Inucronate; abruptly pointed; thick; Danube Green (Ridgway) Plate XXXII. Margin bidentate or doubly dentate to coarsely serrate. PetioZe-medium long; 2 to 3 centimeters; medium thick. Glandsaverage number, four--from three to six. Alternate usually; large, about twice as large as Royal; globose; stipitate; Light Fluorite Green (Ridgway) Plate XXXlI, Positionnear base of leaf or end of petiole. Stipuleshaving one to two--linear-oblong in shape with crenate edgeteeth on petiole side.

FZOwer-buds.-Medium size; medium long.

Flowers.--Dates first and full bloomMarch 10th to 20th usually, depending on severity of winter. Medium size; early to medium compared with other varieties; White or nearly so.

medium smooth,

3 Fruit: Maturity when described--June 15, 1945.

Size.Variable; large. Axial diameter-2" average. Transverse in suture plane- 2%" average. At right angles to suture plane-1%." average.

Form-Uniform; symmetrical; near globose; oblate slightly, particularly at the base; compressed laterally. Sutureshallow; extends from base to beyond but discontinuous at apex. Ventral surjace-rounded slightly; strongly lipped on both sides from base to halfway to apex.

; lipped on remaining portion of ventral surface.

depth-approximately 3%" breadth- A x markingsnne. Bas e-rounded to elongated. Apex-rounded to slightly depressed. Pistil point slightly depressed. Stemlen-gth, approximately A," medium to stout. Adherence to stone-strongto medium.

Slcin.'Ihin; tender; tenacious to flesh.

Tendency to crack-slight, none in dry season. Col0r-Majolica Yellow, Plate 09, p. 102, modified by a blush of Rose Madder, Plate 23/2, p. 23, Ch. II, in a varying degree depending on the exposure of the fruit to the sun. Down-moderate; short; does not roll up when rubbed.

Flesh.--CoZ0r-Persimmon Orange, Chart 1,

- 710/3, around outside edge; Apricot, Chart 1, 609, center; around pit Saffron Yellow, Chart 1, 7/3, page 7, at cross sectional view. Surface of pit cavityPersimmon Orange, Chart 1, 710/2. Juice-abundant; rich. Texture-medium firm; fine; melting. Fibres--few; coarse; tender. Ripensun even; earliest at apex. Flavor-subacid; mild. Aroma-mot pronounced. Eating quality-good.

Stone:Free. Adheres to flesh slightly on suture side near base.

Fibres-Short; retains short fibre-like threads along ventral ridge.

Cavity-elongated on one side; w

More slightly Size-Medium. Length.1" to 1%". Breadth.%" to Thickness.%" to 1%". Form.--Narrowly oval; slightly lcuneate toward apex. Base..-'-Straight; hilum, oval; apex, rounded.

. Sides.Equal; curved on right and left sides. surface regular; pitted throughout very slightly. Two furrows on suture side deeper at base but very shallow at apex end.

Rid ges.Rounded on dorsal but sharp on suture side.

, Embryo.--Slightly elongated. Ventral edgethick without wing toward base. Dorsal edge-full with no groove throughout. Ridge'on seed coat on dorsal side from base to apex. Color of stone-(dry stone) Ochroceous Buff, (Ridgway) Plate XV.

I Tendency to ,splz't-strong, but cracks easily. Embryos that have notv dried are thick at basal end and narrowing at apex end, somewhat thicker on suture side than dorsal side. I

Use: Local; dessert.

Keeping quality: Medium. Resistance to: lnsectsgood to medium; diseases-good as to shot-hole fungus on fruit.

Shipping quality: Medium to poor. I

I claim:

A new and distinct variety of apricot tree characterized as to novelty by the early ripening season of the fruit and exceptionally large size for such early varieties; the highly developed blush in. the skin of the fruit and its excellent quality for dessert purposes, and tenderness of the flesh; by the unusually vigorous habit of growth of the trees and the attendant large size of leaves and stomata; the very low chilling requirement; and regular production each season of crops of uniform size fruit regardless of winter temperature conditions, substantially as shown and described.

WILLIAM HENRY REEVES.

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