TIMME
This variety is supposed to have been brought to America from Germany by a Mr. Timme of Omaha, Nebraska. It is of some local importance in Iowa and Nebraska but as yet has not been widely distributed in America. Possibly it will be found in time that it is some old German variety renamed. It was placed on the fruit list of the American Pomological Society in 1909.
Tree medium in size, rather vigorous, upright-spreading, open-topped, healthy; trunk and branches thick, with numerous large lenticels; branchlets slender, long, willowy; leaves three and one-half inches long, one and five-eighths inches wide, ovate to obovate, thick, stiff, leathery, dark green; margin finely serrate, tipped with reddish-brown glands; petiole three-fourths of an inch in length, with one or two large, globose glands variable in position; flowers one inch across, in dense clusters.
Fruit matures medium early; over one-half inch in diameter, roundish-oblate; color light red becoming dark red at full maturity; stem one inch long; flesh yellowish-white, with abundant pinkish juice, tender and melting, pleasant flavored, sprightly; good in quality; stone semi-clinging, roundish-ovate, plump; prominently ridged along the ventral suture.
TOUSSAINT
Prunus cerasus
- 1. Duhamel Trait. Arb. Fr. 1:178-180, Pl. VII. 1768. 2. Kraft Pom. Aust. 1:7, Tab. 18 fig. 2. 1792. 3. Poiteau Pom. Franc. 2: No. 21, Pl. 1846. 4. Ann. Pom. Belge 1:103, 104, Pl. 1853. 5. Mortillet Le Cerisier 2:205, 308. 1866. 6. Leroy Dict. Pom. 5:305, 306 fig., 307, 308. 1877. 7. Rev. Hort. 250. 1906.
- Stäts Blühender Kirschbaum. 8. Krünitz Enc. 42, 43. 1790.
- All Saints. 9. Truchsess-Heim Kirschensort. 661-668. 1819. 10. Prince Pom. Man. 2:152, 153. 1832. 11. Dochnahl Führ. Obstkunde 3:72. 1858. 12. Hogg Fruit Man. 277. 1884. 13. Mathieu Nom. Pom. 332. 1889.
Toussaint is a marked deviation from its species. Instead of bearing blossoms normally this variety sends out small branches from the buds. In the axis of the first four leaves are borne the buds destined to produce similar branches the following spring. As the branches elongate these buds remain dormant but others are borne which produce flowers in umbel-like clusters of two or three. The trees begin blooming three or four weeks later than other cherries and new buds and flowers appear continually until August or thereabouts. The tree, too, is most striking in appearance, being dwarfish in stature, thickly set with pendant branchlets and, all in all, attractive enough to make it a rather handsome ornamental. The cherries are of little or no value, being quite too acid to eat out of hand but furnishing very late fruit which may be used for culinary purposes. The description given is compiled.
The history of the variety is uncertain. Leroy says that it was mentioned by Daléchamp, a French writer, as early as 1586. Duhamel seems to have been the first pomologist to describe it which he did in 1768 under the name Cerisier de la Toussaint. The variety is well known in Europe, being widely distributed in Austria, Germany, Belgium, France and England, pomologists and nurserymen in all these countries seeming to be well acquainted with it. There are no records of its culture in America, although Prince and Elliott describe it from European fruit books.
Tree small, hardy, moderately productive; branches slender, numerous, pendant.
Fruit small, flattened on the ends and sides; stem long; color clear red, darker on maturing, rather transparent; flesh white somewhat red at the center, with reddish juice; flavor, if mature, sour, though not excellent; stone large, long, clings to the flesh more than to the stem. The fruit borne in October never reaches maturity.