Tree medium in size and vigor, round-topped, productive; branchlets thick, short, pubescent throughout the season; leaves roundish-oval or obovate, one and three-quarters inches wide, nearly three inches long, leathery; margin crenate or serrate, with few, small, dark glands; petiole pubescent, with from one to three small glands usually on the stalk; blooming season intermediate, short; flowers appearing after the leaves, seven-eighths inch across; borne on lateral buds and spurs, singly or in twos; petals roundish.
Fruit early, season short; one and one-quarter inches by one and one-eighth inches in size, roundish-oval or ovate, dark purplish-black, overspread with thick bloom; flesh dull yellow, firm, sweet, mild, pleasant; of good quality; stone semi-free, three-quarters inch by one-half inch in size, rather flat, oval, with rough and pitted surfaces.
EARLY ROYAL
Prunus domestica
1. Lond. Hort. Soc. Cat. 153. 1831. 2. Mag. Hort. 6:93. 1840. 3. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 313. 1845. 4. Thomas Am. Fruit Cult. 341, fig. 260. 1849. 5. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat. 86. 1862. 6. Mathieu Nom. Pom. 452. 1889. 7. Thompson Gard. Ass’t 4:159. 1901.
Early Royal 3, 4, 6. Marian 6. Mirian 3, 4. Mivian 2. Miviam 6. Miriam 7. Royal Hâtive 1, 2, 5, 7. Royale Hâtive 3, 4. Royale Hâtive 6. Violette Königspflaume 6.
While the fruits of Early Royal are not remarkably attractive in color, shape or size, the quality is high and its flesh is so firm that the variety should ship well. This sort is worthy of more extensive trial than it has yet had in America. Early Royal is a French variety introduced by M. Noisette of Paris, about 1830. Thompson made the first complete description of the variety in 1839 from the fruits of a tree in the gardens of the London Horticultural Society. Although recommended in the catalog of the American Pomological Society in 1862 it has not been extensively planted in this country.
Tree large, vigorous, spreading, rather open, productive; branches and trunk roughish; branchlets thickly pubescent; leaf-scars enlarged; leaves folded upward, oval or obovate, one and three-quarters inches wide, three and three-eighths inches long; margin serrate, with small, dark glands; petiole thickly pubescent, with one or two smallish glands; blooming season intermediate in time and length; flowers appearing with the leaves, one inch across, white, tinged yellow at the apex of the petals; borne on lateral buds and spurs, singly or in pairs.
Fruit mid-season, ripening period long; about one and three-eighths inches in diameter, roundish-ovate, dark reddish-purple, marked by irregular russet streaks, covered with thick bloom; dots conspicuous; stem thick, pubescent; flesh greenish-yellow, rather dry, firm, very sweet, mild, pleasant flavor; very good; stone nearly free, three-quarters inch by five-eighths inch in size, roundish-oval, blunt at the apex and base, with but slightly roughened surfaces; ventral suture prominent and with short wing; dorsal suture with a wide, shallow groove.