The plums of New York

by U. P. Hedrick

EARLY TOURS

Prunus domestica

1. Duhamel Trait. Arb. Fr. 2:67, 69. 1768. 2. Kraft Pom. Aust. 2:31, Tab. 177 fig. 2. 1796. 3. Lond. Hort. Soc. Cat. 151. 1831. 4. Prince Pom. Man. 2:64. 1832. 5. Kenrick Am. Orch. 265. 1832. 6. Poiteau Pom. Franc. 1:1846. 7. Floy-Lindley Guide Orch. Gard. 282, 283. 1846. 8. Hogg Fruit Man. 376. 1866. 9. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 937. 1869. 10. Mas Le Verger 6:143. 1866-73. 11. Mathieu Nom. Pom. 443. 1889. 12. Guide Prat. 156, 361. 1895.

Blue Perdrigon of some 3, 9, 11, 12. Die frühe Pflaume von Tours 2. De Monsieur 12 incor. Damas de Tours 8, 9, 11. Early de Tours 5. Early Tours 7, 9, 11. Early Violet 3, 7, 9, 11, 12. Gros Damas de Tours 1. Hâtive de Tours 12. Madeleine 11, ?12. Monsieur 11 incor. Noire Hâtive 3, 8, 9, 11, 12. Perdrigon Violet of some 3, 9, 11, 12. Précoce de Tours 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. Précoce de Tours 2, 4. Prune de la Madeleine 4, 9, 11. Prune noire Hâtive 4. Prune de Gaillon 8, 9, 11. Prune de Monsieur 11 incor. Saint Jean ?11, 12. Violette de Tours 8, 11. Violette Hâtive 9, 11. Violet de Tours 9, 11, 12. Violette Hâtive 7. Violet 7.

Duhamel described this variety, Gros Damas de Tours and Gros Noire Hative in the same publication, his descriptions of the three varieties being nearly identical. Following Duhamel many horticultural authorities continued to separate the varieties, but Downing, Floy-Lindley and Mathieu give Damas de Tours as a synonym of Early Tours, and Thompson, Hogg, Downing, Mathieu and the Guide Pratique give Noire Hative as a synonym, while Prince holds Prune Noire Hative to be synonymous.

With this great similarity in the names and descriptions, it seems doubtful if these are separate varieties, but not having the fruit of the three to compare, it has been thought best in The Plums of New York to follow the nomenclature of the oldest authorities. Several writers have also named the Blue Perdrigon and the Perdrigon Violet as identical with Early Tours but neither can be, as all descriptions indicate that both are at least a month later in ripening than the variety under discussion.

Early Tours is considered in continental Europe one of the best early plums for dessert. It is said when fully ripened to be a veritable sweetmeat. As the variety grows in the Station collection it can hardly be lauded as highly as in Europe. Yet it is at least worthy of a place in a home orchard as a delicious early plum.

Tree intermediate in size, upright-spreading, rather open-topped, productive; branchlets thickish, pubescent; leaves falling early, folded upward, obovate or oval, one and seven-eighths inches wide, three and one-quarter inches long; margin crenate; petiole pubescent, glandless or with from one to three glands usually on the stalk; blooming season intermediate in time and length; flowers appearing after the leaves, one and one-eighth inches across; borne on lateral spurs or from lateral buds.

Fruit very early; one and one-quarter inches by one and one-eighth inches in size, slightly oval, dark purplish-black, covered with thick bloom; skin thick, tough, sour; flesh greenish-yellow, firm, sweet, pleasant flavored; good to very good; stone semi-free, three-quarters inch by one-half-inch in size, irregular oval.