It is possible that Empire deserves more attention from fruit-growers than it has had. It is attractive in appearance, pleasant in flavor and gives promise of shipping well. Wherever the variety proves productive, as it is to a fair degree on the grounds of the Station, this plum might well be grown. Empire was grown by Ezra Rood, Cortland, New York, about 1875, from seed purchased at the State Fair. In 1890, E. Smith & Sons of Geneva found this plum in Mr. Rood’s yard and procured cions of it, afterwards introducing the variety under the name Rood. The year that they made the discovery, John Hammond, also of Geneva, found the same variety at another place in Cortland and secured cions from which he subsequently disseminated the plum under the name Empire, by which it is now generally known.
Tree intermediate in size and vigor, spreading, open-topped, productive; branches covered with short, thick, fruit-spurs; branchlets short and stubby, pubescent throughout the season; leaf-scars prominent; leaves folded upward, oval or obovate, one and one-half inches wide, three and one-quarter inches long, thick, stiff; margin crenate, eglandular or with small dark glands; petiole thick, reddish, with a few large, globose or reniform glands; blooming season intermediate in time and length; flowers appearing after the leaves, over one inch across, yellowish-white; borne singly or in twos.
Fruit mid-season, ripening period very long; about one and five-eighths inches in diameter, round, dark reddish-purple, covered with medium thick bloom; dots numerous, conspicuous; stem thick, surrounded by a fleshy ring at the cavity; skin sour; flesh golden-yellow, dry, firm but tender, sweet, mild, pleasant in flavor; of good quality; stone nearly free, seven-eighths inch by three-quarters inch in size, oval, turgid, with roughened surfaces; ventral suture broad, with short but distinct wing; dorsal suture wide, deep.
ENGLEBERT
ENGLEBERT
Prunus domestica
1. Horticulturist 10:71. 1855. 2. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 392. 1857. 3. Cultivator 6:312 fig. 1858. 4. Hogg Fruit Man. 376. 1866. 5. Thomas Am. Fruit Cult. 344. 1867. 6. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat. 24. 1871. 7. Mas Le Verger 6:61. 1866-73. 8. Barry Fr. Garden 415. 1883. 9. Cat. Cong. Pom. France 357. 1887. 10. Wickson Cal. Fruits 354. 1891. 11. Guide Prat. 154, 361. 1895. 12. Cornell Sta. Bul. 131:190. 1897. 13. N. Mex. Sta. Bul. 27:125. 1898. 14. Mich. Sta. Bul. 169:242, 244. 1899. 15. Waugh Plum Cult. 101, 103 fig. 1901. 16. Va. Sta. Bul. 134:42. 1902.
Englebert 9. Prince Englebert 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12. Prince Engelbert 10, 13. Prince Englebert 15, 16. Prinz Engelbert 11.