Leaves falling early, one and one-half inches wide, three inches long, folded upward, oval, rather thin; upper surface medium green, smooth, with few hairs scattered along the grooved midrib; lower surface silvery-green, pubescent; apex acute, base abrupt, margin crenate, with small, black glands; petiole one-half inch long, tinged red along one side, glandless or with from one to three small, globose glands usually on the stalk.
Flowers appearing in mid-season, after the leaves, seven-eighths inch across, white with a yellow tinge as the buds unfold; borne on lateral spurs and buds, in twos or threes; pedicels three-quarters inch long, slender, thickly pubescent, greenish; calyx-tube green, broadly obconic, glabrous except at the base; calyx-lobes of medium width, obtuse, glandular-serrate, pubescent on both surfaces; reflexed; petals oval, crenate, tapering to short, broad claws; anthers yellow with a tinge of red; filaments three-eighths inch long; pistil glabrous, equal to the stamens in length.
Fruit mid-season, period of ripening of medium length; seven-eighths inch in diameter, roundish-oval, slightly necked, swollen on one side, compressed, halves equal; cavity very shallow and narrow, abrupt; suture indistinct; apex roundish or depressed; color light golden-yellow, sometimes blushed and mottled with red on the exposed cheek, overspread with thick bloom; dots numerous, small, whitish, inconspicuous, clustered at the apex; stem slender, three-quarters inch long, pubescent, adhering poorly to the fruit; skin thin, tough, not astringent, separating readily; flesh light yellow, not very juicy, firm, but tender, sweet, mild, but pleasant; good to very good; stone free, five-eighths inch by three-eighths inch in size, oval, blunt, broadly ridged along one edge, roughish.
MIRACLE
Prunus insititia × Prunus domestica
1. Rural N. Y. 62:594. 1903. 2. W. N. Y. Hort. Soc. Rpt. 25. 1904. 3. Rural N. Y. 64:280. 1905. 4. Oregon Nur. Cat. 4. 1906. 5. DeVries Pl. Br. 228. 1907.
Unfortunately, so far as is known, this much-talked-of plum has not been fruited in New York. About 1887, Luther Burbank imported from a French nurseryman a tree of the Prunier San Noyeau or Stoneless plum known as a curiosity in Europe for at least three centuries. With this fruit he crossed several of the best European varieties, producing hybrids which first fruited in 1893. Although there were several stoneless fruits in this lot, none were of any value and it was not until 1899 that one appeared worthy of consideration. In this seedling, developed from Agen pollen, the stone is represented by a small, hard scale near the base of the kernel. Burbank sold the new plum in 1903 to the Oregon Nursery Company by whom it was introduced in 1906. The following description is compiled:
Tree somewhat dwarfish, producing a roundish, compact head, very productive. Fruit larger than Agen, oblong, dark blue covered with thick bloom; cavity medium; stem short; flesh yellow, sweet, juicy; good; stone lacking, the kernel lying naked in the flesh.