1. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt. 108. 1885. 2. Cornell Sta. Bul. 38:50. 1892. 3. Ia. Hort. Soc. Rpt. 334. 1894. 4. Wis. Sta. Bul. 63:24, 53. 1897. 5. Ibid. 87:15. 1901. 6. Waugh Plum Cult. 186. 1901. 7. Budd-Hansen Am. Hort. Man. 299. 1903. 8. Ohio Sta. Bul. 162:245 fig., 256, 257. 1905.
Kroh 1, 6. Kroh 3, 7. Poole 2, 7. Poole 6. Poole’s Pride 3, 4, 5. Poole’s Pride 2, 6, 7.
As compared with other native plums growing on the grounds at this Station, Poole Pride has considerable merit. It is very attractive in appearance, it seems to have all the characters of a long-keeping and a good-shipping sort of its species and the trees are large, vigorous, hardy, healthy and productive. It is, however, lacking in the very important character of flavor though the texture of the flesh is all that could be desired. Its very peculiar flavor, incomparable with any other plum or fruit, while disagreeable to the writer, might be liked by some. The flesh of this plum is so transparent that the pit can be readily seen when the skin is removed. To those growing native plums, Poole Pride is recommended for trial.
This variety was raised by P. H. Kroh, Anna, Illinois, and was exhibited by him under the name Kroh at the American Pomological Society meeting in 1885. Three years later the same plum was introduced by Stark Brothers, Louisiana, Missouri, under the name of Poole’s Pride. The latter name has been so much more widely used that it has been retained even though the former is correct according to the rule of priority.
Tree large, vigorous, open and round-topped, hardy, productive, healthy; branches rough, zigzag, with few thorns, dark ash-gray, with numerous, small lenticels; branchlets twiggy, slender, above medium in length, with short internodes, greenish-red changing to light chestnut-red, glabrous, with numerous, very conspicuous, large, raised lenticels; leaf-buds small, short, obtuse, plump, appressed.
Leaves folded upward, ovate or obovate, peach-like, one and three-eighths inches wide, three and one-half inches long, thin and leathery; upper surface dull red late in the season, smooth, glossy, with a narrow groove on the midrib; lower surface lightly pubescent; apex taper-pointed, base rather abrupt, margin finely crenate, with small dark glands; petiole seven-eighths inch long, slender, hairy, light purplish-red, with from one to four small, globose, reddish-brown glands on the stalk.
Blooming season late and long; flowers appearing after the leaves, five-eighths inch across, white; borne in clusters on short lateral spurs and buds; pedicels nine-sixteenths inch long, very slender, glabrous, green; calyx-tube greenish, campanulate, glabrous; calyx-lobes narrow, obtuse, heavily pubescent within and along the margin which is serrate and covered with reddish glands, erect; petals small, ovate or roundish, crenate, tapering into long pubescent claws; anthers yellowish; filaments five-sixteenths inch long; pistil glabrous, shorter than the stamens.
Fruit early, season very long; one inch in diameter, roundish-oval, not compressed, halves equal; cavity very shallow and narrow; suture a distinct line; apex roundish; color clear, dark, currant-red, with thin bloom; dots few, large, light russet, conspicuous, clustered about the apex; stem slender, five-eighths inch long, glabrous, but overspread with a grayish bloom, adhering to the fruit; skin thin, tough, separating from the pulp; flesh semi-transparent, dark amber-yellow, very juicy, fibrous, tender and melting, sweet, with a strong, peculiar flavor not pleasant; of fair quality; stone adhering, five-eighths inch by three-eighths inch in size, long-oval, slightly flattened, compressed at the base, pointed at the apex, roughish; ventral suture blunt, faintly ridged; dorsal suture acute, entire.
POTTAWATTAMIE
