One of the interesting novelties of recent plum-breeding is the Plumcot grown by Luther Burbank[221] from a cross between the plum and the apricot. Not having seen the fruit of this remarkable cross we are unable to judge of its value to the plum-grower. Out of a large number of extremely variable seedlings of this cross Burbank selected this, the Rutland Plumcot, named in honor of an Australian admirer of the fruit. The variety was introduced by the Fancher Creek Nursery in 1906 and 1907. The following description is partly compiled.
Tree vigorous, spreading, open, not a heavy bearer; branches thorny; branchlets rather slender, with short internodes, dull red; leaves folded upward, oval, one and five-eighths inches wide, two and seven-eighths inches long, rather stiff; margin finely and doubly crenate, glandular; petiole greenish-red, with from one to four globose glands.
The fruit in California attains a large size; suture and cavity deep; skin fuzzy like an apricot, purple; flesh deep red, subacid; quality fair; stone large, broad-oval.
SAINT CATHERINE
Prunus domestica
1. Quintinye Com. Gard. 67, 68, 69. 1699. 2. Langley Pomona 94, Pl. 24 fig. 6. 1729. 3. Miller Gard. Dict. 3. 1754. 4. Duhamel Trait. Arb. Fr. 2:97, Pl. XX fig. 5, 109, Pl. XIX. 1768. 5. Knoop Fructologie 2:55. 1771. 6. Lond. Hort. Soc. Cat. 153. 1831. 7. Prince Pom. Man. 2:76, 103. 1832. 8. Kenrick Am. Orch. 267. 1832. 9. Gallesio Pom. Ital. 2: Pl. 1839. 10. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 283 fig. 112. 1845. 11. Floy-Lindley Guide Orch. Gard. 298, 383. 1846. 12. Poiteau Pom. Franc. 1:1846. 13. U. S. Pat. Off. Rpt. XXX. 1854. 14. Ann. Pom. Belge 65, Pl. 1855. 15. Thompson Gard. Ass’t 520. 1859. 16. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat. 86. 1862. 17. Pom. France 7: No. 23. 1871. 18. Mas Le Verger 6:89, fig, 45. 1866-73. 19. Hogg Fruit Man. 724. 1884. 20. Mathieu Nom. Pom. 431. 1889. 21. Wickson Cal. Fruits 356 fig. 1891. 22. Guide Prat. 161, 365. 1895. 23. Oregon Sta. Bul. 45:33 fig. 1897.
Bricet 7. Bricette 4, 7, 12. Bricette 7, 19. Brisette 20, 22. Catherine (Prune de Ste.) 5. Catharinenpflaume 18, 20, 21. De Sainte-Catherine 22. Gelbe Catharinenpflaume 20. Gelbe Catharinenpflaume 18, 22. Gelbe Katharinenpflaume 17, 22. Gute Kathe 20. Mirabelle Tardive 7. Petite Bricette 7. Pruneau de Tours 18. Prune de Sainte Catherine 7, 17, 20. Prune Sainte Catherine 13. Prune Sainte-Catherine 18. Prune Sainte-Catherine Jaune 18. Prunier Sainte-Catherine 14. Pruneaux de Tours 13. St. Catharine 1, 2, 7, 8, 16, 19, 23. Saint Catherine 7. Sainte Catherine 11, 20. Sainte-Catharine 3, 4, 12, 17, 18, 22. Sainte-Catherine de Tours 17, 20, 22. Sainte-Catherine jaune 20, 21. Sainte-Catherine ordinaire 17, 20, 22. St. Katharine 1. Späte Mirabelle 20 incor., 22. Susina Di Santa Caterina 9. Torlo d’Ovo 9. Torlo d’Uovo 9. Yellow St. Catharine 7.
This plum is grown only on the Pacific Coast in America and even there is to be found but locally and is now passing from cultivation. It is, however, one of the well-known sorts in Europe, especially in France where it is used for prune-making. It appears to be of the Reine Claude group in which group America has so many plums of surpassing merit that this one has no place on this side of the Atlantic. It is included in The Plums of New York largely because of its historic interest and because there seems to be no complete description of it made from trees and fruits grown on this continent.
The origin of this old plum is unknown. It was first mentioned by Quintinye in 1699. Wherever it originated, it is now grown most extensively in France and is known to commerce as the Prune of Tours. The people in Northern Italy cultivate it under the name Torlo d’Ovo (References, 9). The Belgians have used Saint Catherine incorrectly for the Imperiale Violette (References, 14). In America, according to Kenrick, it was not uncommon around Boston in 1832 but it evidently did not receive much recognition, for the United States Patent Office reimported it from France in 1854 and distributed it in the northeastern part of this country. The American Pomological Society added it to its fruit catalog list in 1862 and dropped it in 1899.