S. D. Willard, a nurseryman of Geneva, New York, probably introduced
French in this country; at least it was brought to notice mainly through
his recommendation. The origin is unknown, but it is probably an
introduction from France and may be an old variety renamed. The figure
of Prune Petit Damas Violet given by Poiteau is so very similar as to
suggest that French may be identical with that sort.
Tree large, vigorous, spreading, dense-topped, hardy,
productive; branches numerous, ash-gray, roughish, thorny,
with lenticels variable in size; branchlets inclined to
develop spurs at the base, rather slender, short, with short
internodes, greenish-red changing to dark brownish-drab, dull,
somewhat zigzag, thickly pubescent, with inconspicuous, small
lenticels; leaf-buds intermediate in size and length, pointed,
free.
Leaves folded upward, long-oval, one and one-quarter inches
wide, three inches long; upper surface dark green, covered
with fine hairs, with a grooved midrib; lower surface
pubescent; apex abruptly pointed, base abrupt, margin serrate
or nearly crenate, with a few, small, dark glands; petiole
eleven-sixteenths inch long, rather slender, pubescent, faintly
tinged with red, usually having two very small, globose,
greenish-brown glands on the stalk or base of the leaf.
Blooming season intermediate in time and length; flowers
appearing after the leaves, one and five-sixteenths inches
across, white; borne on lateral spurs, usually in pairs;
pedicels five-eighths inch long, slender, covered with short
pubescence, greenish; calyx-tube green, campanulate, glabrous;
calyx-lobes narrow, obtuse, glabrous on the outer surface,
thinly pubescent along the margin and at the base of the inner
surface, glandular-serrate, reflexed; petals oval, dentate
or fringed, tapering below to short, broad claws; anthers
distinctly reddish; filaments seven-sixteenths inch in length;
pistil glabrous, equal to the stamens in length.
Fruit late; one and one-half inches by one and one-eighth
inches in diameter, ovate, halves equal; cavity very shallow,
narrow, flaring; suture a line; apex roundish; color dull
black, overspread with thick bloom; dots numerous, small,
brownish, inconspicuous; stem slender, three-quarters inch
long, sparingly pubescent, adhering well to the fruit; skin
thin, tough, separating readily; flesh greenish, juicy,
fibrous, tender, sweet, pleasant and sprightly; good; stone
variable in adhesion, seven-eighths inch by one-half inch in
size, oval, roughened, acute at the base, blunt at the apex;
ventral suture rather narrow, heavily furrowed and somewhat
winged; dorsal suture with a shallow groove of medium width.
FROGMORE
_Prunus insititia_
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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