LO CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURAL EXTENsION SErvicE [Cre 42
The flesh of the Spanish group is red in color and hard, and the
skin is noticeably pubescent. The tree is large, vigorous, and
adapted to the warmer localities. The typical varieties are: Blood
Cling and Indian.
The fruit of the Chinese Cling group is dull in color, with a thin
skin, and flesh that is white or yellow, juicy, fine-grained, and of
good quality. The leaves are large. Most of the commercial varieties
are found in this or in the Persian group. Typical varieties are:
Chinese Cling, Carman, and Greensboro. The Elberta is probably a
cross between Chinese Cling, and Early Crawford. These varieties
tend to have a long rest period. ;
The Persian group includes all varieties originating from the
importations out of Persia by way of Italy, Great Britain or the
Colonies. The typical varieties are: Alexander, Early Crawford,
Late Crawford, Hale’s Early, St. John, Susquehanna, Tuscan,
Phillips,* Heath, Foster, Lemon Cling, Salwey, and the somewhat newer
midsummer varieties; Paloro, Hauss, Gaume, Johnson, Walton, and
Sims. As with the North China group the varieties of this group also
drop their leaves early and have a rather long rest period.
Suitability of the Variety for a Purpose—Since peaches are raised
for drying, shipping, canning, or for home consumption, it is necessary
to select varieties that are best suited for these special purposes. The
condition of the market has much to do with the way the fruit is
sold or used. Some orchardists, therefore, prefer to raise freestone
varieties that may be dried, or sold fresh. Clingstone varieties are
used mostly for canning, although a very few are shipped as fresh
fruit.
Canneries use yellow-fleshed clingstone peaches. The canners’
standard ealls for a firm peach with a golden color, of good symmetri-
cal size, without red at the pit, and the pit should be small.
Among the yellow clingstone varieties, the Tuscan and Phillips
were formerly preferred because they interfered less with the canning
of pears, plums and cherries in July, and because desirable midsummer
varieties were not then available. The midsummer varieties such as
the Hauss, Paloro, Peak, Johnson, Gaume and Sims, however, are
increasing in popularity. The Tuscan and Phillips appear to be
losing favor with the canners at present, due to defects such as
splitting of the pit and gumming of the fruit. The Tuscan is also
objectionable because of the red color of the flesh near the pit, which
causes a colored syrup.
¢ The varieties, Phillips, Paloro, Hauss, Gaume, Johnson, and Walton originated
in Sutter County, California.
