CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION
THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA • BERKELEY
Pfalfr CUtd 7H*6el are ready
for commercial trial because of their apparent
superior characters in their season of maturity
/he nectarine, a smooth-skinned form
of the peach, can be modified by breeding
and selection to compare favorably with
the peach in all characteristics. The pecul-
iar qualities of the nectarine, combined
with large size and freedom from fuzz
should attract consumers and processors
alike. Recently a start has been made in
improvement of nectarines by private
plant breeders and by the Division of
Pomology, University of California.
The present superior nectarine vari-
eties available for California growers,
and best adapted to commercial use, in
order of maturity are: John Rivers, Early
Rivers, Cardinal, Gower, Quetta, and
Stanwick. Other desirable varieties grown
are LeGrand and Sequoia, both patented,
and Jordana, privately owned, but these
are not everywhere available, although
they are definitely superior to the other
varieties, for various reasons— mainly
size and appearance.
The Division of Pomology started a
breeding program with the nectarine in
1921. The work was under the continuous
direction of the late Professor Guy L.
Philp from the time of its inception until
June, 1947. The varieties here described
were originated and tested by him. For
this reason it was appropriate that they
be named in his and Mrs. Philp's honor.
Where to Obtain Trees
Trees of Philp and Mabel nectarines
are not offered for sale or distribution
by the University of California, but may
be purchased from nurserymen. If your
local nurseryman does not offer these
varieties, write to the Division of Pomol-
ogy, California Agricultural Experiment
Station, Davis, California.
These desirable characteristics were
sought : firm, yellow, freestone flesh ; high
color at shipping maturity; large size;
and good quality.
Philp and Mabel nectarines were se-
lected from among progenies of several
dozen crosses designed to yield fruits hav-
ing most of those desirable characteris-
tics. It has not yet been possible to
produce nectarines that compare favor-
ably in all characteristics with the best
peach varieties, especially in regard to
size of fruit, due to the relatively short
time the nectarine has been subjected to
improvement through breeding.
The new varieties are sister seedlings
of a cross made in 1937 between Hum-
boldt and a seedling of Burbank's Gold.
Humboldt is a medium-sized, yellow-
fleshed nectarine with considerable ex-
ternal color, moderately firm flesh, and
good quality; it was used for the female
parent. The male parent is a large-fruited
selection with yellow flesh and good qual-
ity. It was hoped that a cross between
these two would produce a yellow-fleshed
nectarine of high quality and large size,
with other desirable characteristics.
Among the several seedlings of this
cross, two originally designated as 27-12
and 27-12a combined many of the char-
acteristics sought. Selection 27-12 has
been given the name Philp; 27-12a is
named Mabel. They were selected for lim-
ited trial as early as 1942, and were
placed with cooperating growers in the
nectarine producing areas of the state.
A group of Philp nectarines, photo-
graphed in natural color, showing the typi-
cal yellow flesh. Fruit is approximately %
actual size.
[2]
Neither has been extensively planted or
tested. Therefore, these varieties are
largely unproven, and are introduced
only on the basis of recommendation for
trial because of their apparent superior
characters in their season of maturity.
Philp and Mabel are outstanding in
several characteristics, and are of excel-
lent size. Both are yellow-fleshed, free-
stone varieties, highly colored externally
with a deep red, washed blush, covering
nearly the entire surface. Philp is some-
what more highly colored than Mabel.
The external color develops early, so that
the fruits are nearly fully colored at ship-
ping maturity. The clear yellow flesh of
both varieties is attractive, of excellent,
fine texture and delicious flavor. The
flesh of Philp is firmer than that of Mabel;
so Philp is recommended for shipping,
while Mabel will be best suited to local
market and home orchard use. In flavor,
Philp is sprightly, while Mabel is milder.
Mabel usually matures first but the differ-
ence in time is slight; both varieties ma-
ture a few days to about a week before the
Gower variety, depending on the season.
The trees are vigorous, and set very
heavy crops of fruit. For maximum size,
good thinning practice will be necessary,
but even under conditions of heavy pro-
duction these varieties have commercially
acceptable sizes of fruit. The physical
characteristics of the trees and fruit of
Philp and Mabel are compared, in Table
2, with two other commonly grown vari-
eties. John Rivers is the most important
commercial variety maturing earlier than
Philp and Mabel, while Gower follows
them by only a few days. Table 1 shows
a similar tabulation of some of the more
important phenological characteristics.
These are Mabel nectarines, photo- J
graphed in natural color. Fruit is approxi- I
mately % actual size. ™
TABLE 1. Phenological characteristics of PHILP and MABEL nectarines com-
pared with John Rivers and Gower
at Wolfskill Experimental Orchards, Winters, California.
PHILP
MABEL
JOHN RIVERS G<
>WER
Time of full bloom
1943
March 13
March 14
March 13 March 8
1944
" 20
" 20
" 22
' 17
1945
" 14
" 14
" 15
' 11
1946
" 15
" 15
" 22
9
1947
" 16
" 16
" 17
' 13
1948
" 18
" 21
" 23
' 16
1949
" 31
" 31
April 1
' 28
Time of maturity
1943
July 12
July 12
June 26 J
uly 17
1944
" 17
" 17
" 28
" 20
1945
" 16
" 16
" 17
" 27
1946
" 15
" 13
" 22
" 23
1947
" 14
" 11
" 19
"
1948
July 7 Auc
ust 7
1949
" 25
" 22
" 4 J
uly 29
Days from full bloom to
maturity
1943
121
120
105
130
1944
119
119
98
125
1945
124
124
94
135
1946
122
120
92
136
1947
120
117
113
94
106
94
1948
144
1949
116
123
[4]
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BOTANICAL DESCRIPTIONS
Pfolfi
Tree: Upright-spreading to spreading, pro-
ductive, vigorous. Old bark grayish-brown
with thin, dry, recurved scales; two-year- wood
greenish-brown to brown with irregular longi-
tudinal cracks, grayish-brown to light brown.
Current growth green, or reddish on exposed
surfaces, with numerous white dots, interspersed
with brown, cracked, slightly raised lenticels
on the highly colored surfaces and toward the
base, in which case they are larger, high, and
rough. Foliage plentiful. Leaves dark green,
the lower surface slightly lighter; shape long
lanceolate to nearly linear or, rarely, tending to
be slightly ovate-lanceolate, with the apical M\
usually recurved and twisted about 90 degrees;
base acute; apex acuminate; margin rather
evenly serrate, slightly wavy ; size approximately
6V2 inches long x iy 2 inches broad. Leaf glands
globose, usually 2 or 3 in number, generally
borne on the base of the blade, or 1 on the apical
portion of the petiole; size large. Leaf petiole
short, % inch to V2 inch, stout, twisted, with a
wide, deep channel on the upper side. Fruit
buds dark brown, ovate, not appressed, usually
borne 2 per node; scales pubescent, especially
along the margins and terminally. Vegetative
buds small, ovate, unless compressed between
flower buds; dark brown, pubescent.
Flowers: Usually borne 2 per node; sub-
sessile; short pedicel glabrous or nearly so.
Calyx cup-shaped; external color deep red,
or greenish where protected and at the base;
surface grossly irregular, somewhat rough or
rugose, obscurely concentrically wrinkled at
the base of the sepals, glabrous. Nectaries
color bright, deep orange. Sepals medium
size; shape ovate to broad-ovate, slightly
cupped; color dull, deep red dorsally, dull
greenish-red ventrally, with red veins; pubescent
dorsally, toward margins and at apex; reflexed
about 60 degrees at full bloom. Petals large,
1.8 to 2.0 cm broad x 2.3 to 2.5 cm long; shape
broad-ovate, with short basal claw; color light
pink, deeper at center, becoming darker and
redder at base with age. Stamen exsertion
approximately equal to petal length, 1.5 cm
long; 37 to 49 in number; young filaments pink,
becoming purplish-red with age; anthers nor-
mal, color red. Pistil exsertion approximately
equal to petals and stamens, 2.3 to 2.5 cm long,
glabrous. Flowers large, to 5 cm across at full
bloom.
Fruit: Matures about July 12 at Winters,
California. Size medium to large, 5.5 cm
long x 5.7 cm cheek diameter x 5.7 cm suture
diameter. Shape round to round-oval. Surface
slightly irregular. Base flat. Apex more or
less rounded, occasionally nearly flat, usually
oblique toward suture and depressed along
suture beyong apex, often very obscurely and
broadly so for some distance toward base; pistil
scar sometimes a depressed dot, and sometimes
a small, slightly raised, irregular tip. Cavity
variable, round to wide-oval in outline, medium
shallow to medium deep, wide conical to coni-
cal; stem scar rather large; shoulders rounded
with very shallow, broad, irregular ridges;
halves equal or nearly so. Suture variable,
usually a line or a broad, shallow median groove,
lightly creased on inner side of the cavity, or
rarely cleft up to one-half the distance from base
to apex, usually a deeper, often broad, groove
at apex, but not creased or cleft, and running
past apex as a broad, shallow groove. Suture
lips often slightly protruding, with one lip
slightly larger; lips low, rounded. Skin ground-
color light lemon yellow, often greenish in the
cavity; overcolor or blush washed deep red on
exposed side to bright red, semicolored on pro-
tected side, nearly full-colored. Pubescence
lacking— a true nectarine. Dots lacking, or
brownish-yellow, scattered, small, irregular,
mostly apical and lateral. Flesh color light
apricot-yellow, clear; cavity surface color
whitish-yellow, with moderate amount of red
on the fibers, usually with some red at apex, and
flesh may be slightly flecked red along suture.
Flavor subacid, sweet, excellent. Flesh tex-
ture firm to firm-melting, fine-grained, excel-
lent.
Stone small, 3.0 cm long x 1.5 cm cheek
diameter x 2.1 cm suture diameter. Shape oval,
with a broad, slightly protruding neck. Stem
scar large, flat. Apex rounded, with medium
long, very sharp tip; surface pitted and pit-
grooved basally; obliquely or transversely
grooved, mostly toward the apex. Dorsal
suture slightly protruding, grooved from base
to, or nearly to, apex, the groove medium broad
and deep basally, becoming narrower and shal-
[7]
lower toward apex; ventral suture sometimes
raised, sharp, or only raised and sharp near
base; lateral grooves wide, deep, extending
nearly to apex, more or less irregularly and
lightly marked between. Color brown, tinged
with pinkish-red, especially along suture, and
at base and apex. Flesh lies close to stone, sep-
arates from it easily, and fruit is a true freestone,
but with a tendency to cling slightly at the base.
Seed bitter.
7K*fct
Tree: Upright-spreading, productive, vigor-
ous. Old bark grayish-brown to reddish-brown
with thin, recurved scales; two-year-wood
greenish-brown to brown, with irregular longi-
tudinal cracks, grayish-brown to light brown.
Current growth green, or slightly reddish
on exposed surfaces, with numerous white dots,
interspersed with brown, cracked, slightly
raised lenticels on the more highly colored sur-
faces and toward base. Foliage plentiful.
Leaves dark green, the lower surface lighter;
shape long ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate with
tip more or less recurved and twisted 90 degrees
or less near apex; base rounded; apex acumi-
nate; margin evenly serrate, moderately wavy,
with strong tip glands, especially toward base;
size approximately 6 inches long x 1% inches
wide. Leaf glands reniform, usually 2 to 5 in
number, borne on the petiole or, rarely, 1 or 2
on the base of the blade; size large. Leaf
petiole short, about V-2 inch, stout, twisted,
with a strong, moderately deep channel on the
upper side. Fruit buds dark brown, ovate,
nearly appressed, usually borne 2 per node;
scales pubescent along margins and at apex, but
nearly glabrous in the center. Vegetative
buds small, ovate, unless compressed between
flower buds, dark brown, pubescent.
Flowers: Usually borne 2 per node, sub-
sessile; pedicel glabrous or nearly so. Calyx
cup-shaped ; external color dull, deep red, or
greenish where protected; surface somewhat
irregular, lightly striated, glabrous. Nectaries
color bright, deep orange. Sepals medium
size; shape oval, slightly cupped; color dull,
deep red dorsally, greenish on ventral surface,
with veins obscurely reddish; pubescent dor-
sally toward margins and apex, glabrous on
inner surface; reflexed about 45 degrees or
more at full bloom. Petals large, 1.9 cm to 2.0
cm broad x 2.1 cm to 2.2 cm long; shape ovate,
slightly cupped with small basal claw, often
cleft at apex; margin slightly wavy; color light,
clear pink until fully open or later, then deeper
pink becoming reddish toward base. Stamen
exsertion equal to or slightly shorter than
petals, 1.0 to 1.5 cm long; 40 to 45 in number;
anthers normal, color red. Pistil exsertion
equal to stamens, 2.1 cm long, glabrous.
Flowers up to 4.8 cm across at full bloom.
Fruit: Matures about July 11 at Winters,
California. Size medium or larger when well
thinned, 5.5 cm long x 5.8 cm cheek diameter x
6.0 cm suture diameter. Shape variable, round-
oval to round, often very slightly ovate. Surface
very slightly irregular. Base flat. Apex rounded,
depressed along suture line ; pistil scar depressed
or a very small, low, irregular fleshy tip. Cavity
wide-oval to round, shallow or nearly so, wide-
conical, "open"; shoulders wide-rounded, nearly
smooth and regular. Suture an obscure line, or
a broad, shallow groove becoming more pro-
nounced apically, but rarely creased, and con-
tinuing as a shallow groove past apex, often to
base. Suture lips not protruding, broad-
angular, low where present. Skin ground-color
rich yellow, or greenish in the cavity ; overcolor
or blush deep red, solid where exposed, washed,
not solid red on protected side, % or more
colored. Pubescence lacking— a true nectarine.
Dots scattered, variable, apical and lateral, few.
Flesh color clear yellow; cavity surface color
dull whitish-yellow, with trace of red on fibers
and in flesh along ventral suture and at apex.
Flavor mildly subacid, sweet, excellent. Flesh
texture firm to firm-melting, fine-grained.
Stone medium or smaller, 2.9 cm long x 1.7
cm cheek diameter x 2.2 cm suture diameter.
Shape broad-oval, plump, base broad, slightly
necked. Stem scar large, flat. Apex rounded,
sometimes with slight ventral bulge, and with
medium sized, sharp tip; surface pitted and
pit-grooved basally; obliquely and transversely
deeply grooved on cheeks and toward apex.
Dorsal suture slightly protruding, medium to
narrow and rather deeply grooved from base to
apex; ventral suture broad, flat, or bluntly
raised at base ; lateral grooves wide, deep, from
base to apex, becoming shallower toward apex,
irregularly grooved between. Color brown,
tinged pinkish-red, especially on sutures, at
base and apex. Flesh free from stone, except
for a slight tendency to cling at base; other-
wise a freestone. Seed bitter.
10m-8,'50(B8454)WFC
[8]