Fig Varieties: A Monograph - uri=ucce.ucdavis

February, 1955] Condit: Fig Varieties
447
McFadden. A seedling fig, described by Rixford (1918b) and Close (1929) as one of
the progeny of a cross, Agen by Meyer Capri No.2. First fruited on the place of A. J.
McFadden, Santa Ana. At Riverside, the tree has produced small figs, without neck,
violet to purplish black, with strawberry pulp.
Madeline. Variety received in 1923 from a grower at San Jose, California. Produced
medium-sized figs, dark violet in color, with strawberry pulp. The Madeline described
by Earle (1900) is probably Blanche (Madeleine). Identity of Madeline not determined.
(Plates 9, 11, 12.)
Madère (syns. Figue de Madère, Figue Noire). Described by Merlet (1667), Ballon
(1692), Liger (1702), and Langley (1728), as a large French fig, elongated, reddish brown
to black, with light-red pulp. Madère is probably identical with some other variety,
such as San Piero.
Malmaison (syn. Bifère de la Malmaison). Described by Audibert Frères (1854),
Hogg (1866), Barron (1891), and Eisen (1888, 1901). Hogg reported for Bifère de la
Malmaison: “Skin of a pale hazel-brown covered with a thin, grey bloom. Flesh...
agreeably flavoured but not rich.”
Eisen followed closely the account of Barron, which stated that the fruit is below
medium; skin pale brown, streaked with purple, with light bloom; pulp red, very rich.
Audibert Frères regarded the variety highly, especially for its production of a first
crop, and predicted a good future for it when transportation facilities improved. Their
description showed a fig of large size, brown to reddish black, with a light-rose pulp.
Malta (syns. Small Brown, Celeste, Celestial, Sugar, Blue Celeste, Celeste Violette).
Described as Malta by Miller (1768), Hanbury (1770), Forsyth (1803), Brookshaw (1812,
with color plate), Green (1824), George Lindley (1831), Holley (1854), M’Intosh (1855),
Dochnahl (1855), and by Bunyard and Thomas (1904). Described as Celeste by Affleck
(1850, 1852, 1854), White (1868), Massey (1893), Burnette (1894), Eisen (1885, 1897,
1901*), 8 Earle (1900), Price and White (1902*), Starnes (1903*), Starnes and Monroe
(1907), Anon. (1908), Van Velzer (1909*), Reimer (1910*), Potts (1917), Gould (1919*),
Hume (1915*), W. S. Anderson (1924-1928), Mowry and Weber (1925), Woodroof and
Bailey (1931*), Stansel and Wyche (1932), Woodard (1938, 1940), Ashley (1940), and
Condit (1941a*, 1947*).
The identity of the Celeste fig, so widely grown in the southern United States, has
long been in doubt. White (1868) suggested that it might prove to be the Malta
described by previous authors. Others seem to have overlooked this suggestion, but a
close comparison of descriptions of Malta and Celeste leaves no doubt of their identity.
English writers reiterate the statement of Miller, that Malta shrivels on the tree and
becomes a fine sweetmeat. Stansel and Wyche report that in Texas, Celeste will dry on
the tree to some extent without souring. Bunyard and Thomas state that Malta “is in all
respects like Brown Turkey except in the shape of the fruits, which are shorter and of
peg-top shape.” Figue d’Automne or Celeste, listed by Ballon (1692), and Liger (1702),
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8 Where asterisks appear in citations, illustrations of the tree or fruit of this variety are given by authors.