Fig Varieties: A Monograph - uri=ucce.ucdavis

February, 1955] Condit: Fig Varieties
461
strawberry; quality fair to good. Mature fruits tend to split badly at the apex.
A variety of no importance in California, either fresh or dried, on account of small
size, poor color, and mediocre quality.
Praecox (Ficus carica praecox Risso). Under this name Risso (1826) described a variety
bearing two crops. Second-crop figs were small, spherical to oblong, black in color,
with red pulp; brebas were larger, long-stalked, with large eye. Some specimens
showed malformations.
Précoce de Barcelona. Described by Starnes and Monroe (1907, with figure), Reboul
(1908), and by Grasovsky and Weitz (1932). The origin and identity of this variety have
not been revealed. The Georgia material tested by Starnes and Monroe was obtained
from Nabonnand and Co., Alpes Maritimes, France. In 1928, rooted cuttings of Précoce
de Barcelona were introduced by the United States Department of Agriculture from the
same nursery, under P.I. No. 69,019. It has been fruiting at Riverside since 1931; notes
taken during the intervening years show the characters given below.
Tree fairly vigorous; terminal buds violet-brown. Leaves medium, somewhat glossy,
mostly 5-lobed; upper sinuses of medium depth and width, lower sinuses shallow; basal
lobes commonly auricled; basal sinus cordate, often narrow; margins coarsely crenate.
Breba crop small to fair; figs medium, turbinate, with short, thick neck; stalk up to
1/4 inch long, swollen toward the body of fruit; eye large, open; color purplish black;
pulp light strawberry. Season early, figs commonly beginning to ripen two weeks
ahead of Franciscana.
Second-crop figs small, 1-1/2 inches in length and diameter; average weight 25
grams; shape spherical, with neck mostly absent; stalk up to 1/2 inch long, often
showing a peculiar split or crack, extending into the base of the fruit; surface glossy,
black, with conspicuous pruinose bloom; skin checking at maturity; pulp light
strawberry; flavor rich, distinct, much like that of Franciscana; quality fair to good. See
Condit (1941 a, fig. 2, A).
Caprified figs are much the same, except for the darker strawberry pulp and fertile
seeds. The statement of Starnes and Monroe; “but for its small size would be
promising,” may well be repeated here.
Pregussata (syn. Pergussata). Described by George Lindley (1831), Holley (1854),
M’Intosh (1855), Thompson (1859), Hogg (1866), White (1868), Eisen (1888; 1901, with
illustration), Watts (1890), Starnes (1903), and by Starnes and Monroe (1907). According
to Lindley, this most beautiful and excellent fig was sent to England from the Ionian
Islands, and was listed as No.57 in the catalogue of the Royal Horticultural Society.
Although described by Hogg as producing luscious figs, it was not included in the
Chiswick collection that was sent to the United States. Eisen, in 1888, used the spelling
Pregussata for the variety name, but in his bulletin of 1901 he gave it as Pergussata. All
other authors list it as Pregussata. The description by Hogg was copied by Eisen, who
stated that “this is probably the true Pergussata, received from England under that
name.” No later account of the variety in California has been found. Starnes reported
that Pregussata was worthless in Georgia, because trees never matured a crop in that
state.
Second-crop figs are described as medium, oblate, dark brown, tinged with purple;
pulp dark red; flavor sweet and rich.