Croisic.
Ira Condit, 1955 monograph, p. 336
(Croisic) Profichi medium or above, up to 1-3/4 inches in diameter, pyriform with distinct neck; ribs prominent, with surface often somewhat corrugated; eye fairly large, with yellowish-green scales; color greenish yellow; interior white; edible pulp insipid, lacking in sugar; staminate flowers few, generally lacking in pollen.
This seems to contradict the account by W. Storey, 1975 (Figs, in Advances in Fruit Breeding, ed. Janick & Moore). Note that in 1968 Storey succeeded Condit as director of the UC breeding program.
(p.581) The several caprifigs used for breeding today are types with persistent syconia which trace their pedigrees back to Croisic, …
and later on p.585 Storey gives the pedigree of UCR 271-1 (Saleeb) as
Beall x {Conadria x (Monstreuse x Croisic)}
However, the breeding records of Saleeb from the UC Kearney Ag center list it as
Beall x | 228-20 {Adriatic x [Verdal Longue x (Calimyrna x Kearney)]} x {[Monstreuse x (Calimyrna x Kearney)]}
Looking at the UC breeding program as a whole, Kearney played a dominant role as caprifig but there are 3 openings for un-named males in the parents of Excel, of Flanders, and in the great-grandparent of T30E. Other than that, Storey’s account of the UC breeding program appears fanciful.
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But does it exist in other countries? Sounds wonderful.
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Pissalutto, aka Pissalutto Bianco.
Described by Gallesio (1817) as the same variety listed by Columella (C.E. 49-50) and Pliny (C.E. 75) as “ficus liviana,” one of the best figs of the Roman Era, an identification which Eisen (1901) considered highly doubtful.
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San Pietro.
In 1926, cuttings of San Pietro were obtained from the late Leroy Nickel, of Menlo Park. These were grown first at Fresno, and since 1932, in the collection of varieties at Riverside. It was such a satisfactory variety at Menlo Park that “it almost stopped the quest for a better fig” (according to the gardener, Theodore Woolley), producing two crops of excellent figs, both under glass and out of doors.
…
Breba crop [production] fair; figs large, up to 2 inches in diameter and 2-3/4 inches in length, oblique-pyriform, with prominent neck; stalk short; eye medium, open; white flecks large, scattered; surface dull; ribs few, only slightly elevated; color light green; meat thin, tinged with violet; pulp dark strawberry; flavor rich, sweet; quality good.
Second-crop figs large, up to 2-1/4 inches broad and 3 inches long, turbinate, mostly without neck, or neck present and gradually narrowed from body to stalk; average weight 73 grams; stalk short; ribs branched, slightly elevated; apex broad, flattened; eye above medium, open, scales chaffy or pink, with scarious margins; white flecks few, large, widely spaced; color yellowish green; pulp light strawberry, hollow; flavor fairly rich. Quality mediocre; dried color poor.
Caprified specimens have dark-strawberry, solid pulp, with large seeds; average weight 88 grams. Recommended for trial in coastal sections of California only.
Condit’s opinion of the main crop is likely due to appearance, not flavor.
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Barnissotte.
Barnissotte is widely grown in Italy, in southern France, and in parts of Spain and Portugal; … according to Gallesio (1817), it is the same variety described by Pliny and other Roman writers as “Fico Africano”.
In Pliny’s Natural History, Book XV, chapter XX.
But the variety which even in his day Cato termed the African fig reminds us of his having employed that fruit for a remarkable demonstration. … on a certain occasion he brought into the house [Senate] an early ripe fig from Carthage, and displaying it to the Fathers he said, “I put it to you, when do you think this fruit was plucked from the tree?” Everyone agreed that it was quite fresh; so he said, “O well, it was picked the day before yesterday at Carthage – so near the enemy is to our walls!” And they promptly embarked on the third Punic war, and Carthage was brought down.
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