Sunday, 23 August 2009

Crop: Bishop's Thumb

A small crop of Bishop's Thumb on a maiden intended as one half of an arch in the front garden. Fruit is only slightly bigger than shown on photograph.





I'm not sure how closely my tree compares to Bunyard's Descripton:

BISHOP'S THUMB. Her. Pom. II., 42. F. Pousse 
de 1'Eveque. Dessert, October to November, variable 
2f by 5, long calebasse form, even. Skin, a little rough. 
Colour, pale yellow with bright scarlet flush. Flesh, 
palest yellow, fine grained, a little melting, slightly 
perfumed, very juicy. Eye, wide open almost on 
level. Stem, long and woody, continued, generally at 
angle the flesh growing higher up (the stem one side). 
Growth, vigorous, makes a good standard ; fertility 
good. Leaf, elliptical, nearly flat, finely serrate. Origin, 
this has been known in England for many years and is 
generally considered to be a native. First described 
by Diel in 1804. An old variety often found in orchards 
but of no special merit. The curious growth of flesh up 
one side of the stem is, I suppose, the origin of its name.

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