Old mandarin variety

[Barry Hicks]

I am trying to track down an old mandarin variety called Beauty of Glen Retreat aka Beauty, Glen or Glen Retreat. It was grown commercially when I was a kid back in the 40's.

The nurseries I have contacted (in SE Q and NE NSW) all seem to know of it but can't tell me where to buy one.

Come on you gardeners, do your stuff.

[oohsam]

Im no gardner but this may help...

http://www.greenfingers.com.au/services/digging_deeper/citrus/Mandarins_Clementines.htm
http://greenfingers.com.au/services/digging_deeper/citrus/The_most_easily_grown_citrus.htm
Why dont you try calling some nurserys in Noosa ? They would know for sure.

Peace.

[oohsam]

I also stumbled accross this...

Check the Notes..."IT has dissapeared from cultivation"
Maybe try some overseas nurseries (Florida?)

variety: Beauty (a.k.a. Beauty of Glen Retreat)
category: mandarin
tree: thornless, branches slender and willowy
leaves: small
season: Dec Jan
size: medium, avg. diam. 2.5, avg. height 2.25
shape: flattened oblate, segmentation visible
apex: flat or very slightly depressed
axis: open, 1/2 inch or less diam.
color: red-orange
surface: glossy
rind: very thin, 1/16
oil glands: large, elliptical/oval, conspicuous
segments: 10 or more
pulp: melting, orange
vesicles: broad, blunt
flavor: rich; resembles Dancy but is distinct; "vinous" - Hume
seeds: few, small
history: discov Australia 1888; distrib USDA 1893; formerly grown in FL
notes: "it has disappeared from cultivation" - Webber et al 1943

[oohsam]

OH...and you may want to check these books...or get intouch with this bloke:
Rick Harrison
He seems to be somewhat of a mandarin expert....
[email protected]

(Check the attachment I have put up)

BOOKS:
Hume, H. Harold; Citrus fruits and their culture; 1904

Jackson, Larry K.; Citrus growing in Florida; 3rd edition, University
of Florida Press, 1991

Jackson, L. K. & Futch, S. H.; Facts about specialty citrus
characteristics; in: Citrus Industry, Jan 1994, Feb 1994

Ray, Richard & Walheim, Lance; Citrus -- how to select, grow and enjoy;
H P Books, 1980

Sturrock, David; Fruits for southern Florida; Southeastern Printing Co, 1959

Webber & Batchelor, editors; The citrus industry -- history, botany and
breeding; University of California, 1943

[oohsam]

http://books.google.com/books?id=VZZGuYefyvAC&pg=PA35&lpg=PA35&dq=%22beauty+of+glen+retreat%22&source=web&ots=ou5FfFpirb&sig=HhJp6AirAlD8R7LZsC4wTHq7kBg#PPP1,M1

A little info..Not much.

[oohsam]

Beauty (Beauty of Glen Retreat, Glen) (fig. 4-39 (http://lib.ucr.edu/agnic/webber/Vol1/Figures/Fig4-39.jpg))
Fruit medium in size, oblate; base usually with well developed but small, more or less corrugated neck; apex somewhat depressed. Rind thin, firm, but easily removed; surface smooth and glossy; color orange-red at maturity. Segments 9 to 13, easily separated; axis medium and hollow. Flesh orange-colored; tender; juicy; sprightly flavored. Moderately seedy and cotyledons light-green. Midseason in maturity.
Tree vigorous, medium to large, upright-spreading, virtually thornless, with dense foliage consisting of medium-sized, broadly lanceolate leaves. Strong tendency to alternate bearing with undesirably small and tart fruit in the "on" years.
Beauty is said to have originated about 1888 as a seedling on the property of W. H. Parker, Glen Retreat, at Enoggera (a suburb of Brisbane), Queensland. The parent variety is unknown but the similarities with Dancy are such C as to lead R. J. Benton, former government citrus specialist in New South Wales, to the conclusion that this variety is a seedling of the Dancy type, which is highly polyembryonic and reproduces remarkably true from seed.
Beauty is highly popular in Queensland, where climatic conditions favor the production of large, superior quality fruit. It is reported that overbearing in alternate years is successfully counteracted by a combination of heavy pruning and hand thinning.

http://lib.ucr.edu/agnic/webber/Vol1/Chapter4.html

[Dion N]

Have you tried http://www.diggers.com.au

they have a lot of old varieties of fruit and vegetables

[Barry Hicks]

Thanks oohsam and Dion N. I am waiting for an answer from Diggers Club but I don't like my chances of finding the tree.

Barry Hicks