Duchess of Angouléme
Duchess of Angouléme formerly was more distributed in Georgia than at present. In Karthli single trees of this sort can be met in home orchards of the kholkhosniks white continuous plantations exist nowhere. In the other districts Duchess of Angouléme has the importance of a pomological rarity. The fruit is very large, weighing sometimes 700-800 gr., with a ribbed and knobbed surface; in shape greatly variable, often truncated pyriform; susceptible to scab.
Skin rough, thick, at first green, lustrous, dotted with russet, at full maturity yellowish gold, slightly blushed.
Flesh tender, yellowish, melting, juicy, sweet, slightly acid, with a low content of tannins, pleasantly aromatic. Under conditions of good management and suitable environment the fruits are excellent in flavour. They ripen in September and keep till October.
The tree is of a weak constitution, very delicate, not hardy to cold, requisitive to environment and agricultural engineering; time of blooming very early, flowers self-sterile, fruits parthenocarpic, bearing early, productivity poor. It does not succeed on the quince, requires intermediate grafting, light prunning and frequent rejuvenation.
The exceptionally large, showy, nice fruits and their excellent flavour may account for the flavour Duchess of Angouléme enjoys with the amateurs. This valuable dessert sort may be recommended for several regions with a warm location, particularly for the outskirt of Tbilisi
