Hi, i'm new here and see some familar names as i also belong to Garden Web fig forum. Anyways i'm confused about the updated list as i see 2 Sal's figs number 31 and 39. On the original Belleclare site number 31 was a  

Martin,

You got the description for  BC39 (Italy, Pasquale Bianco - and not a Sal's)
from the Belleclare's old website, which is outdated.
Latest number [edit: for Italy, Pasquale Bianco] is BC32 .

For the most last recent Belleclare fig list see post 6, 9 .txt files:
http://www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/post/figs4funforum/vpost?id=2414152&highlight=belleclare

The Sal's Fig  you got is being known in this fig community as Sal's Fig (EL).

BC31 as Sal's Fig (Corleone)
31. SICILIAN BLACK (Sal's) (Corelone) (Fico di Capo) (Fico-Nera) (a) medium to large, dark red center, (2 crops)

BC39 Sal's Fig - I do not know about this one; some say it is the EL one but
the color of the skin (dark black) suggests  more like it is the one offered by Mr. Robins of  LA.
39. SICILIAN BLACK (Sal's) (Fico Nera) (a) medium large, dark black, red center, very juicy & sweet (2 crops)
For Mr Robins fig see:
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/fig/msg1123593632358.html
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/fig/msg1023360313417.html

Still confused? Not surprised, many people feel that way and rightly so.

George (NJ).

Ok, George i looked at the picture of that fig while mine looks a bit similar i don't think its the same as mine. Also that one seems to have 3 lobes i think you call them? Mine has more than the 3 five i think,gee as mich as i look at them it should be implanted in my memory. Curious as to why it is said a blck fig when there actually a dark purple? Anyways i was thinking about my hardy chicago's taste from last year compared to the EL Sal's i have, while the EL Sal's has a very nice taste and is very good producer my hardy chicago has a richer taste to me if i might say. Its just that the EL is a bit milder. Also they look similar in leaf shape but the hardy chicago's leaves are slightly different, more defined or sharper? Not sure how to properly say it,but they are the same age and both produce very well and i keep them about five ft tall.I recently gave a baby EL 2year, had a hard time rooting it though  to neighbor as the brown turkey i gave him died in his shed last year, the second year this year has figs that look like they will ripen later on. I'm anxious to take pictures this fall for all to enjoy.
Martin

Yes i forgot to say i am still confused yes.
I think i might give EL  a call next week and politely ask them how they aquired that particular fig tree. Hope its not a trade secret....LOL..
Martin

I do not think we really need to know from where EL got their Sal's;
most probably from some guy named Sal.
We all know that Sal's (EL) is a unique and a good fig.

I do not remember who and where, but somebody had pointed out the story.
A while back, EL had 2 different mother trees as Sal's and HC. People who
bought figs at that time were able buy the two distinct labeled figs separately.

At some point EL, determined that the two mother tress were the same i.e., HC
(other people, including me, like to differ). So from that point on, people were
getting figs from the two mother  trees under one name (HC),  and  not
knowing what it really was. Depending from where they acquired their second
fig, some people swear that they are the same, while others differ,  a 50-50 chance.

For example, I bought my HC from EL in 2002 (at that time I did not see
a Sal in their catalog). Later, I acquired a Sal which could be back-traced to
Gene, who apparently  bought it as a Sal from EL, either earlier or by calling
(yes sometimes not all their figs are listed).  My HC (EL) is different from Sal (EL),
so my HC must have been true (and not a Sal).

To make things slightly more worse, I also acquired an HC back-traced from
Harrison (via Herman), which I call  HC(H) and it is slightly different from HC(EL).

Hope that this clears some things for you and not make you scratch your head even more..
.
George (NJ).

By the way George, any chance U could describe the taste of Sal's versus Sal's Corelone? or given the option which one would U rate as your preference. Thanks.

Paul

Ok George let me tell you how i aquired my so called Sal's from EL i say so called cause with nothing as of yet to compare it to and i will learn and post pics this fall when they are ripe off that tree to see if anyone does recognize it as a whatever. I had called Bellecare nursery if memory serves me right in 2003 and talked to an older gentleman that sounded just like my dad it was scary cause dad had passed but he had the same italian accent AND VOICE and i pleaded with him to ship me the Sal's fig and i would pay Whatever the cost just name it i told him. He politely told me he was very sorry but to call EL yes call EL and ask if they have one, i was so happy and did not question him about it as heck i did not know at the time it was such a big of a deal. Heck i had never heard of Edible Landscaping but i called and the man i talked to said let me find out because and just like you said they have some not just the Sal's mind you but some fig tree's they simply do not list. I waited and he came back and said yes we have the Sal's fig but it is very small,i said i'll buy it and i did. That same year i also bought a hardy chicago from Paradise Nursery i think they were in Virginia. I truly agree with you that the EL tree i have and the hardy chicago are defintely 2 different types, they have different taste the hardy chicago being a little more stronger and my so called Sal's a little milder also the leaves are slightly different as well similar but just a tad different. I actually like the slightly stronger tasting chicago better. They both give me a tremendous crop of figs. I just like to add i have been eating figs for over 40 years now as we used to go to my grandmothers house and she had a large tree that she and grandpa had brought back as a seedling from Sicily many years prior and it looks strikingly similar to both the hardy and Sal's. Well she had passed years ago and her son my uncle Luigi had the same tree, they never brought the tree's in from her yard nor his they just went over with my cousins and buried them as they looked liked a freshly buried body afterwards in a cemetery if you have ever seen one.Well my uncle has since died as most of my family is gone now and the cousins my uncles 2 son's have since move to another state and we don't really have a talk. I sure wished now after all the years i had gotten a piece of that tree. I get to look forward as all of them have either gotten cancer on mom's side only and dad's side is heartattack only, nothing else. Life is precious and i want to live longer dad started saying after his fourth attack i remember so darn well. Mom suffered with cancer 6 years and dies at 62 dad died from his 6th heart attack just after he fell asleep like my older brother did but he at that timne was only 43. I'm past 50 and trying to slow life down so i was fortunate and blessed to retire now who knows when its my time.
Sorry for so long a story, just felt like talking here.
Martin D'Amore

Martin,
Can you go to your grandparents place or you uncle's/cousin's old place and ask the current owners for fig cuttings? Hopefully, one of the places should still have the tree that you can get cuttings from.
Sue

Martin,,
I concur with what Sue said for such a 'sentimental' value fig quest. I was just about
to say so.  Also depending on the travel distance,  maybe even a snail-mail letter to
the house new owners, of known address,  will just do. Explain yourself, and  I
am sure that they will be more than happy to accommodate you, pending the tree
still exists. At minimum, plenty of dormant wood, shipping cost payed by you.

Good Luck,
George (NJ).

Perhaps one day i will see some of the family, seems like there at mostly sad occasions now that were a little older and will bring it up. Ah the memories of me and Anthony who was my brother at grandma's eating figs and walking down the alley which had a layer of fine chipped coal for the ground picking mullberry's and coming back to a frustrated mom and dad cause we were stained with them. Thanks for listening.
Martin