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 REPORT 
 
 ON 
 
 RUSSIAN FRUITS. 
 
 I!Y 
 
 CHARLES GIBB, Abbottsford, Que. 
 
 A Paper prom thk Eiouth Report of thk 
 
 MONTREAr, HORTIOUI.TURAI, SOCIKTY. 
 
 " WITNESS " PRINTIN(^ HOUSE, ST. JAMES STREET, WEST 
 
 1883. 
 
 1 
 
\ 
 
REPORT 
 
 ON 
 
 EUSSIAN FEUITS. 
 
 ■^■^■', ., 
 
 BY 
 
 CHARLES GIBB, Abbottsford, Que. 
 
 A Paper from the Eighth Report op the 
 Montreal Horticultural Societt, 
 
 ^onlrtal : 
 " WITNESS •' PRINTING HOUSE, ST. JAMES STREET, WEST. 
 
 1883. 
 
>;• 
 
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RUSSIAN FRUITS. 
 
 BY CHARL£S GIBB. AHBOTTSFORD. 
 
 It may seem strange that the fruits of Russia are so little 
 known in this country, scarcely known even in Germany, that the 
 fruits of one part of Russia are often but little known in another. 
 
 Our fruits came to us, as it were, by chance. In the days of 
 the old French Colony, the peasants of Normandy and Brittany 
 brought with them the seeds and perhaps the scions of the apples 
 they loved most in their native land. Later, the Englishman 
 introduced his favorite fruits and the Scotchman his ; in time ther 
 matter became commercial, and we soon had under trial in* 
 Canada and in the Eastern States all the best fruits of the mit^ 
 humid portion of Western Europe. 
 
 That not until 1882 we should have begun to explore our own* 
 like climates in the old world seems strange indeed I 
 
 The fruits of Western Euroi)e and their pure offspring born om 
 this continent, as a rule, are not long-lived upon the Westerm 
 prairies above latitude 43^, not a success above 45^ in this- 
 Province, and that only in exceptionally favorable localities. In. 
 Eastern Russia we find fruit growing a profitable industry ini 
 climates decidedly more severe than that of the City of Quebec. 
 Hence we may expect to increase the area of fruit culture north- 
 ward upon this continent very largely. 
 
 The uncertainty of these fruit trees of Western Europe in the 
 severer climates, had led to large importations by the State Agri- 
 cultural College at Ames, Iowa. (See 7th Report Montreal Hort.. 
 Soc, p. 151.) Prof. Budd ha;d gathered there the: largest collection > 
 
of fruits for severe climates, which I know to exist ; but such was 
 the uncertainty of nomenclature, such the difficulty of getting 
 exact information as to their probable value, that the work of 
 sorting out the best seemed a work of many years. Northern 
 horticulturalists were looking with great hdpe to the Russian 
 fruits. The work could not be allowed to rest. Some one had to 
 go to Russia. Mr. Budd and I went. 
 
 Those acquainted with Mr. Budd's work on the College farm 
 at Ames, will readily see that several valuable lines of thought in 
 this report are not mine but his. 
 
 To our Provincial and Canadian Governments I am indebted 
 for the kind and hearty way in which they seconded my efforts by 
 giving me such introductions to the Imperial Government as 
 enabled me to follow up my work in Russia. 
 
 To the Department of Public Domains, and the Department of 
 the Interior of the Imperial Government at St. Petersburg, I am 
 indebted for the kind way in which they afforded us every assist- 
 ance possible. 
 
 To our Botanical and Forestry friends my best thanks are due. 
 In fact, one of the chief retrospective pleasures of my journey in 
 Russia, was the kindness of my Russian friends, the kindness of 
 my Polish friends. 
 
 : Our work created some interest in Russia. Often, when 
 speaking to people we happened to meet, we found that they 
 knew all about our visit through notices in the Russian press. 
 'At St, Petersburg it was intimated that a Commissioner would, 
 most probably, be sent next year to Canada and to the United 
 States, to do work similar to that which we had done in Russia. 
 Our fruits he will find pretty well catalogued, pretty well looked 
 up. As soon as we know of his coming, means must be taken to 
 insure his obtaining all possible information, and that in as short 
 a time as possible. • '" ■ <' - . •■ : '■'■'■" 
 
 v..i ., •;■.■• JJ.' n: -'Jr . n ■ -.■ f : - i . . / '<■.■■ .•■,■ i 
 
 - Nomenclature in Russia is hopelessly confused. Different 
 names are given to the same apple in different localities, the same 
 name to different apples growing in adjacent districts. So many 
 names, however formidable they may sound in Russian, mean 
 
merely round white, white sweet, white transparent, &c., names 
 without individuality. Fortunately, a few names have been fixed 
 by commercial demand, and are known by the same names 
 throughout Russia. 
 
 One great difficulty in Russian nomenclature arises from the 
 strong family likeness of seedlings of like parentage. A hardy 
 race of the apple, seemingly more nearly allied to the wild form 
 than the cultivated apples of Western Europe, has been grown for 
 many centuries by seedling production, and has been reproducing 
 itself from seed. Yet this is not strange news to us. Some 
 families of apples, even when surrounded by apples of other types, 
 have a strong tendency to reproduce themselves in their seedlings. 
 The Gilpin or Little Romanite, Mr. Budd tells me, has been 
 producing seedlings like itself in the West. The Calville family, 
 too, is a striking example. Our Fameuse has a large progeny of 
 strong parental likeness, and many think that two or more dis- 
 tinct varieties are commonly propagated under this name. 
 
 In Russia there is no standard of nomenclature, no authority 
 that answers to the American Pomological Society or Downing, 
 yet fruits received from that country must be propagated on this 
 continent, as far as possible, under fixed, unchangeable names. 
 The collections of apples on the farm of the State Agricultural 
 College at Ames, Iowa, already number over 400 varieties, inclu- 
 sive, no doubt, of many duplicates ; additions, too, are being made 
 from different parts of Russia. The collections received a year or 
 two ago embraced most, not all, yet most of the best varieties 
 grown in Russia. We must have, on this continent, one fixed 
 standard of nomenclature, and it would seem best that it should 
 emanate from Ames. 
 
 The converting of the Russian names into English needs 
 some thought. We have not the sounds in English to render 
 them exactly. In this matter our aim must be simplicity. We 
 need names our farmers can spell and pronounce rather than a 
 labored but more accurate rendering of the Russian sound. We 
 have usually fallen in with the spelling in the list published by 
 the Department of Agriculture at Washington, especially where 
 
 mean 
 
varieties sent out by them have become known. However, the 
 sound "ov" or "off" positively must not be spelled " ou " or 
 " ow " as in Antonouka, Titowka, and for convenience we have 
 used " ov " as in Antonovka, Titovka. 
 
 But one book, I believe, has been written on Russian Pomo- 
 logy, that by Dr. Edward Kegel, Director o the Imperial Botanic 
 Gardens at St. Petersburg, and published in 1868. This book was 
 criticized severely, at the time of its issue, by some of the Euro- 
 pean journals ; but I cannot help feeling that the critics did no 
 take in a full view of the situation. Dr. Kegel, in the fickle 
 climate of St. Petersburg, was unable to test very many of the 
 varieties he described, able only to describe them as received, 
 and under such names as they were received by. The fact is. Dr. 
 Kegel did his full fair share towards the doing of a great work, 
 and, as Mr. Budd observed, had this been followed up by the 
 organization of a National Pomological Society, Russian nomen- 
 clature would now be in a very different state. 
 
 Mr. Shroeder, of the Agricultural College at Petrovskoe 
 Rasumovskoe at Moscow, has very complete notes compiled from 
 specimens and information received from different parts of Russia. 
 These apples were, for the most part, received for trial on the 
 College Farm, but I regret to say, that the unusual cold of the 
 winter of 1877 and the cold clay soil upon which they are 
 planted has been against them. 
 
 This collection was very large and contained the greater part 
 of the best apples of the steppe climates. It is much to be regret- 
 ted that these notes of Mr, Shroeder's, the work, in fact, has not 
 been published. Mr. Shroeder has not visited the orchards from 
 whence the grafts and fruits were obtained, yet his notes we found 
 singularly exact. Such was the opinion we gradually formed as 
 we continued our work in the Russian orchards. 
 
 Pomology is a neglected science in Russia. What has been 
 done seems to be local individual work, not united work. Strange 
 this neglect on the part of a Government which has founded such 
 Botanic gardens, a Government which has done such noble work, 
 for future generations in its Forestry Department. ' " . '■'-■■" 
 
 
 
ON CLIMATES. 
 
 The true index to a climate is the flora in its Botanic gardens; 
 faulty 9nly from the fact that these gardens are usually situated 
 under the sheltering influence of some large town, and therefore, 
 not a true record of what might be grown in bleak exposures in 
 the same latitude. 
 
 The same is true of the meteorological stations. They, too 
 often, like our McGill College Observatory, record the tempera- 
 ture and winds of a sheltered city rather than that of the open 
 country. 
 
 We frequently heard of very low temperatures in Russia, 
 which do not seem verified by the Government records. Ther- 
 mometers often differ at very low temperatures, especially when 
 below-forty. Yet the statements I quote in my report were made 
 by careful observers, usually men on the Forestry Staff, and I 
 therefore, with this caution, state the temperatures as given to me. 
 In this part of Canada we suffer from drought but not from dim- 
 inished rain-fall. I must explain this apparent contradiction. 
 England is a land of verdure, the lawns are like velvet, the trees 
 and thatched roofs covered with moss. What a contrast to our 
 dry climate, and yet the annual rain-fall of London is nearly thir- 
 teen inches less than that of Montreal. It is from aridity of air, 
 and consequent rapid evaporation that we suffer. 
 
 In Russia we find fruit cultivated largely in climates where the 
 conditions of extreme cold, dryness of air, and scanty rain-fall are 
 greatly intensified. 
 
 In the Government of Kasan, above latitude 55 where the 
 winter temperature is five degrees lower than in the city of 
 Quebec, the rain-fall a good deal less than one-half, the evapora- 
 tion as great, we find apple growing a great commercial industry^ 
 the industry, in fact, in twelve peasant villages. This is the coldest 
 
8. 
 
 profitable orchard region of the world, and the conditions of 
 growth deserve study. The soil upon these exposed bluffs is a 
 fine comminuted dusty clay, like a "loess." For retaining moisture, 
 for absorbing it, for holding frost without injury to the roots, 
 there is no better. The dry fall here causes perfect maturity of 
 growth : the thick, fine textured leaf does not suffer from the dry- 
 ness of the air. It was Mr. Budd, whose microscopic study of 
 the leaves of these climates first showed their peculiar cell 
 structure. Thus we see that the apple tree of Kasan is a tree 
 thoroughly adapted to the climate it lives in. However, the cold 
 of Kasan seems more uniform than ours. In this Province we 
 suffer from the warmth of the sun in late winter and early spring, 
 warmth followed by sudden cold. This results in " bark-bursting " 
 and "sun-scalding" of the trunk and lower branches. Such 
 injury is rare in Eastern and Middle Russia, but how much this is 
 owing to climate, how much to the character of their hardy race of 
 trees I cannot say. In Kasan, too, we find the cherry and the plum 
 grown in fair quantity — that is, nearly all the peasants have some. 
 
 In the Government of Vladimir, a climate scarcely different 
 from that of Kasan, the cherry is grown in vast quantity and 
 shipped by the car load. Upon what kind of soil I cannot say. 
 
 At Simbirsk on the Volga, in lat. 54, a climate just like Kasan, 
 a degree less cold, and about one inch less rain-fall, we find the 
 pear grown in fair quantity though only of second-rate quality. 
 These trees, too, are thoroughly adapted to that climate, trees of 
 terminate growth, with very thick, close-textured, dark glossy 
 foliage, just like the pears of Northern China. Simbrisk and Toula 
 seem to be the Northern limits of pear culture East of the Baltic 
 Provinces. 
 
 At Saratof, on the Volga, in lat. 5 1 , where the winter temper- 
 ature is but one degree milder than the City of Quebec, we find 
 very large orchards, one of 12,000 trees. A pear orchard, too, of 
 500 trees, and most of the varieties in good health. Yet here we 
 were told that the naercury at times became solid. So near is 
 Saratof to the desert steppes, so light the rain-fall, that irrigation 
 is necessary for profitable orcharding. 
 
 I 
 
■. f •■,' V. 
 
 Kursk and Voronesh, in lat. 51, are the most southern of the 
 points of special interest in Middle Russia. I fancy their climate 
 to be rather colder than that of sheltered city gardens in Mon- 
 treal, about as cold, I should say, as our exposed mountain slope 
 at Abbottsford. 
 
 Kiev is decidedly milder, more like Toronto. 
 
 St. Petersburg is in lat. 60, so far North that the stars cease 
 to be visible during two months in summer, the sun is too short 
 a distance below the horizon. A cold coast climate ; a Gasp6 or 
 Anticosti climate, one would suppose. A cool short summer, a 
 long changeable winter, not colder on an average than Montreal, 
 but subject to greater extremes of sudden cold. Early terminate 
 growth is the special characteristic needed here. 
 
 Warsaw is a cold North German, rathe.- than a Russian 
 steppe climate. 
 
 I have to tender my thanks to Mr. Robert P. Scott, Secretary 
 of the Meteorological Office in London, for his kindness in having 
 prepared for me a table of the temperatures, humidity, &c., of 
 certain points in Russia and Germany, and by way of contrast, of 
 Canada also. 
 
 These tables are a great help towards our forming a correct 
 idea of those climates from which we may expect so many of our 
 future fruits. 
 
 IK./M-f 
 
 m 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 MBA1 TKMPRBATUBB. 
 
 Loweit 
 
 Temp. 
 
 in Ihs*^ 
 
 8ix Yean. 
 
 Loweit 
 
 Temp. 
 
 In 18d7. 
 
 Average 
 
 Moisture 
 
 in the 
 
 Air. 
 
 Average 
 Annual 
 RalnfnlL 
 
 Authoritiei. 
 
 
 Yean. 
 
 Wlnfr. 
 
 Hum'r. 
 
 , 
 
 Uo.-Fb. 
 
 Ju. A({ 
 
 
 f 174:^-1800 ) 
 t 180.5-1875 f 
 
 Fabr. 
 
 • 
 
 Fabr. 
 
 Fabr. 
 
 Fabr. 
 
 % 
 
 Incbea. 
 
 
 
 
 • 
 
 • 
 
 
 
 82 
 
 20-5 
 
 St.Peterab'g 
 
 17-2 
 
 61-2 
 
 -35 7 
 
 -270 
 
 28 
 
 11 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 xii-76 
 
 1.31 
 
 
 
 
 Riga.... . 
 
 j 1795-1831 ) 
 t 1840-1875 f 
 
 24-0 
 
 62-6 
 
 —26-5 
 I 76 
 
 —12-8 
 X1131 
 
 80 
 19 
 
 221 
 9 
 
 
 Moscow. .. . 
 Kasan 
 
 ( 1779-1792 ) 
 t 1810-1875 / 
 
 ( 1812 1820 ) 
 1 1827-1875 j 
 
 14-5 
 9-0 
 
 63-6 
 64.5 
 
 — :«-4 
 xn.76 
 
 — ?6 7 
 XIL75 
 
 -36-4 
 ii.l 
 
 80 
 11 
 
 77 
 
 
 23-4 
 11 
 
 17-3 
 8 
 
 Verhalt 
 Annalles 
 
 Repertori 
 
 Simbirsk.... 
 
 1855-1864 
 
 9-9 
 
 64-8 
 
 ?-2?-0 
 
 jn-77 
 
 I 1-78 
 
 
 77 
 
 4 
 
 18-7 
 
 4 
 
 c 3. 
 
 2 g-i 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Saratof 
 
 / 18:16-1857 1 
 t 1872-1875 ( 
 
 15-3 
 
 68-6 
 
 ?-26-7 
 iir75 
 
 
 72 
 
 4 
 
 181 
 3 
 
 Tula 
 
 1846-1847 
 
 15-4 
 
 64-9 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Orel. 
 
 j 18:^8-1815 ) 
 \ 1851-1863 f 
 
 ('183:M8;J7) 
 
 15-8 
 
 65-6 
 
 
 
 
 24-66 
 
 4 
 
 en Rieche 
 ire de Ru 
 
 ogie (Kani 
 
 Kursk 
 
 { 1810-1859 V 
 
 17-2 
 
 650 
 
 
 
 
 16-81 
 
 
 (1865-1808) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 18 
 
 £ 1'^ 
 
 
 (1802 1805^ 
 < 1867-1869 > 
 (.1873-1875) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Voronesh 
 
 10-2 
 
 65.2 
 
 -34-2 
 
 
 78 
 
 27-7 
 
 
 
 
 
 1.80 
 
 
 11 
 
 7 
 
 
 Kief ... . 
 
 1812-1876 
 (1760-1763) 
 
 22-6 
 
 05-1 
 
 —23-6 
 11.80 
 
 
 77 
 11 
 
 22-9 
 11 
 
 
 Warsaw. , 
 
 < 1779-1799 } 
 
 25-7 
 
 64-2 
 
 —16-8 
 
 
 80 
 11 
 
 22-2 
 
 J 
 
 
 (1803-1875) 
 
 
 
 Z1I.79 
 
 
 11 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 BovetKllmitolo-; 
 
 Berlin 
 
 16 years 
 ? to 1808. 
 
 31-3 
 
 650 
 
 — 2-2 
 
 1.81 
 
 
 73 
 3 
 
 22-9 
 8 
 
 (iKche BeltrnKi-i 
 BLUlnche 8««WHr- 
 e ob«'u8 1879-Bl. 
 
 Vienna... . 
 
 1775-1874 
 
 30-9 
 
 67-5 
 
 -4-4 
 XII.79 
 
 7-9 
 iii.lO 
 
 72 
 
 211 
 34 
 
 Vienna ob«n'«. 
 IHHOri-tu.nii.) 
 
 Reutlingen . 
 
 2 years. 
 
 34-5 
 
 65-0 
 
 
 
 
 
 KllmatologUcbi 
 Buit.acH. 
 
 Montreal , . . 
 
 1870-1880 
 
 18-4 
 
 67-4 
 
 —25-2 
 XII 79 
 
 
 •73-97 
 8 
 
 38-53 
 11 
 
 IcanadUn Ann, 
 ) Kt-porla. 
 
 > 
 
 Quebec 
 
 1870-1880 
 
 142 
 
 63-9 
 
 — 20-5 
 1.78 
 
 
 
 39-81 
 11 
 
 Toronto 
 
 1841-1881 
 
 23-8 
 
 65-3 
 
 —15-1 
 II.8I 
 
 -12-8 
 XII. 13 
 
 77 
 
 41 
 81 
 
 34-75 
 
 41 
 
 Toronto Oenrrtl i 
 
 London .... 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 25-17 
 
 Oree nw Ick 
 
 
 
 
 
 ... * ■ . * 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 17 
 
 30 
 
 Dba'na. 
 
 .1 
 
 The figures entered under the Relative Humidity and Rainfall are the nimiber ol: 
 years from which the means have been obtained. 
 
 The spaces left blank indicate that no information is available. 
 • This iteu kindly filled ia by Prof. McLeod, McQill College. 
 
/lathorltiet. 
 
 3- 
 o 
 3. 
 
 G 
 
 B 
 ►» 
 
 a s 
 
 ^«^ 
 
 I 
 
 
 •- al 
 %-% 
 %^\ 
 
 s. 
 
 CD S 
 
 W sr-! 
 
 C 1' 
 m 3 
 
 w a 
 
 ivc« Kllm'itolo-l 
 iche BeltMic*? 
 
 utM'ua 187t-«l. 
 
 VIenn* ob«n'i. 
 380rctu. nn.) 
 
 KHmatologlicht ; 
 
 Canadian Ann, 
 Kcporia. 
 
 'oronto Oenrril 
 :|ilater, UBl. 
 
 Oreenwick^ 
 
 w'lia. 
 
 number o( 
 
 11 
 
 APPLES. 
 
 Amis. — This is the leading apple of the Volga, the apple tree 
 most highly prized, most largely grown. To the enquiry, which 
 are your most profitable varieties ? the reply invariably was Anis, 
 I think, invariably, my notes show no exception nor do I remem- 
 ber one. Such was the verdict in all the orchards of the different 
 towns and villages between Kazan and Saratof. We first met with 
 it in that curious semi-oriental bazaar, the Nijni Novgorod fair. 
 Here we find the Russian peasant orchardist bringing large quan- 
 tities of it to the bazaar in bark boxes, usually willow bark boxes, 
 holding about three bushels. 
 
 In the southern part of the Government of Kazan, in 
 latitude 55, the same latitude as Moscow, but 430 miles 
 to the east of it, in a continental climate, a climate of ex- 
 tremes, and yet 600 miles nearer the North Pole than the City 
 of Quebec, there are twelve villages where the peasant proprietors 
 are apple growers, the chief industry in fact is apple growing. 
 When we were there the little trees were loaded with fruit, yet the 
 thermometer had been down to forty below zero the winter pre- 
 vious. Five years before, during one day, the temperature on 
 these exposed loess bluffs was — 40 Reaumur, or 58 below zero by 
 Fahrenheiis thermometer. These low temperatures, however, do 
 not seem verified by the meteorological records in the City of 
 Kazan. Hearing of these low temperatures I looked for winter 
 injury to the trees, but did not find any traces of it. 
 
 In answer to the query, which is the hardiest apple tree you 
 have, the tree that has stood best the most trying winters .'' the 
 answer, I believe, always was Anis. The general idea there is 
 that it is of all kinds known, the apple tree that can be grown the 
 farthest North, except what they call the Chinese apple, or as we 
 would say, the Siberian crab, and these crabs, which are not 
 common, are true Siberian Prunifolias, and not less hardy hybrids. 
 In these villages the apple is grown, in a good season, cer- 
 tainly to the value of ^50,000. In this, the coldest profitable 
 orchard region in the world, the Anis is noted as their hardiest 
 tree. ' > ' • ^ .• ; :• 
 
 ■J,-Mi-!:LJ^^' 
 
■ 
 
 n 
 
 Many species of trees become dwarfed towards the northern 
 limit of their growth. The most northern pines and spruces, 
 birches and poplars, are but little shrubs ; in the same way we find 
 this Anis in Kazan, especially when growing on thin soil and 
 without cultivation, loaded with fine fruit, and this, evidently, not 
 one of their fiiSt crops, and yet the trees not more than six feet 
 high. We find little trees planted two, three, and even four 
 together in a clump like stalks of corn, three or four to a hill, and 
 these clumps ten feet apart each way. This is strictly true of 
 some orchards, not so of others ; for upon richer and moister soil, 
 the trees grew somewhat larger, and, as we went southwards, 
 at each town we stayed at, we found the Anis larger, until, at 
 Saratof, we saw Anis thirty-five years planted which had attained 
 a diameter of trunk of ten inches. In nursery it is a slow and 
 crooked grower such as nurserymen hate to grow and hate to 
 sell after they have grown them. In orchard a slow grower. 
 Trees in different places, pointed out as thirty years planted, 
 seemed very small. In old orchards at Khvalinsk and elsewhere, 
 it was considered the most long-lived tree. We saw there, trees 
 seventy years at the very least. These were fourteen inches in 
 diameter of trunk, branched low as the Anis usually is, and, 
 though some large limbs had been removed some years ago, yet 
 the trees were sound in trunk and top. 
 
 The Volga is a very old apple growing region. I am told that 
 old poems, written about the time when Rurik was upon the 
 throne of Kiev, about 850, allude to this. The maiden whose 
 neck was like a swan, and whose lips were like cherries, had 
 cheeks like a Volga apple. The high color of the apples of this 
 dry region is very striking. 
 
 A wild rugged race of apple trees have been grown here for 
 many centuries from seedling production, until we have a number 
 of seedlings much alike in tree and fruit, and hence it is that the 
 name Anis is but a family name. 
 
 • As we used to gallop past these peasant orchards in our 
 Tarantass, a basket on wheels without springs usually drawn by 
 three horses abreast, we were always struck by the beauty, even 
 
la 
 
 when some distance off, of one variety of the Anis. This is the 
 Anis Alui or Pink Anis, and, I suppose, the same as the Anis 
 Rosovoi or Rose Anis spoken of at Simbirsk and other places on 
 the Volga. It is an oblate apple of full medium size, or about 
 the size of the Fameuse, the colorof our Decarie. mostly a deep 
 pink with a light blue bloom. In these dry climates we may 
 expect high color. When we were on the Volga it was too early 
 to taste it in good condition, and besides this, it is often picked 
 too early, perhaps, to reach distant markets by a certain time. 
 Whether it will color and ripen on its way to market, like a 
 Duchess, or whether, like our St. Lawrence, it will almost cease to 
 mature after it is picked from the tree, I cannot say. The grain, 
 is fine, the flesh white and firm. It is really a dessert apple of 
 fine quality. It often sells at two roubles per pood, that is one 
 dollar per thirty-six po'.mds, when poorer fruit is selling at thirty 
 cents, and under Russian care it keeps till late winter or spring. 
 
 On account of its beauty and hence its salableness this Pink 
 Anis is the most valuable of the family, and, therefore, when 
 importing let us be sure to get it. It would seem to be the Anis 
 of Mr. Shroeder, at Petrovskoe, but would appear not to be the 
 Anis Alui of Kazan, of Dr. Regel, which is described as acid, and 
 valuable only for cooking, unless this is Dr. Regel's verdict of its 
 quality when grown in the cooler and moister summer of St. 
 Petersburg. 
 
 There are other varieties of the Anis which differ but little in 
 tree, yet differ more widely in texture of flesh, but they are not so 
 pretty. At Simbrisk the Blue Anis is spoken of as the best for 
 shipping very long distances as Perm and Siberia. 
 
 The Anis Belui, of Kazan, is not an Anis, but is an early 
 autumn yellow apple of small size and fine quality. It is not a 
 keeper, and yet is often gathered from the tree into a barrel of 
 buckwheat hulls and put at once into a cold place, and thus kept till 
 mid-winter and even later. As Mr. Budd suggests, this possibly 
 is the Anis Koritschnevoe of Mr. Shroeder. 
 
 Anisovka. — Under this name Mr. Shroeder tells us of a 
 medium sized, flat, yellowish green apple, with bright red side, 
 
14 
 
 grown a good deal about Moscow, and said to be a very good 
 dessert fruit that keeps a long time, in fact all winter. Farther 
 south it would not keep so long. Mr, Goegginger, at Riga, gives 
 us a minute descriptiou of it, evidently the same apple, which he 
 says is grown a good deal at Moscow, and to the south, and 
 which proves hardy in these severe climates. However, he states 
 its season to be from November to December. Its value to us 
 would depend much upon itc keeping qualities. The Anisovka, 
 so named on the Volga near K -\zan, is a sweet apple ; that at 
 Orel, Voronesh. &c., was thought to be same as Anis or same as 
 Vosnikovka, a small yellow sweet apple said to oe grown there in 
 quantity. Such is the uncertain state of nomenclature. 
 
 Antonovka, — This is the leading apple of the Russian 
 steppes, the king apple of that vast prairie region from Tula to 
 
 ANTONOVKA. 
 
 the south of Kharkof, from Kozlof to Kiev, a vast prairie region 
 unsurpassed in fertility by any region on this continent. It is the 
 
15 
 
 ' 
 
 leading apple over a larger section of country than any other in 
 Europe, than any other apple I know of. No apple holds so high 
 a rank above others in any large section c this continent; and yet 
 if the Baldwin were equally hardy 1 would much prefer it. 
 
 We first meet with it in the cold climate of Tenki, in Kazan, 
 where it is looked upon as the best of the " introduced " apple 
 trees, and certainly the young trees .ve saw there were quite 
 promising. In all the towns on the Volga we find the Antonovka 
 noted as hardy as far as tried, and in some places, tried long 
 enough to be thoroughly relied upon. 
 
 It is, however, in Central Russia that we find the Antonovka 
 so highly prized. In the cold climate of Toula, in latitude 54, 
 about 120 miles south of Moscow, yet 480 miles farther to the 
 north than the city of Quebec, we find it considered their hardiest 
 and most productive apple tree. A young tree, twelve years planted, 
 is pointed out as having produced its eight poods, and old trees, 
 long past their prime, twenty-five poods. In one peasant orchard 
 we find the few scattered survivors of a previous orchard, nearly 
 all of these were Antonovka ; strange that this had stood while 
 other kinds alongside of it, intermingled with it, had been killed, 
 killed by a cold winter, I think in 1867. 
 
 In the Government of Tambof, half-way between Moscow and 
 Saratof, there was a large orchard of 2700 trees, only 730 of 
 which survived the winter of 1867, when mild warm rainy weather 
 was followed by sudden cold. Antonovka, though injured, was 
 not killed ; it and Anis stood the best. That winter, at Orel, in 
 February, the thermometer went down to 35 Rea., that is 46 
 Fahrenheit, and, in exposed places 37 Rea. or 51 Fahrenheit, and 
 yet Antonovka there is above all others their leading apple, and 
 the old trees we saw there were, as far as I can remember, in fine 
 health. 
 
 At Veronesh we hear the same opinion, and hear of trees that 
 have produced 27 poods or 972 pounds, nearly, half a ton, and 
 are told that although " other apples have their faults this has 
 none," It has its faults, but I quote this to show the widely 
 spread opinion of those who grow it. •• ■ • 
 
16 
 
 At Kursk we still find it their leading market fruit, and on the 
 Bogdanoff estates, find it being planted in quantity as about the 
 best investment the proprietors know of. Such investments scatter 
 broadcast innumerable little dividends in the form of food and 
 labor. What a blessing to a country is a horticultural aristocracy — 
 it beget', a horticultural peasantry, a home- loving, peace-loving, 
 law-abiding peasantry. In Horticulture, we find the safest 
 anchorage for a peasant population. We asked, at the Bogdanoff 
 estates, why they specially chose Antonovka, and were planting // 
 so largely, and were told it was because it was always a cash article, 
 wanted in quantity for the northern market, for confections, for 
 drying, for bottling in water, &c., and, a tree, in good soil, and in 
 good seasons, can produce its twenty-five poods. 
 
 At the Forestry Convention, in Moscow, Mr. Budd asked" one 
 of the members, who was from Kiev, what were their best com- 
 mercial apples. He called three others, also from the Govern- 
 ment of Kiev, and after consulting together, named Antonovka 
 first. The second upon the list was the Winter Citronen Apfel, 
 a German apple of good quality, but not hardy farther north. 
 
 At Warsaw, where the climate is a cold North German rather 
 than a steppe climate, we find the Antonovka one of their leading 
 apples, but not their best, and there not a late keeper. Throughout 
 this vaste steppe region, the Antonovka is " the " commercial 
 apple, noted for its average annual bearing, its hardiness in 
 extreme climate, its length of life, and fruitfulness in old age in 
 these climates. It is, also, a first-rate nursery tree, a good straight 
 grower. In nurseries, when we found a number of rows of 
 straight-growing healthy trees, all of the same kind, it was sure to 
 be Antonovka. Hence it has '* a nursery run," just as the Ben 
 Davis had in Wisconsin a few years ago, and likely thus to be 
 over-rated ; tut in Central Russia it has been a century on trial, 
 perhaps several centuries, and the quantities of it to be found in 
 the Russian nurseries are grown to meet a known demand. It is 
 a prairie apple suited to rich prairie soils it would seem. It does 
 well on clayey soils and likes moisture. On dry sandy soil the 
 fruit is said to fall from the tree and to be small in size. The 
 
17 
 
 id on the 
 bout the 
 ts scatter 
 ■ood and 
 ;ocracy — 
 :e-loving, 
 e safest 
 logdanoff 
 lanting ;/ 
 ih article, 
 ;ions, for 
 il, and in 
 
 ,i 
 
 sked one 
 )es<; com- 
 Govern- 
 ntonovka 
 en Apfel, 
 lorth. 
 an rather 
 ir leading 
 uroughout I 
 )mmercial 
 diness in 
 Id age in 
 •d straight 
 ■ rows of 
 as sure to 
 3 the Ben 
 lus to be 
 J on trial, 
 B found in 
 nd. It is 
 It does 
 dy soil the 
 size. The 
 
 fruit is large, sometimes very larf^e, yellowish, oblong, somewhat 
 conic, acid or sub-acid with slight sweetness, rather coarse in 
 texture. When left upon the tree tiil fullv r.pe it is said to have 
 a fine melon flavor, but then it ceases to bo a long keeper. In 
 quality it is not quite like any apple I know. It may, certainly, 
 be rated as second quality for eating and, I hope, first for 
 cooking. But few of the best commercial apples of this continent 
 are of first quality as dessert apples. Its great fault is its color, 
 though this does not prevent its being in active demand in all the 
 Russian markets ; it is the color to show bruises, yet >. has the 
 name of being a good shipping apple. At Warsaw it rit.ely keeps 
 past Christmas. At Moscow, Mr. Shroeder cautiously says, till 
 January or February. In Central Russia it was often said till 
 March and, I think, even April was even mentioned. I doubt if 
 it will prove a much better keeper than our Fameuse. 
 
 How long an apple keeps depends very largely upon how it is 
 kept. The Russians handle their fruit, pack it and keep it, with 
 more care than we do. They seem to look upon an apple as a 
 living thing to be kept alive as long as possible. If allowed to 
 ripen on the tree it has a rich melon flavor but then it will not 
 keep. All apples in Russia picked for a distant market are picked 
 rather earlier than we should pick them. When we arrived at 
 Saratof, on September nth, the apples were all picked and 
 shipped to Moscow. At Tula, on September i8th, Antonovka 
 was in huge piles in the orchards five feet wide, covered with 
 basswood bark matting. At Orel we find what has not been 
 shipped in an open shed in layers with straw between them. 
 
 This tree, on account of its good name and its good 
 growth in nursery, is sure to become largely planted in this 
 country. Its success will depend partly upon its suitability to our 
 soil, but, and mainly, perhaps to the length of time it keeps under 
 our method of picking, packing and shipping. 
 
 Has the Antonovka run into varieties like so many other 
 apples by seedling production } The answer to this question 
 was usually in the negative, yet with one or two exceptions, and 
 at Tula, an apple was shown to us as the Doukavoya which 
 
18 
 
 seemed to be none other than Antonovka, yet three fruit growers 
 there each declared it to be diatinct, and said it was as hardy and 
 as productive. 
 
 Possart's Nalivia is said, at the Pomological School at Warsaw, 
 to be a synonyme, Dr. Lucas, in one edition of his Pomology, 
 held this view, and, in another edition, thought not, and this 
 latter opinion is shared at Proskau and Riga. 
 
 Mr. Goegginger, of Riga, after a good deal of correspondence, 
 rather thought they were not identical. Mr. Fritz Lucas now 
 inserts it in his catalogr.e as a synonyme. 
 
 Aport. — This is ♦he family of which our Alexander is a mem- 
 ber, a large and widely scattered family and often of strong family 
 type. No accurate notes seem to have been taken of the places 
 where they live and thrive. We cannot in this country expect to 
 do such work ; the most we can do is to find out what is good 
 there, import and propagate it here. 
 
 It is named Aport because imported long ago from Oporto in 
 Portugal, just as another Russian apple which long ago found its 
 way into Virginia, comes back to Russia via Germany under the 
 name of Virginischer Rother. 
 
 Some of the apples we find under this name, show by their 
 features that they are near relations of the Emperor Alexander, 
 many others show no likeness whatever. Sometimes under other 
 names, we find typical apples, like the Borodovka Belui of Orel, 
 which is just like Alexander, but white. At Kursk too we find, 
 under the name of Sklianka, a fruit of Aport form, but almost with- 
 out color. 
 
 I am not sure that we saw the Alexander iii Russia, though I 
 believe it to be grown there. At Volsk we found a fruit very like 
 it, only wanting in that slight flatness of the vase which our 
 Alexander has. In the Kozlof market we find an apple just like it, 
 though perhaps slightly larger in calyx, but it proved somewhat 
 tough in texture, a sharp acid mingled with sweet, a fine apple, 
 and it would seem a pretty good keeper. At Orel we find another, 
 alike in look, but sweet, not as good as that in Kozlof or Veronesh 
 markets. 
 
19 
 
 Mr. Shroeder describes Aport as a very large, flat, conic apple 
 with a red side, of aromatic flavor, not productive and too heavy 
 and liable to be blown from the tree, yet grown a good deal to the 
 South of Moscow, at Orel, Tula &c., the best of the Aports. This. 
 I suppose, is our Alexander, but I cannot be certain. 
 
 In the report of the Royal Hort. Soc. of London for 1822, the 
 Alexander is mentioned as having been received from Riga and is 
 stated to be a native of Southern Russia. It was most probably 
 received from the late M. Wagner, grandfather of M. Chs. Henri 
 Wagner. 
 
 The Aport Ossemie or Winter Aport, Mr. Fischer, at Voronesh, 
 says, is like Titovka, in fact often diflicult to tell apart, although the 
 one is a summer and the other a winter fruit. This seems like 
 the apple we saw under this name on the Volga at Tenki, at Prince 
 Gagarine's, and very like the colored print of the Aport ossemie 
 given by Dr. Regel. It is a large oblong handsome winter apple. 
 It and what we saw in Kozlof market I should think the most 
 valuable of the apples known there as Aport. Of the summ.er Aports 
 I seem to know nothing. On the Volga we saw several kinds, 
 always large, usually well colored, and of fair quality, but none that 
 specially struck me as of special value to us. I do not know 
 that they have any just right to the name Aport, yet that name 
 seems to be thought applicable to large apples. 
 
 Arabka {Arabskoe). Under this name there are one or more 
 apples of decided promise. At Moscow, Mr. Shroeder tells us of ai 
 large conic apple of very deep color which is a long keeper. The 
 tree he finds a little tender at Moscow, but says that it is grown a^ 
 good deal in central Russia. In the market at Kozlof, we find 
 what would appear to be this apple, in fair quantity, and known as 
 Arabka, and specimens taken to Voronesh were recognized by Mr. 
 Fischer, Director of the Botanic Gardens, who considers it a 
 valuable cooking apple that keeps till May; but he added that, that 
 which he had received from Riga, under that name, had proved to 
 be Gros Mogul. At Volsk, on the Volga, in latitude 52, we found in 
 an orchard, about 12 trees in profuse bearing, of an apple known 
 there as Tchougounka, which means cast>iron ; the fruit was 
 
20 
 
 roundish, of a dark purplish red, covered with a light bloom, much 
 like the Blue Pearmain. It was above medium in size, although 
 the trees were so overloaded ; a firm solid acid fruit said there to 
 keep two years. It also has the merit of holding on to the tree 
 so firmly, that I could hardly find a windfall. It and Steklianka 
 were the only varieties in this orchard not yet picked, on 8th 
 Sept. At Saratof on the Volga we visited an orchard of 12,000 
 trees, where a week or two before, they were employing 300 
 pickers and 85 packers to ship to Moscow 25,000 poods of apples. 
 In a good year they either did (or could, I am not sure that I un- 
 derstood correctly) produce 85,000 poods, which is equal to 1530 
 tons. From our description of the Tchougounka at Volsk they sup- 
 posed it to be the Arabskoe — which apple they thought highly of and 
 placed upon their list as third for profit. This Arabskoe has been 
 long known at Saratof. The query is whether the trees I have 
 spoken of as growing at Volsk and Saratof, are the same as the 
 Arabka of Kozlof and of Mr. Shroeder ; if so, the Arabka is 
 likely to prove a valuable late keeper. A specimen picked at 
 Volsk on 8th Sept. was eaten by us at Warsaw on Oct. 4th, a 
 crude juicy sharp acid. It had been carried for nearly four weeks 
 in a leather bag, which was usually full of books and apples, a 
 bag which had its f-all share of rough usage, except when used for 
 my pillow, and yet this apple had received no injury. This Volsk 
 Arabska is really a remarkable keeper. 
 
 On the Bogdanoif estates near Kursk, we are shown a 
 Tchougounka, a large round apple not quite as dark as at Volsk, 
 and looking rather more like what we saw at Kozlof. This is 
 found there to be a good cooking fruit, and a good keeper, but 
 the tree is only fairly hardy, not ironclad as we would say. 
 
 The Arabka, and Arabka Polasatoe of Kegel are altogether 
 different apples; so, too, is that shown to us at Nijni Novgorod, an 
 &%% shaped, fair sized, hard, long keeper. 
 
 Arcad. I am not sure that there is any apple in this family of 
 special value. They are a family of early apples, sweetish, and of 
 but medium size, but the trees have proved very hardy. 
 
 In Moscow in 1877, during one week the thermometer ranged 
 
SI 
 
 a, much 
 Ithough 
 there to 
 he tree 
 sklianka 
 , on 8th 
 
 12,000 
 
 ing 300 
 apples, 
 at I un- 
 to 1530 
 hey sup- 
 y of and 
 las been 
 J I have 
 e as the 
 rabka is 
 icked at 
 ;t. 4th, a 
 ar weeks 
 apples, a 
 used for 
 lis Volsk 
 
 shown a 
 
 at Volsk, 
 
 This is 
 
 eper, but 
 
 Itogether 
 ^orod, an 
 
 family of 
 3h, and of 
 
 er ranged 
 
 from -3« to -34 R. that is from -40 to -44 Fahr., and one 
 day it fell to -35 R, that is to -46^ Fahr. This was the 
 register on the college farm at Petrovskoe, and caused sad injury 
 to the young orchard, for here Mr. Shroeder had a heavy soil 
 which tended to produce late growth, as well as a severe climate 
 to contend with. Of all the varieties in the orchard which stood 
 the best ? The Koritschnovoes and the Arcads ; and of the Arcads 
 the Dlennuii or long arcad seemed about the best. At Voronesh 
 Mr. Fischer tells us of six kinds of Arcad, all much alike, early and 
 sweet ; but he says that the tree though apparently hardy does not 
 live anything like as long as Antonovka, of which latter he shows 
 fine healthy trees 40 years planted, whereas the Arcads usually die 
 at 20 ; that is, they die by degrees, branch by branch, one might 
 suppose like our Canada Baldwin, on warm soils from S'^n scald 
 caused by early flow of sap, so that perhaps it needs heavier soil. 
 
 Dr. Kegel in his work describes a Red Arcad, which is an apple 
 of first quality that keeps all winter. The colored print of it is 
 perhaps the most strikingly beautiful in the book. I enquired in 
 many places about this apple, but could get no information about 
 it. An apple of such beauty is worth looking after. 
 
 Beresinskoe. Mr. Shroeder speaks of this as a large whiteish 
 apple with yellow side, flesh firm but breaking, not able to bear 
 carriage well, but a very fine autumn dessert fruit. 
 
 Beriosovka. This we met and took a great fancy to in the 
 Kozlof market. As we saw it tnere, it was a fruit of full medium 
 size, oblate, red on one side in splashes and specks ; very firm, 
 yet breaking, very juicy, with a fine mingling of sub acid and 
 sweetness. The seeds were black on 13 Sept., yet it seemed 
 likely to keep two months. At Voronesh, we showed a specimen 
 to Mr. Fischer who pronounced it true to name, and moreover 
 said it was a good hardy and productive tree and a fine fruit. 
 Season late autumn. 
 
 Blackwood (Tchernoe Derevo) is a tree long known upon the 
 Volga. At Khvalinsk we saw trees of it at least 70 years old, and 
 at Kazan trees 30 years of age. It is a heavy bearer but not a 
 tree of extra hardiness. It does not sun-scald, but its upper 
 
22 
 
 branches are sometimes killed, and this, no doubt, sometimes ow- 
 ing to exhaustion from heavy bearing. On the Volga it is the 
 favorite late-keeping apple for home use. Were the tree hardy 
 enough to be grown at Quebec it probably would prove valuable 
 as a long-keeper. Mr. A. Webster, of East Roxbury, Vermont, 
 who has kindly given us, in the last report of the Montreal 
 Horticultural Society, his opinion upon thirty-eight varieties of 
 Russian apples, tested by him, says of the Tchernoe Derevo, '• fruit 
 good, but not of special value — fall." Grown at the north it is a fruit 
 of very fine quality and a pretty good keeper, such was our opinion 
 as we tasted it on the Volga. It is one of those mild app js which 
 seem specially to please the Russian palate. In the Volga region 
 and in central Russia, its quality is first-rate, and thus it is, that, 
 although of small size and unattractive color, it sells at extra prices, 
 and becomes very profitable. At Saratof, in the two largest or- 
 chards we visited, one of 12,000 and the other of 4,000 trees, the 
 Blackwood was named second on their list for profit, second only 
 to Anis. In Russia it sells at i J roubles per pood, 75 cents per 36 
 lbs,, when other apples are selling at 40 kop. or 20 cents per pood, 
 and it even has been sold up to 5 roubles per pood. Only, if 
 picked early and kept in cool place would it be a keeping apple 
 with us, and if so, possibly a valuable apple for home use. 
 
 BoGDANOFF.— This is an apple which has been grown upon 
 the BogdanofF estates near Kursk, probably for two centuries. 
 Hitherto it has been known under the name of Pipka. There 
 were about 300 trees of it in the orchard we visited. It is a stout, 
 upright grower. Taking an average of years, the Antonovka pro- 
 duces more fruit per tree, but it does not keep so long, A large 
 number of varieties have been tried, yet, next to Antonovca, they 
 consider it their most profitable winter apple. As a late-keeping 
 apple for home use they much prefer it to any other. The fruit is 
 large, and in form, size and striping, much like our St. Lawrence. 
 
 The flesh, when tasted on 21st Sept., was whitish, firm, juicy, 
 crude, unripe, rather fine grained, a mixture of sweet and crude 
 sharp acid. As a long-keeping apple of fine quality, I have every 
 hope of this being a very valuable variety. 
 
r -7'W^7f-'T7-j"r\'»='r-T»vr,; T"»^ T^-^ 
 
 28 
 
 imes ow- 
 it is the 
 ee hardy 
 valuable 
 Vermont, 
 Montreal 
 rieties of 
 o, " fruit 
 is a fruit 
 r opinion 
 js which 
 ^a region 
 
 is, that, 
 ra prices, 
 rgest or- 
 trees, the 
 ond only 
 its per 36 
 3er pood, 
 
 Only, if 
 ig apple 
 
 t 
 '• 
 
 wn upon 
 
 enturies. 
 
 There 
 
 s a stout, 
 
 vka pro- 
 
 A large 
 
 ca, thev 
 
 -keeping 
 
 le fruit is 
 
 awrence. 
 
 m, juicy, 
 
 id crude 
 
 ve every 
 
 BOGDANOFF. 
 
 A good, late-keeping apple would be a perfect God-send to 
 our province and its like climates. Bogdanoff is a most promising 
 variety, well-worthy of its name, which means God-given. 
 
 Bohemian Girl, (Tsiganka, Zuiganka). — We saw this 
 beautiful apple in the Voronesh Market, a medium- sized sen;:- 
 oblate fruit, blushed all over with deep pink. The flesh is white, 
 but quite past season when we tasted it. It is a great beauty, and 
 Mr. Fisher says a hardy tree. A summer apple well-worthy of trial. 
 
 BoROViNKA (Borovitski) must be looked upon as a family 
 mame. It was a member of this family that, long ago, migrated 
 to this country and became known everywhere as the Duchess of 
 Oldenburg. This apple we did not see in Russia. At Tenki, in 
 the Government of Kazan, in a peasant orchard, we saw trees in 
 full bearing of a fruit which both Mr. Budd and I looking carefully 
 at it thought to be Duchess ; but on tasting it we found it so fine 
 in grain and so mildly acid, that we felt that no such difference in 
 
 The cut of BogdonoS was taken from a rather large specimea. The other 
 cuts are of fair average size. Antonovka, Titovka and Sapieganka, are copied 
 from the " Sad i Ogrod" by Frof. Jaukowski, of Warsaw. The others I traeed 
 from gpecimeng. 
 
24 
 
 texture and flavor could result from change of soil and climate. 
 At Prince Gagarine's, Borovinka, perhaps this one, is looked upon 
 as one of the varieties long known, not like Arabka and Antonovka 
 introduced of late years. In another village near there we found 
 another apple just like Duchess but sweet, or to say the least 
 sweetish. 
 
 Mr. Shroeder, at Petrovskoe, describes the Borovinka as a large, 
 round, pretty, striped apple, good for dessert or cooking, and says 
 it is grown a good deal in middle Russia. We did not see the 
 Duchess there or any apple like it. We find apples grown at 
 Tula, Orel, Voronesh, &c., called Borovinka, which are not of 
 Duchess type at all, more like White Koroshavka. At Orel, how- 
 ever, we find a Borovinka somewhat like Duchess, acid and in sea- 
 son till December or January, and said to be valuable and grown 
 there in some quantity, so say my notes, though the apple has gone 
 out of mind. On the Volga is grown a flat autumn striped apple 
 which finds its way in quantity into the Kazan and Nijni markets 
 also called Borovinka, an apple, I think, worthy of being introduced. 
 
 Charlamovskoe. — Mr. Shroeder speaks of this as a large, flat 
 cooking apple with a red side, a variety he thinks highly of, 
 Whether this may be that grown by Mr. Webster, in Vermont, and 
 described in the Montreal Horticultural Report, page 53, I cannot 
 say. 
 
 Mr. A. G. Tuttle, of Baraboo, Wisconsin, has an apple receiv- 
 ed by him under this name, which Mr. Tuttle says, " has the 
 beauty of Duchess and quality of Domine and keeps through win- 
 ter." Mr. Tuttle, I believe, has got hold of a valuable fruit. 
 
 Crimean Apple (Kmnskoe). — This is the name under which 
 we find, in diff"erent places, apples believed to have been brought 
 from that region. 
 
 On the Bogdanoff estates, near Kursk, we find an oblong, egg- 
 shaped, red apple, below medium in size, firm in flesh, and sharp 
 acid, mingled with sweet ; the tree is pretty hardy there, and, if I 
 remember rightly, the fruit is a long keeper. At Volsk, the Krim- 
 skoe, though good in color, keeping and quality, was too small 
 and conic to be valuable. At Kluchiche, near Kazan, at Mar- 
 
26 
 
 climate, 
 ed upon 
 itonovka 
 re found 
 ;he least 
 
 s a large, 
 and says 
 
 see the 
 [rown at 
 not of 
 el, how- 
 id in sea- 
 grown 
 has gone 
 ed apple 
 
 markets 
 roduced. 
 arge, flat 
 lighly of, 
 lont, and 
 I cannot 
 
 le receiv- 
 ' has the 
 ugh win- 
 uit. 
 
 ler which 
 brought 
 
 ong, egg- 
 md sharp 
 and, if I 
 he Krim- 
 :oo small 
 , at Mar- 
 
 quise Paulucci's, we saw a large, roundish stripped apple, some- 
 thing like Duchess, not ripe ; the tree was said to be fairly hardy 
 in that extreme climate, and farther south noted for its immense 
 fruit. 
 
 Good Peasant {Dobryi Krestianin). — This apple is highly 
 prized by the Russian people, and sells well in their market in 
 spite of its unattractive color and small size. Our Pomme Grise, 
 though long valued for its fine quality, does not sell at extra prices 
 in the Montreal market, and, I fear, this Good Peasant would fetch 
 but small prices when placed alongside better looking fruit. The 
 tree, both in leaf and bud, is crab-like ; its leaf is prunifolia in form, 
 yet slightly pubescent. Near Kazan we saw trees more than 30 
 years old of it. At Volsk, Khvalinsk, Tula, Voronesh, every- 
 where almost we went, either on the Volga or in Middle Russia 
 M^ found it a great favorite. People seemed to go into ecstacies 
 over its delicious flavor. Mr. Shroeder, at Petrovskoe, does not 
 find it quite hardy, though at Tula 120 miles further South, we 
 saw a few fine old trees of it. Let us look upon it as a crab, a 
 large sized green crab of fine quality, for it certainly is as hardy 
 as some of our hybrid Siberians, and I think we shall find it a 
 useful crab for home use for rather severe climates. 
 
 Grand Mother {Baboushh'no) is described by Mr. Shroeder as 
 a beautiful bright red medium sized oblate apple of fine quality. 
 At Voronesh, Mr. Fischer says it is a good and productive tree, 
 and an excellent large sized apple that keeps till March. Mr. 
 Regel describes it as an apple of first quality that keeps till May. 
 What we saw under this name were above medium size, flat rather, 
 with a large thick stalk ; flesh white, firm, breaking, juicy, fine 
 grained, unripe, but showing every sign of fine quality, and of 
 being a long keeper. Its appearance is against it, yet these hardy 
 long keepers deserve thorough trial. 
 
 Grushevka, or pear apple tree is probably so called from its 
 pear like pyramidal form of tree. It is spoken of by Mr. Shroeder, 
 as a hardy and productive tree, planted a good deal for market in 
 central Russia and bearing a small early white fruit. On the 
 Bogdanoff estates we see trees of it, with their pubescent leaves of 
 
26 
 
 prunifolia form like the Good Peasant. Here it is spoken of as 
 their earliest apple, white, sweet, of medium size, and good quality. 
 At Tula we are told it is their earliest apple. Evidently from all 
 we hear rather a favorite. The German Grushevka Mr. Shroeder 
 says is much like it, but a little better in quality, and a week later. 
 That called Grushevka at Kazan was a hard, yellow, fall fruit ; 
 neither must we confound it with the Gusevka of Kegel which is 
 described as a large winter cooking apple, but it is without doubt 
 the Grushevka Moskovka of Dr. Regel. 
 
 Kalamas. — Under this name we saw in one of the Peasant 
 villages, in the Government of Kazan, an apple of medium or large 
 size, deep red, with a light bloom, the beautiful color of the pink 
 Anis, but larger, and marked with little dots. The flesh was green- 
 ish white crude and unripe. Such a beautiful fruit, thriving in so 
 cold a climate should not be lost sight of. 
 
 KoRiTscHNOVOiE Ananasnoe (literally the Cinnamon Pine- 
 apple). — This Mr. Fischer says is a small flat fruit of dark 
 brownish red color, and very fine flavor. The tree, too, has proved 
 very hardy at Voronesh. Mr. Shroeder speaks of its hardiness, its 
 earliness, and aromatic flavor. At Orel, too, we hear it well 
 spoken of. A fine flavored early apple it would seem. The Kor. 
 Anan. of Regel seems very different. 
 
 KORITSCHNOVOIE PoLASATOE. — This is the tree that stood the 
 extreme cold in 1877, at Petrovskoe, when the thermometer went 
 down to 44 below Zero. Mr. Shroeder says that it is much like 
 Ananasnoe but striped, and ripens a month later, and keeps longer. 
 This apple we saw to some extent in Central Russia. In the 
 markets, when piled in pyramidal form, stalks upwards, they 
 looked like small Duchess. However, the basin is more shallow, 
 the form more conic. It has a peculiar flavor, and is quite good. 
 A fall fruit which has proved quite profitable in cold climates. 
 
 Lead Apple (Svinsovka). — Mr. Shroeder says is a small, hard 
 green cooking apple that keeps till the New Year, or till new 
 apples, I am not sure which. We hear of it at Orel and at 
 Voronesh, and as Mr. Fischer says, it is much like Zelonka. 
 
 Malite {Malt). — This name has been given to a number of 
 
 I app 
 
 2 
 
87 
 
 apples on the Volga, grown in quantity from Kazan to Saratof. 
 In the Government of Kazan, a little red Malite is one of their 
 favorite market apples. It is medium or small in size, flat and 
 often ribbed. The flesh is white, crisp, tender and juicy. Manjr 
 of the peasants in the villages near Kazan, place it among their 
 five best for profit, and grow it in quantity. At Simbrisk a Malite 
 has the same bright dark color, but with a bloom like pink Anis 
 and yellowish flesh ; a fine grained, juicy apple, with firm but 
 break flesh and sprightly flavor. At Saratof, Malite, I know 
 not what kind, is named among their few best apples, and is one 
 of the kinds grown there for a very long time. We find other 
 apples, too, more or less of this type. At Simbrisk we find a large 
 fall fruit somewhat resembling Duchess, and of good quality, 
 quite unlike other apples named Malite, and perhaps worthy of 
 trial. 
 
 Red Koroshavka {Koroshavka Alui) is one of those strikingly 
 beautiful apples one cannot forget. It has the color of our 
 Victoria, a bright deep pink, and any part not so colored is as 
 nearly as possible pure white. It is usually of medium size, often 
 above, regular in outline, and never ribbed like Pink Anis. Like 
 Victoria, its flesh is a pure white, and on 29th August, firm, crude 
 acid, not ripe enough to fairly judge. This tree, like the Anis, when 
 grown in the North is dwarf in habit, and where broken down by 
 weight of snow, sound at the heart, and evidently a young and 
 abundant bearer. At Tenki it was said to keep till January. 
 
 At Simbrisk we hear of a Koroshavka Alui which may be this. 
 The Koroshavka of Kegel is a long stalked little fruit very dif- 
 ferent from this or White Koroshavka. 
 
 Reinette Kurski. — Mr. Shroeder describes this as a medium- 
 sized, flat, irregular, ribbed, yellow apple, named from the town 
 of Kursk. Not hardy at Moscow, but a good tree further South, 
 and a really good dessert fruit that keeps till Spring. The query 
 [to my mind is whether this may not be the Reinette Russki which 
 I we saw at Kursk, but which they would not admit to the Reinette 
 Kurski. It is a five-sided apple of the size of our Fameuse, with 
 tfed on one side. A fruit of fine quality, apparently a keeper, and 
 perhaps valuable. 
 
 ti^ 
 
28 
 
 RosHDESTRENSKOE. — I Can Only quote Mr. Shroeder's opinion 
 that it is a medium-sized or largish apple of high conic form, 
 much like a Gilliflower ; a dark, dull green with a dark red side. 
 A good table and cooking apple, and a pretty good keeper. The 
 tree is not hardy at Moscow, but does well farther South. 
 
 RoMNENSKOE, named from the town of Romna. — This Mr. 
 Shroeder says is a round, solid, olive green fruit, with dark red 
 side. Not hardy at Moscow, but valuable farther South. It is 
 pretty enough to sell, and is a fair dessert and good cooking 
 apple that keeps till Spring. 
 
 Serinkia {Sierianka.) — This is said to be the Lehmapfel (or 
 grey apple) of Germany, and is a very popular apple in the Baltic 
 provinces, where it has been grown some say for a century or two. 
 In Livonia, Courland and Poland, it has been planted in large 
 (4^antity, and evidently is a favorite fruit. It has been propagated 
 in quantity by the nurseries in F iga. It is a stout, straight and 
 moderately vigorous grower. The fruit is of medium size, yellow 
 with a little red, and is said by everyone to be of excellent quality. 
 Unfortunately we did not see the fruit. In middle Russia, too, at 
 Orel and Voronesh, we hear it spoken of as a good, hardy tree, 
 and an excellent dessert fruit. 
 
 Skruisapfel. — Dr. Regel speaks of this as an excellent table 
 apple that keeps until the following Summer, and says that the 
 tree endures the coldest Winters at St. Petersburg, and has been 
 grown at Moscow, Tula, &c. Mr. Shroeder says it is a medium 
 or small-sized apple, striped (but perhaps this only on one side, 
 I am not sure), a very hardy tree, an apple of really good quality ; 
 good for dessert and cooking, that keeps sometimes till August. 
 The tree has branches like a Scott's Winter, which cannot easily 
 be torn out. The fruit, as we saw it, green, with a little dull red, 
 beginning to appear on one side, and very heavy. Flesh greenish, 
 juicy, rather tender, crude, and but very mildly acid, when ripe 
 lacking acid one would think, otherwise quite good. A good late 
 
 keeper for cold climates. 
 
 Skrute {Beel Skru(e) is a profitable apple on the Upper Volga, 
 A good-sized white apple, with red marblings, showy and very 
 
29 
 
 popular, but so variable in quality that I have thought there must 
 be more than one apple in the markets under this name. Often 
 its cavity is very shallow, and the stem like a peg that has been 
 driven in, but this is not always so. Though fine-grained and 
 juicy, it is sometimes woolly and flavorless, so that I cannot recom- 
 mend it, in spite of its wide popularity in those cold climates. 
 
 Sklianka {Steklanka Zelonka). In this family there are some 
 apples of the Rhode Island Greening type which promise to be 
 very valuable. 
 
 Mr. Shroeder describes the S. Ostrovkaya, as a small conic 
 green apple with a dull red side, long stalk and corrugated basin, 
 good for cooking and dessert. It keeps till Summer, and is a good 
 hardy Russian tree grown more in the south-west, a variety con- 
 sidered valuable by Mr. Shroeder. The S. Pestrui, or Sandy 
 Sklianka, Mr. Shroeder says is a sour cooking fruit of medium size, 
 greenish yellow, with some red that keeps till or into Winter. We 
 probably met with both these apples, and yet we cannot be sure. 
 
 At Volsk we saw trees of this Sklianka type, bearing profusely, 
 and yet full medium in size ; surely the fruit would be large when 
 bearing in moderation. It was green, rarely with some red on one 
 side, very firm, crude, acid, with some slight sweetness. The tree 
 seemed quite hardy at Volsk, and there seemed no doubt as to its 
 bearing or keeping qualities. I believe we saw this same fruit in 
 the Saratof market. 
 
 The Zelonka Moldavka of Voronesh is an apple I wish to 
 
 draw special attention to. The specimen we had was large and 
 
 oblong, a solid apple with a texture somewhat like a Rhode Island 
 
 Greening, firm, acid, with very little sweetness. We got it at 
 
 Voronesh on 13th Sept., and this description was made when 
 
 j tasted at Warsaw on Oct. 4th. It had been kept in our apple bag 
 
 I but had not suff"ered. Mr. Fischer showed us trees which seemed 
 
 I hardy and healthy, the fruit has the points of a first-rate cooking 
 
 [apple, and is a fair eating apple, a variety of great promise. 
 
 Dr. Regel describes several varieties of Sklianka, among other 
 Ithe Sklianka Revalskaya, a yellowish fruit with a little red on one 
 side, grown at Pskov, Petersburg, and other places, usually hardy. 
 
so 
 
 but sometimes injured in severe winters. The S. Zelonka a small, 
 green, very productive, cooking apple, grown near Dorpat and the 
 Baltic provinces, generally. S. Medovka, (or Reinette Voronesh) 
 received from Voronesh, green and later a greenish yellow, an ex- 
 cellent table apple, roundish, and of full medium sire. It keeps all 
 winter, and the tree is hardy at St. Petersburg in severe winters. 
 
 At Tula, Orel, Voronesh, &c., we see or hear of long keeping 
 greenings, under the name of Sklianka and Zelonka, which are 
 considered valuable in these cold climates. Of those we saw the 
 Zelonka Moldavka of Voronesh, and the Sklianka of Volsk would 
 seem the most promising. 
 
 TiTOVKA, {Titus apple). — A large handsome fruit to be seen in 
 quantity, in all the markets of the Volga, and of Middle Russia. 
 
 TITOVKA. 
 
 It looks like a large ribbed, elongated DucheSs, and on account 
 • of its large size and attractive color, very salable and therefore 
 
9t 
 
 Ivaluable. At Simbirsk it is considered one of the most profitable. 
 [At Tenki, near Kazan, it is a success, both in nursery and orchard, 
 md from what we saw would seem to have been grown there for 
 lany years. At Tula we see one very old tree of it, a survivor 
 lof an ancient orchard, killed by a severe winter many years 
 [ago. It is therefore a tree that thrives in the severest climates. It 
 Iwould not be safe to assume it to be quite as hardy as Anis or 
 lAntonovka, yet it is not very far from it. The flesh is coarse, but 
 Muicy and mildly acid, quite good, not at all disappointing, rather 
 Ibetter than Duchess, because less acid. In season it is not one of 
 the earliest, yet is a summer or late summer fruit. We might 
 Ireasonably expect this to become one of the great commercial 
 [apples of our country. 
 
 Ukrainskoe. — I was very much struct by a young tree I saw 
 It Vilna, in full bearing. It looked as if bearing a crop of un- 
 :olored Northern Spy. At Orel we hear of it as a hardy tree, and 
 good apple, but not as productive as some other kinds. Mr. 
 shroeder also notes it as a light bearer, but says the tree is hardy, 
 ind that it is a good cooking and second qualitied eating apple 
 i^hich ships and keeps well. At Saratof, we are told of an apple 
 mder this name that has been grown there for a very long time, 
 Said to be quite hardy in that climate, and to keep till march, and 
 |t is noted there as one of their profitable market fruits. In the 
 lilder climate of Warsaw, our friends say, why grow L'krainskoe 
 green apple, when you might as well grow a red one. Color in 
 m apple is a very good point, yet I feel that any good late keep- 
 ing apple that thrives upon the Russian Steppes is worthy of trial. 
 Vargul. — A firm flatish conic apple of yellowish color, with 
 ^ome red on one side of extra quality, and keeps till May or June, 
 ^o says Mr. Shroeder. I do not think we saw it, yet we heard of 
 |t often in Middle Russia. At Tula an amateur friend puts it 
 »mong his five best varieties. At Orel, at Voronesh and Kursk, 
 ve hear an apple well spoken of under this name. ' 
 
 Vargulok (or little Vargul) is often confounded with Vargul, 
 ind said by some to be the same. Mr. Shroeder has both, and 
 lescribes this as a medium sized yellowish green apple, good for 
 :ooking or table, a long keeper and tree hardy at Moscow. 
 
as 
 
 ViRGiNiscHER RosENAPFEL. — It is Strange how a fruit may 
 wander to distant lands, and generations after, return to its 
 native land unrecognized. We first saw this in the nursery of the 
 Pomological School at Proskau, and Mr. Budd declared that it must 
 be the " Fourth of July." We then looked up the cast of the fruit 
 in the museum and so it seemed to be. Why should it have the 
 name Virginia unless it had been there, and how in those early 
 days get there except via England. Yes, we may suppose it to 
 have been included in those importations from Russia, made 
 during the lifetime of the late Andrew Knaight, and thence found 
 its way to Virginia. Its name becoming lost, it was grown west- 
 ward and northward in America as the Fourth of July, and returns 
 to Russia, the land of its ancestors, even if not the land of its birth, 
 as the Virginischer Rosenapfel. 
 
 White Koroshavka. — This is a favorite apple in the markets 
 at Nijni Novgorod and Kazan, and is grown in fair quantity along 
 the Volga for market purposes. It is an early apple, yet not one 
 of the earliest, a fair sized white fruit with little marblings and 
 stripes of red ; tender, rather juicy, and so mildly acid as to incline 
 to be almost sweet, but nice and pleasant, invariably good, and 
 therefore better in quality than Skrute, though perhaps hardly grown 
 in as great quantity. We find it grown largely in the villages in 
 Kazan, and apparently quite hardy there, so that its hardiness one 
 need not have doubts about ; yet a friend at Simbrisk in a trying 
 soil and situation finds in the long run that neither the White nor 
 Red Koroshavka are equal in hardiness to the Anis and Antonovka, 
 yet for all that a hardy tree, and I would say, a good summer 
 apple lacking neither in beauty nor in good quality. 
 
 Of the coast apples in Russia I seem to know very little. We 
 had no opportunity of seeing them in bearing. The climate is not | 
 our climate, yet their experience is valuable. Dr. Regel selected 
 out of a longer list 41 kinds which he recommended, and out of 
 these he marked ten kinds with double stars. These ten kinds are 
 Antonovka, Aport (autumn), Borovinka, Belui Naliv, Red Summer 
 Calville, Koritschnevoe (Zimmetapfel), Koritschnevoe Ananasnoe,] 
 Polosatoe Novgorodskoe, Skvosnoe Naliv, Skriusapfel, Titovka. 
 
 we 
 
m 
 
 uit may 
 n to its 
 ■y of the 
 ,t it must 
 the fruit 
 have the 
 ose early 
 ose it to 
 a, made 
 ice found 
 wn west- 
 d returns 
 its birth, 
 
 ; markets 
 ity along 
 ; not one 
 lings and 
 to incline 
 yood, and 
 dly grown 
 illages in 
 iiness one 
 1 a trying 
 White nor 
 .ntonovka, 
 d summer 
 
 iltle. We 
 nate is not | 
 el selected | 
 and out of 
 n kinds are 
 ;d Summer 
 ^nanasnoe, | 
 ritovka. 
 
 ON FRUITS IN CENTRAL EUROPE. 
 
 Our work in Russia was an endeavor to find out what fruits had 
 stood the test of climates as severe as our own. 
 
 In central Europe another field of work presented itself, viz : 
 what varieties, valuable in these milder climates, are worthy of trial 
 here? 
 
 Our journey from London onwards was a constant succ ession 
 of visits to Horticultural and Botanic Gardens, Pomological and 
 Forest Schools, steady, rapid work, without time even to arrange 
 our notes. 
 
 At Verrieres, near Paris, in the gardens of M. Henri de Vilmorin, 
 gardens full of botanic rarities, we specially noticed that the apple 
 trees which had been selected for cordon training, included many 
 kinds whose leaf and early terminate growth betokened northern 
 ancestry. We noticed this, too, in the nurseries of M. Simon 
 Louis, at Metz. 
 
 At the Jardin des Plantes, in Paris, we had a grand opportunity 
 to study the different races of the pear. A large collection, botan- 
 ical as well as horticultural, including different races from China, 
 from Japan, India and different parts of Europe, and their hybrids. 
 Mr. Budd is the one man who has taken up this botanic question 
 of races, and applied it practically to northern horticulture. 
 By noting certain characteristics of race one might collect in the 
 milder parts of Europe, varieties of the apple and the pear, with 
 the assurance th^lt a large part of them would prove hardy in severe 
 climates. 
 
 At Reutlingen, in Wurtemburg, we visited the Pomological 
 School of the late Dr. Lucas, so well-known to Pomologists by his 
 works and his life-long labors. At the time of our visit he was 
 fast declining, and on our arrival at Proskau we heard of his death. 
 From Mr. Fritz Lucas, his son and successor, we received lists and 
 notes of those fruits which had stood uninjured during their late 
 trying winters.- 1- 
 
 At the late Pomological School at Kosteneuberg, near Vienna, 
 we met Prof. Stoll, who has also a thorough knowledge of the 
 
 .:: ! V! >:•■: J ■ 1 
 
 i&iO 
 
 ,10l' 'J 
 
fruits best adapted to the colder and more elevated parts of Silesia 
 and Transylvania. , ,, . , , . ,, . , 
 
 At the Pomological School at Troya, near Prague, in feohemia, 
 we found a very large collection of fruits adapted to mild climates. 
 
 At Proskau, near Oppeln, in Silesia, is the Pomological school 
 of Eastern Prussia. The climate here is more severe, its elevation 
 is 720 feet, its soil is cold, its south winds passing over the Car- 
 pathians are cold, and, I believe, dry. Most of the tender plants we 
 had found further south are wanting. Director Stoll finds it neces- 
 sary to study the question of hardiness, and hence we find his 
 opinion very valuable for North Germany. , 
 
 At Warsaw, the Pomological School, under Prof. Jankouski, is 
 doing a grand, good work ; in fact the best promological work we 
 saw in Russia. The climate, however, of the city gardens is but 
 very slightly more severe than at Proskau. 
 
 After leaving Warsaw, we scarcely found any tree or shrub 
 which would be likely to prove tender in Montreal or even at 
 Abbottsford, until, on our return westwards, we reached Kiev. 
 
 For the present, I will merely describe a few of the best late- 
 keeping apples of Germany. . . 
 
 Batullenapfel Rother. — This belongs to a family almost 
 new to us. We saw it, for the first time, at the Pomological 
 School of Dr. Lucas at Reutlingen, and were at once struck with 
 its small, thick, plicated leaf. A singular fact, too ,in regard to it, is 
 that it grows readily from cuttings. We saw cuttings of it treated 
 just as currant cuttings usually are, growing well at Reutlingen. 
 
 At the Kosteneuberg Pomological School, near Vienna, Prof. 
 Stoll draws our special attention to it, and says it has been grown 
 for at least one hundred years in Transylvania. It is of medium 
 size, often largish, whitish or yellowish, with red side, pretty good 
 quality, a very healthy, hardy tree in those climates, and a very 
 abundant bearer. At Proskau we hear further good opinions of it. 
 Its keeping qualities are variously stated. At Proskau they say 
 till February. At Kostenenberg till April. At Troja they say till 
 June. 
 
 The Weisser Batullen is said to be just like this exciept that it 
 has less color, and some think they are the same. 
 
as 
 
 i of Silesia 
 
 Bohemia, 
 d climates, 
 ical school 
 3 elevation 
 
 the Car- 
 r plants we 
 Is it neces- 
 e find his 
 
 ikouski, is 
 il work we 
 lens is but 
 
 ; or shrub 
 )r even at 
 
 Kiev. 
 
 best late- 
 
 ily almost 
 
 )mological 
 
 ruck with 
 
 ard to it, is 
 
 ' it treated 
 
 itlingen. 
 
 nna, Prof. 
 
 en grown 
 
 medium 
 
 etty good 
 
 id a very 
 
 ions of it. 
 
 they say 
 
 ly say till 
 
 ;pt that it 
 
 Baumann's Reinette. — At Warsaw, Proskau and Reutlingen 
 we hear high opinions of this fruit. Mr. Lauche, of Potsdam, Ber- 
 lin, in his Deutche Pomologie, says that its bearing, beauty and 
 quality makes it deserving of very extensive cultivation, and says 
 farther that it is fine grained, crisp, juicy apple, of characteristic, 
 acidulated, spicy flavor. A valuable apple for family use, in season 
 from January till March or May, but too small for market. 
 
 BoHNAPFEL Grosser. — This has been long grown by the 
 peasants on the Rhine and in Wurtemberg, yet Mr. Lucas does 
 not mention it among his favorite kinds, probably from its lack of 
 fine quality. It has the same thick, plicated, pubescent leaf as the 
 Batullen, and would seem of the same race, and like it unusually 
 productive. It is valued for drying, baking and cider. It is a 
 medium-sized apple with a red side, harsh and sour until spring, 
 when it becomes sweeter, but without aroma. Its long keeping and 
 heavy bearing alone merit its extensive cultivation. 
 
 BoiKENAPFEL has been long known in the neighborhood of 
 Bremen, long grown and highly esteemed, and has been recom- 
 mended for general cultivation in Germany. 
 
 It has a snow white, firm, fine grained flesh, good fair size^ 
 though mostly green in color. An excellent table apple for family- 
 use, in season from January till June. 
 
 Champagner Reinette. — A little dessert apple of rather fine- 
 quality which has been planted rather largely, says Mr. Lauche,. 
 in Germany since 1857, when it was recommended for general, 
 cultivation. It keeps till June. Dr. Stoll, at Proskau, gave us a. 
 specimen on July 28th. The tree, I fear, is not quite as hardy as 
 some others. At Riga, not at all hardy. This, therefore, cannot be 
 the Champagnskaya Pipka we heard of as hardy and valuable at 
 Orel and other places in Central Russia. Mr. Shroeder describes a 
 Champanskoe as a rather large, flat conic, greenish yellow apple 
 somewhat striped. A winter fruit of very fine quality and a hardy, 
 though a crooked growing tree. 
 
 Danziger Kantapfel has been grown, says Mr. Lauche, in 
 Ger\nany and Holland under many names. " A fine-fleshed juicy 
 apple of aromatic, acidulated sugary flavor." A valuable home 
 use table fruit that keeps till January. 
 
ftuLDERLiNG LangSr C^runer. — A largisH green apple tinged 
 with red, grown in quantity in Silesia. It keeps till May and is 
 then a fairly good eating apple. Earlier in the season it is too 
 iacid. 
 
 Gruner Fustenapfel, (Green Princes' Apple), is grown 
 iargely about Hanover and Berlin, in Pomerania, and on the Rhine 
 near Coblenz, and in cold districts among the Carpathian Moun- 
 tains ; a small or medium-sized green apple that keeps till May or 
 June, and, though lacking beauty, yet very productive and, there*- 
 fore, largely grown. The tree seems hardier than some others. 
 
 Lan'jsburger Reinette. — A rather large yellowish fruit with 
 dull red side, second quality or almost first, some say, for table ; 
 it bears abundantly, and keeps till January or, some say, till 
 March. Mr. Goegginger says not hardy at Riga. 
 
 Muscat Reinette. — ^This is one of the best of the German 
 apples. Ir is highly prized and largely cultivat'^d in Germany, 
 Holland and France. It is a medium-isized yellow fruit, splashed 
 with red, distinguished by its strong aromatic and sugary flavor. 
 It keeps till spring. The tree is hardy in North Germany, but, 
 Mr. Goegginger tells me, not at Riga. 
 
 PuKi'URROTHER CusiNOT. — Prof. StoU, of Kostencuberg, tells 
 me that this tree is grown in very large quantity in Bohemia and 
 Silesia, and is said to prove vcly hardy and productive in the 
 colder parts of these districts. Oberdick called attention to its 
 wonderful producliveness, says Mr. Lauche, and since then it has 
 been recommended in Germany for general cultivation. A dull 
 re'i fruit of medium size, of a slightly cinnamon sugary flavor. It 
 is in season from December to May, and is said to be "the" 
 apple of :' .s season in some of the German markets. I regret to 
 say that Mr. Goegginger has found it not hardy at Riga. 
 
 Stettiner Gelber. — This is Said to be a filler and preferable 
 apple to the Stettiner Rother. It is a medium-sized, sometimes 
 largish apple of good quality that keeps till spring and is grown 
 Idrgely for market iii some districts in North Gehnany. A speci- 
 men of it was given td us to taste, by Dr. Stoll, at Proskau, on 
 July 28th ; of course at that late date it had lost flavor. 
 
 '^^ZjJik 
 
 XVLL^'iiiLVL 
 
 'M 
 
„^-^,: 
 
 ^ i/Y:^ .!■ 
 
 e tinged 
 ' and is 
 t is too 
 
 grown 
 le Rhine 
 Moun- 
 May or 
 i, there*- 
 thers. 
 riiit with 
 >r table ; 
 say, till 
 
 (German 
 Germany, 
 splashed 
 7 flavor, 
 any, but, 
 
 erg, tells 
 3inia and 
 e in the 
 3n to its 
 [en it has 
 A dull 
 avor. it 
 e "the" 
 regret to 
 
 preferable 
 
 ometimes 
 
 is grown 
 
 A speci- 
 
 oskau, on 
 
 «7 
 
 Stettiner Rother has been g'-own soniewhat at Warsaw, and 
 in great quantity in the North Eastern Baltic provinces of 
 Germany, whence it is shipped up the Vistula, and is the com- 
 monest apple in the Warsaw market in March and April. 
 
 Winter Citronenapfel {Citronat). — At Kiev, where it is 
 slightly colder in winter and where the winter changes are more 
 extreme than at Warsaw, this is considered their best winter apple 
 next to Antonovka. Such was the decision of four members of 
 the Forestry Association, residents of the Government of Kiev, 
 who consulted together and gave this as their decision io Mr. 
 Budd at the Forestry Convention at Moscow. 
 
 It is a large red apple, yellow only in the shade, a fruit of 
 high quality, that keeps till March. It was not mentioned at 
 Proskau among their best winter apples, but is a great favorite at 
 Warsaw, especially for home use, for its tender flesh does not 
 bear distant carriage. It did not seem hardy at Kursk, yet, like 
 many of these German apples, valuable where the climate is not 
 too extreme. 
 
 PEARS. 
 
 It may be a cause of surprise when I say that the pear is the 
 best tree I know of for maintaining a dark, glossy, healthy foliage 
 when planted on dry soil, in a climate where the summer sun is 
 hot, the nights cool, the air excessively dry, and the winters very 
 cold. Yet such is the case. In the public square at Simbirsk, in 
 latitude 54, on the Volga, a climate as severe as the City of 
 Quebec, the wild pear is a fine ornamental tree, and seems ih^ 
 tree which suff"ers least from dryness of air and diminished rain- 
 fail. I must add, too, that the one tree of largest diameter of trunk 
 which I happened to see during a journey of nearly 1,000 mile$ 
 on the Volga, was this wild form of pear ; a tree at Saratof nearly 
 lYi feet in diameter of trunk measured near the ground. 1 
 
 At Simbirsk it was that we flrst met with extensive pear 
 culture in extreme climates. Here there must be in orchard, \ 
 should think, i q,ooo trees, and these mainly of two wild foni^, 
 
38 
 
 one a Bergamot, usually about the size of the cut, or somewhat small- 
 er, usually sweetish, perhaps with slight acid, usually lacking in juice, 
 sometimes very slightly astringent and fair for cooking ; sometimes 
 very rough and quite unfit for cooking. The tree is a good upright 
 
 WILD BERGAMOT OF THE VOLGA. 
 
 grower, and its dark glossy foliage is very ornamental. Mr. Budd 
 picked a leaf off 30 trees, and really could not distinguish one from 
 another. The leaf is smooth-edged with scarcely a trace of crena- 
 tion. ■ ■'•■ ■ ■■• . ■ ' ■ • ■:v-,-.i !,:,,y .:.».,i ; ..,..', 
 
 .' ' The other wild form of pear found here, bears a small pyra- 
 form fruit, which it yields in quantity. Sometimes it is fit for 
 cooking, but usually quite too astringent. It also is a fine tree. 
 Its leaves are serrated. These two wild forms promise to be of 
 great value to us, as the stocks upon which to graft our future 
 pear orchards. These pears should be grown, if for nothing else, 
 
39 
 
 bat smalU 
 ? in juice, 
 ometimes 
 d upright 
 
 Ir. Budd 
 one from 
 of crena- 
 
 all pyra- 
 I fit for 
 ne tree, 
 o be of 
 r future 
 ing else, 
 
 to produce seeds for growing hardy stocks, for it is an undoubted 
 fact that a hardy stock increases the hardiness and early maturity 
 of growth of that which is grafted upon it. 
 
 In Poland we find another wild form of pear, a common tree 
 and a tree of large size. The leaf is fine in texture, though not 
 very thick, and sharply serrated upon its edges. Its foliage is 
 not as well adapted to a very dry climate as that of the Volga 
 pears, nor is the tree as hardy, yet hardy enough for a good stock 
 for our climate, and, for this purpose, it should be imported into 
 this country in large quantity from the Warsaw Nurseries. We 
 saw the wild pear growing in quantity between Kharkof and 
 Kiev, but whether this same race or not I cannot say. 
 
 At Reutlingen, in Wurtemburg, we find the perry and cooking 
 pears to be of a different race from those of Wesiern France, 
 whence American nursery-men have obtained their pear roots. 
 Reutlingen is a fruit-growing neighborhood, and, on account of its 
 elevation, cold above its latitude. The orchards, here, have 
 suff'ered severely during the last unfavorable winters, but these 
 pubescent-le .ved pear trees have stood the test much better than 
 the apple. 
 
 ToNKOViETKA. — This, I will speak of first, as it is the hardiest 
 pear tree I know which bears an edible fruit. In Moscow, the 
 severe winter of 1877 killed all the pear trees in the college 
 grounds to the snow line. This, however, seemed about the 
 hardiest, hardier even than Bessemianka. We find trees of what 
 is said to be it in some peasant orchards in the cold climate of 
 Tula, 120 miles south of Moscow. We again hear of it at Sim- 
 birsk as a pretty good pear that bears well. Mr. Shroeder who 
 looks at fruits from a high standard of quality, says it is a fairly 
 good eating pear, but not equal to Bessemianka. The Tonkovietka 
 shown to us at Saratof was not the same ; a larger and better fruit, 
 but tree not hardy there. The name means slender stalk, a name 
 which poss'bly may be applied to more than one pear. 
 
 Bessemianka is known also by the German name of Kerlnose, 
 which means without seeds. It is by far the best pear grown in 
 the severer parts of Russia, At Moscow it suffers during winters 
 
40 
 
 of extra severity, yet, in sheltered places, it sometimes does pretty 
 well. At Tula they say it stands their usual winters, now and then 
 they have a winter when it is injured. There we saw a number of 
 trees looking quite healthy. It is "the" pear there, and yet they 
 say not as productive there as it is fifty miles farther south. At 
 Simbirsk, it is considered not quite hardy. It grows for about teq 
 
 ,i' '!■ 
 
 ■I 
 
 •. .',"1 
 
 BESSEMIANKA. 
 
 Ill 
 
 years, bears fairly, and is injured or killed by some severe winter. 
 At Saratof, we find trees seven or eight inches in diameter of trunk, 
 which appeared quite hardy, and said to bear good crops. Wp 
 find an orchard here of 500 large pear trees, all but one variety in 
 good healthy condition, and this in a climate as cold as the city of 
 Quebec, and so dry that irrigation is necessary for profitable or- 
 charding. Here the Bessemianka was considered one of their best. 
 Again, in central Russia, at Orel, we find a great many trees, 
 both young aod old, and find it considered the best because the 
 most reliable. The same story at Voronesh, At Kursk, in the 
 
# 
 
 les pretty 
 and then 
 umber of 
 yet they 
 >uth. At 
 about ten 
 
 
 ire winter, 
 jr of trunk, 
 rops. We 
 ! variety in 
 the city of 
 >fitable or- 
 their best, 
 lany trees, 
 jcause the 
 sk, in the 
 
 peasant gardens and nurseries near the town, we see large old trees 
 of it, we see large numbers pf young trees wd a \^t^^ supply of it 
 in their little nurseries. 
 
 It is the most widely known, and the most largely grown pear 
 in central Russia, ,. , ' 
 
 The tree is an upright grower, has large, dark, thick leaves, bi|t 
 very slightly crenated, almost smooth-edged, a leaf that stands 
 aridity of air well. One fault this tree has, its branches easily break 
 off from weight of snow, and thus oftep leave l^rge scars upon th^ 
 trunk. 
 
 The fruit is green, with some russetly browp, tender, rather 
 juicy, gritty at the core, with few or no seeds, quite free from 
 astringency, n^ild and pleasant, though npt tp say buttery. Season, 
 I should think early October. 
 
 BERGAMOT.-r-Of this family I will speak next. In the markets 
 
 AUTUMN BERGAMOT OF THE yOlGA. 
 
 iJ'Jk^'.r'/.. -.ii'-i A.* 
 
42 
 
 on the Volga below Simbirsk, we find a small, round, early berga- 
 mot, but it rots at the core so badly that I cannot recommend it. 
 There is, however, a large winter, or rather fall Bergamot, worthy 
 of trial, and perhaps this may be the Bergamotte Osenii of Regel. 
 At Simbirsk, we saw eight or ten trees of it, about four inches in 
 diameter. At Khvalinsk and Saratof we also saw healthy old trees. 
 
 The fruit is green, with tendency to a little color on one side, 
 and on an average it is about the size of our fameuse apple. The 
 flesh is sweet, rather lacking in juice, but quite free from astringency. 
 It has a tendency, though slight, to rot at the core, but if picked 
 carefully and early, it may be kept into winter. 
 
 At Warsaw, we find in the market in fair quantity, a small,' 
 found pear, which, on enquiry, we are told, is the Common Berga- 
 mot, and that there are large old trees of it in exposed situations 
 near there. We also saw large healthy trees of it in the Warsaw 
 gardens. It is an autumn pear of very much finer quality than that 
 grown on the Volga, although the tree has not been tested in as 
 severe climates, nor does it show the same hardy wild character. 
 
 Sapieganka.. — This is the Bergamotte ronde d'6t6, introduced, 
 
 / 
 
 ./■ 
 
 
 SAPIEGANKA. 
 
43 
 
 I believe, from Italy, about the 15 th century, and named after a 
 Polish nobleman. There are a good many trees of it about War- 
 saw. I am told that in one garden not far from the city, there 
 are 185 old trees, of which the largest are two feet in diameter of 
 trunk. 
 
 At Vilna, where the climate is more severe than at Warsaw, we 
 saw ten or twelve old trees about one foot in diameter and one two 
 feet. At Riga, some say " as hardy as an oak," others say pretty 
 hardy. At Voronesh, Mr. Fischer spoke strongly of its hardiness 
 there, although I have forgotten if we saw any trees there. At 
 Orel it has not proved hardy. The verdict generally is a hardy 
 tree and a long-lived healthy tree and a good fruit, but not capable 
 of bearing quite as low temperatures as Bessemianka. 
 
 Red Bergamot {Rothe Bergamotte, Bergamotte (Tauiomnt, Leroy.) 
 — From the engravings of this pear given in Lauche's Deutsche 
 Pomologie, it is a query in my mind whether this may not be the 
 common Bergamot I have spoken of above as growing about War- 
 saw. At any rate I saw one fine old tree pointed out as this Ber- 
 gamotte Rouge, and was told there were many more like it in the 
 neighborhood. Our attention was first directed to it by Mr. StoU 
 at Vienna, and we learn that it has been grown largely in Silesia, 
 and somewhat in Sweden. It is spoken highly of at Froskau and 
 Riga, and is a pear of fine quality, recommended for all kinds of 
 soil. It ripes in Sept. and Oct. and is well worthy of trial. 
 
 MosKOVKA probably deserves mention, a small pyraform pear, 
 juicy, mild and non-astringent. We saw a good many trees of it 
 at Simbirsk, large old trees, some of them, somewhat injured, yet 
 some thought it hardier even than Tonkovietka. A good, little^ 
 early, cooking fruit. ^ ; ,,- .,, »- . , ■ . 
 
 Of pears without names I will next speak. If the fruit is long 
 in shape it is called Douia, if small, Grusha. Another is named 
 Dolgostebelka, which means long stalk, but as all the Russian 
 pears except the Bergamot have long stalks, such names have no 
 individuality. Under the name of Gliva, which is akin to Doula, we 
 find great variety ; one which I tasted at Moscow, and which I 
 was assured was grown there, was as rich and buttery as a Bartlett. 
 
M 
 
 !i 
 
 At Orel, under the name of Doula Doukavoya, we find good healthy 
 trees bearing a large, but uneven-sided, very sweet pear, juicy, and 
 very nice. The same tree we saw at Simbirsk ; the same unmis- 
 takable fruit again on the Bogdanolf estates, near Kursk. A val- 
 uable pear for cold climates. 
 
 Bezi de la Motte ( Wildling Von Motte). — In Iowa, it has been 
 stated by Swedes, that this pear grew far north in their native land. 
 At Burlington, Iowa, Mr. Avery has been very successful in grow- 
 ing what he called the Crassane Bergamotte, a pear known at War- 
 saw and in the Baltic Provinces, but said there not to be very 
 hardy. Is would now seem that Mr. Avery's trees are, as Mr. 
 Downing has positively affirmed, the true Bezi de la Motte. 
 
 The fruit is medium, and sometimes large and tolerably round, 
 buttery, melting, and of delicate sweet flavor. Mr. Goeschke, of 
 Proskau, in his book, " Der Obstbau," says, a delicate dessert pear, 
 but needs good soil, sheltered position and favorable weather to 
 bear well. It ripens about i8th Oct., and keeps a longtime. At 
 Burlington, Iowa, this variety is promising, yet must not be ranked 
 among the ironclads. 
 
 Deuces de Jodoine. — In the Pomological Garden at Warsaw, 
 we find one tree of this varietj^, erect in growth, leaves very dark 
 in color, thick, pubescent, and in fact just like some inferior, but 
 hardy Doulas and Glivas planted along side of it. The fruit, says 
 Dr. Hogg, of London, in the " Fruit Manual," is three inches long, 
 and the flesh is " half-melting, sweet, sugary and aromatic." All 
 authors agree that the fruit is good. The foliage of this tree will 
 not suffer from aridity of air ; if of early maturity of growth, then 
 a tree of decided hardiness. This tree is well worthy of a trial in 
 the north- 
 
 CoNFESSBLS BiRNE is a tree with a large, close textured leaf, 
 grown in quantity in the colder parts of Silesia where the ther- 
 mometer goes down to 20 and 22. The quality of the fruit I do 
 not know. I only know that it is grown chiefly for drying. .■ ^ •< 
 ' FoNDANTE DE Bois {Hdz farbige Butterbime.) — This pear we 
 siiw bearing heavily in the garden of the Pomological school at 
 Warsaw, and in other gardens in the neighborhood ; also in the 
 
ih 
 
 d healthy 
 
 uicy, and 
 
 le unmis- 
 
 A val- 
 
 has been 
 tive land, 
 in grow- 
 i at War- 
 be very 
 e, as Mr. 
 te. 
 
 ly round, 
 schke, of 
 ;sert pear, 
 eather to 
 :ime. At 
 36 ranked 
 
 : Warsaw, 
 very dark 
 erior, but 
 fruit, says 
 :hes long, 
 tic." All 
 tree will 
 irth, then 
 a trial in 
 
 ired leaf, 
 the ther- 
 ruit I do 
 ig. .^ , 
 1 pear we 
 school at 
 Iso in the 
 
 colder climate of Wilna. At Warsaw, it is one of the few that 
 have stood the test of trying winters, and one of the best for plant- 
 ing in open exposure. 
 
 Fondante des Bois is a synonym of the Belle de Flandres, or, 
 Flemish Beauty. In the catalogue of the Royal Horticultural So- 
 ciety of London, published in 1842, it proved so. Another pear, 
 however, introduced from the continent, proved different, and yet 
 the description of it is not like this. Different climates work wide 
 differences in the appearance and quality of fruits. Still, Mr. 
 Budd says, surely not Flemish Beauty nor anything like it. I, too, 
 have known the Flemish Beauty in different climates, have grown 
 it in quantity in Southern Pennsylvania in a garden I once owned 
 there, have eaten some bushels of it in my lifetime, and cannot 
 believe it to be the same as this Fondante des Bois. 
 
 Considering the value of this pear in Poland it ought to be 
 introduced. 
 
 FuNTovKA. — ^li'his IS said by some to be the hardiest of the 
 German or Polish pears. It has been scattered about a good deal 
 and seems to maintain better health in the colder districts than any 
 other. It bears a large pyraform fruit, good for cooking, but 
 whether fit for dessert I do not know. Keeps till November. 
 
 Grumkower Winterbirne. — This pear has been long known 
 in Eastern Prussia, and about eighty years ago was sent westward, 
 and in 1857 was recommended for general cultivation. It is 
 spoken well of at Warsaw as a tree that has stood th3 test of trying 
 winters, not merely in the sheltered city gardens, but in exposed 
 places. It is a long pyraform pear, green, but mottled light and 
 dark, with but slight color ; the flesh is tender, buttery, but some- 
 what lacking in sweetness, not equal to Flemish Beauty I would 
 say. It is in season in October and November, and the tree re- 
 quires moist soil. 
 
 Liegel's Winterbirne. — This, I am told, has been planted 
 very largely in the colder parts of Bohemia, among the mountains, 
 where it has become a large export product. It is sent in large 
 quantity to Berlin as a winter dessert pear. It is, says Mr. Lauche, 
 probably of Bohemian origin, and in 1853, at Naumberg, it was 
 
 tfBSte 
 
AH 
 
 recommended for general planting. It has fine-grained, melting 
 flesh, of agreeable, and somewhat spicy flavor, and is in season 
 from November to January. It has not yet been planted outside 
 Bohemia as largely as it deserves. 
 
 Leon Gregoire is another of about equal hardiness. IL is 
 hardier than Zepherin Gregoire, which is one of the hardiest of its 
 class. Mr. Lauche says it was grown in Belgium by Xavier Gre- 
 goire from seed of Napoleon, and says it is melting, rich in juice, 
 and of an acidulated, sweet and slightly spiced flavor. A good 
 sized pear of fair quality which keeps till November, or later, 
 
 Pasovka is one of the hardy Polish pears, long known and 
 planted to a fair, or rather, large extent. The fruit is long and 
 narrow, yellow, often with a red side, of fair size, very pretty, pretty 
 good quality, and very good for cooking. It ripens in August. 
 
 Pound Pear {Pfundbime). — There are many pears of this class. 
 At Riga, the nurseries speak of the Pfundbirne as a hardy and 
 productive tree, which bears a large, green cooking fruit, in season 
 in September and October. 
 
 Salzburg. — We were struck with the healthy growth and thick 
 leaf of this tree when we first saw it in the Pomological Gardens 
 near Prague, in Bohemia. At Proskau, Director StoU kindly drove 
 us to where it had been planted as a road-side tree ; large, healthy, 
 upright trees. 
 
 However, as we follow northward, we find this tree is not as 
 hardy as others. At Riga, it is somewhat tender ; at Warsaw, it 
 has been grown a good deal, yet it suff"ers at times. It is a pear 
 of medium size and rather fine quality. The tree is possibly hardy 
 enough for a sheltered city garden in Montreal, but is more likely 
 to be of use in climates like Brockville, Kingston and Toronto. 
 It is said to be a pear of fine quality. 
 
 Sugar Pear {Zticherbirne, Zaharna, Saharnayd). — Under these 
 names, which mean the same, we find many varieties of a healthy, 
 hardy race, well worthy of trial. Wurtemberg, Warsaw, Riga, 
 Orel, &c., all have their sugar pears. They are usually productive, 
 fair quality for eating, good for cooking, and would be very sal- 
 able upon our markets. 
 
 , J-l*. ' i. 4V» 
 
, melting 
 in season 
 d outside 
 
 ;ss. IL is 
 liest of its 
 ivier Gre- 
 \ in juice, 
 A good 
 later. 
 
 aown and 
 long and 
 ;tty, pretty 
 Vugust. 
 f this class, 
 hardy and 
 , in season 
 
 a and thick 
 il Gardens 
 ndly drove 
 fe, healthy, 
 
 is not as 
 Warsaw, it 
 
 is a pear 
 isibly hardy 
 more likely 
 id Toronto. 
 
 Jnder these 
 f a healthy, 
 saw, Riga, 
 productive, 
 e very sal- 
 
 ,*7 
 
 ! •' 'I .;. • ' • " CHERRIES.. • > . -r 
 
 The cherries of Northern Europe best adapted to severe cli- 
 mates belong to a family which is scarcely known upon this con- 
 tinent. I will describe a few of those that have been found of 
 greatest value at the north. ' ; i: •, r: ' i ,■ j • ij" 
 
 Vladimir. — First in importance are the cherries known all 
 over Russia under this name. Like the Ostheim and the Brune 
 de Bruxelles, they are usually bushes rather than trees, and have 
 narrow, small, but finely textured thick foliage. It has been 
 named Vladimir, I suppose, because in that Government its 
 culture has attained such vast proportions. The fruit we saw not 
 only in the markets, but sold in the Si. eets in all Ihe larger towns, 
 where the consumption of this cherry is very large. We did not 
 visit the cherry districts in Vladimir, as the crop had been already 
 picked and marketed when we arrived there. We tried, however, 
 to get some estimate of the extent of its culture there. Are there 
 10,000 trees ? I ask. More than loo men have 15,000 each, and 
 such was the tenor of other statements from those who know the 
 country well. What is the amount shipped ? I ask. In reply I 
 am told that entire cars, and in some special ir itances, entire trains 
 have been loaded with this one product. At the village of 
 Viazniki the chief industry of the neighborhood is cherry culture. 
 We find it in all the Northern markets in great quantity. It seems 
 to be cut oflf the tree with scissors, leaving about an inch or less 
 of stalk attached to the fruit, and thus picked it stands carriage 
 well, and then keeps for some little time after arrival. 
 
 In the peasant villages in the Government of Kazan, and in 
 all the towns we stayed at on the Volga, wherever a peasant had 
 any apple trees, he was sure to have also a patch of this Vladimir 
 I cherry, sometimes carefully thinned, seldom in a high state of 
 [culture, and often grown into a thicket ; everywhere it was grown 
 in fair quantity, and in all the markets, though past its season, a 
 few were still to be found. Again in Central Russia, everywhere 
 it is the most largely grown variety, the popular market variety, 
 [although at Voronesh and Kursk we find fruits more of the Guigne 
 type, not quite hardy, yet bearing finer fruit. As far South even as 
 
4d 
 
 Kharkof and Kiev, it is the popular kind, and in the more 
 Southern climate of Kiev, still reclaims its dwarf habit of growth. 
 In one garden there, we saw it planted under plum trees, just as 
 currant bushes in city gardens often are with us. ' 
 
 The tree, if I may so speak, is of bush form, and when it be- 
 comes too old to bear profitably, the older parts are cut away, and 
 new sprouts take their place. It is usually grown in sod, and 
 under such lack of culture brings good returns, hence its great 
 value to us as a tree for careless cultivators. It can be grown 
 from seed, as it often is, but as it varies somewhat, it is better to 
 propagate from the best by sprouts. Sometimes, though rarely, 
 it is grafted. Some trees are erect in growth, others weeping ; 
 both forms are widely scattered. The weeping is usually con- 
 sidered the best, but not invariably so. Some have red flesh, but 
 as a rule the flesh is deep, purplish red ; the skin, when fully ripe, 
 reddish black, and when fully ripe, almost over- ripe, a rich min- 
 gling of acid and sweetness. When quite over-ripe it loses its 
 acidity, and combines with its sweetness somewhat of the peculiar 
 but pleasant bitter of the commoner kinds of Guigne. 
 
 If the cultivation of this Vladimir cherry proves such a profit- 
 able industry to large numbers of people in Russia, in a climate 
 as severe as the city of Quebec, why might it not prove equally 
 profitable in like climates here ? It certainly should be introduced, 
 and that in quantity for immediate trial, and if successful there is 
 no reason why we should not have several Canadian Vladimirs, 
 with their millions of cherry bushes, and their canning establish- 
 ments, and good cheap cherries in all our markets. 
 
 OsTHEiM {Osiheimer Weichel.) — I am told by Director Stoll, of | 
 Proskau, that this is a native of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in 
 Spain, where it was found at elevations of 5,000 and 6,000 feet, 
 and that it was brought to Germany in 1687 by a German Pro- 
 fessor, whose name is known, though I cannot give it, and who j 
 grew it in the neighborhood of the town of Ostheim, whence its 
 present name. Those who assign to the cherry an oriental origin, 
 and cite Pliny that it did not appear in Italy until after the defeat 
 of Mithridates, King of Pontus, in b. g. 65, hold that it must have 
 
 heJ 
 ma 
 
49 
 
 the more 
 ►f growth, 
 just as 
 
 len it be- 
 away, and 
 sod, and 
 e its great 
 be grown 
 better to 
 gh rarely, 
 weeping ; 
 iially con- 
 flesh, but 
 fully ripe, 
 L rich min- 
 it loses its 
 le peculiar 
 
 :h a profit- 
 a climate 
 ve equally 
 ntroduced, 
 "ul there is 
 Vladimirs, 
 establish- 
 
 ;or Stoll, of 
 suntains in 
 6,000 feet, 
 ;rman Pro- 
 
 and who 
 vhence its 
 ntal origin, 
 
 the defeat 
 ; must have 
 
 come to Spain from the East, but this is mere conjecture. In 
 foliage, and in habit of growth, it is tnuch like the Vladimir, and 
 must be nearly related to it. • . 
 
 In Germany it has been largely grown in some places for the 
 manufacture of cherry wine, or cherry brandy, and it seems strange 
 that a cherry, so largely grown there, should be almost unknown 
 on our Continent. In the catalogues of Canadian or U. S. 
 nurserymen, it is not to be found. However, Mr. E. Myer, a 
 German colonist, who settled in Minnesota, at St. Peter, about 
 50 miles South-West of St. Paul, brought with him the sprouts of 
 this cherry, which have been fruiting in that severe climate. (See 
 Iowa Hort. Soc. report 1 881, p. 371.) 
 
 In color the Ostheim is like Vladimir, a dark red, becom- 
 ing, when very ripe, a dark purplish red. When we tasted it at 
 Warsaw, we found it but mildly acid, and rather rich. Dr. 
 Hogg says ; •' Flesh very dark, tender, juicy, with a pleasant, 
 sweet and sub-acid flavor." M. Goeschke, in Der Obstbau, says : 
 " An excellent, agreeable, sweetish-sour flavor. A first-class des- 
 sert fruit, and particularly in demand for preserves." M. Simon- 
 Louis, in his Guide Pratique, says : " de premi(^re quality A per- 
 faite maturity," and " extraordinairement fertile." 
 
 There seems no doubt as to its hardiness, productiveness or 
 quality, and like the Vladimir it is worthy of extensive trial. 
 
 Brune de Bruxelles {Briisseller Braune. Ratafia 0/ Hogg.) 
 — This is another of dwarf habit of tree, and like foliage. The 
 fruit is large, what we saw, I might say, very large, but it was upon 
 a young tree bearing one of its first crops. It is dark brownish 
 red in color, and a rich acid, which tones down but little except 
 when over ripe. On account of its large size and good color it 
 sells in the Warsaw market at one-fourth more than Ostheim. The 
 tree is hardy, but not as hardy as Vladimir or Ostheim, . 
 
 Double Natte (Doppelte Natte) is another often recommended 
 to us. It is, I think, of similar foliage, but not quite as hardy as 
 some others, and yet reported hardy at Orel. Usually not a 
 heavy bearer, but very delicate in flavor, and a great favorite with 
 many, 
 
i 
 
 i' 
 
 i|! 
 
 60 
 
 ' In Centre! Russia we find many varieties superior in fruit, 
 though not so hardy nor such reliable bearers. At Tula, varieties 
 kno\frn as the rose, white rose, dark rose, black and white Spanish 
 are recommended, and yet the query suggests itself whether they 
 may not have been planted on an incline and bend down as the 
 Reine Claude plums are. At Voronesh, many have been selected, 
 but not under known names. Among them the Proseratchnaya 
 Rosenia, a rosy cherry of transparent type, propagated by grafting. 
 At Simbirsk, we hear of a cherry almost black, and larger than 
 Vladimir, known as Roditelskaya. At Khvalinsk, a cherry known 
 as the Turkish, seemed hardy, and said to bear very large fruit. 
 
 Amor ; the cherries grown in Russia, at Kursk and Voronesh, 
 and southwards, we find trees whose foliage would appear to be 
 crosses between the Griotte or sour cherry, and the Guigne or 
 sweet cherry of heart or brigarreau type. As a class they are not 
 equal in hardiness to Vladimir or Ostheim, yet most valuable in 
 climates of moderate severity. 
 
 Of other German cherries, I would mention Szklanki, or Glas- 
 kische doppette, a Polish seedling, said to be a hardy and good 
 bearer, of fruit the size of Ostheim, and much like it in flavor, but 
 red in color, and with yellowish flesh. Leigel's Fruh Weichel, a 
 fair-sized tree of Ostheim foliage, dark-purplish skin and flesh, and 
 much of Ostheim character. The Kleparovska, another Polish 
 cherry, from Gallicia, near Lemberg, has proved very hardy at 
 Warsaw. Shatten Amarel, a large dark red cherry of mild flavor, 
 and of Ostheim foliage. A short stalked Amarel, of which I can- 
 not give the proper name, which is coming into great favor about 
 Berlin and other places. Amarel Tardive, a weeping tree of Os- 
 theim leaf, dark purplish red, and somewhat acid. Rose Char- 
 meux, a large, red, mild, delicate, watery, mild-flavored fruit. Lu- 
 tovka, a large, good, yellow fleshed, red cherry, and a hardy tree. 
 In the German or Amana colonies on the Iowa River, in John- 
 son County, Iowa, colonies which moved to their present place 
 from tho State of JNew York, Mr. Budd tells me that there is grown 
 in quantity, in each of their seven villages, a variety of the bird 
 cherry, which bears young and abundantly a fruit which they value 
 
51 
 
 in fruit, 
 varieties 
 2 Spanish 
 ;ther they 
 wn as the 
 1 selected, 
 ratchnaya 
 ^ grafting, 
 irger than 
 rry known 
 je fruit. 
 Voronesh, 
 pear to be 
 Guigne or 
 ley are not 
 aluable in 
 
 ci, or Glas- 
 and good 
 flavor, but 
 Weichel, a 
 i flesh, and 
 her Polish 
 r hardy at 
 nild flavor, 
 lich I can- 
 avor about 
 tree of Os- 
 mose Char- 
 fruit. Lu- 
 hardy tree. 
 IT, in John- 
 esent place 
 ;re is grown 
 f the bird 
 thev value 
 
 for cooking. It has thick dark foliage, and pendulous branches, 
 and does not sprout after it commences to bear heavily. The 
 fruit is about as large as a good-sized black currant, with a stone 
 no larger than an ordinary bird cherry. It is a pleasant acid, 
 rather too acid to eat raw, but so valued for pies as to be grown 
 largely. .... 
 
 Dr. Hogg, also, mentions a variety of the native Cerasus Vul- 
 garis, under the name of Peramdam, which has been grown in one 
 place in Lincolnshire for 200 years or more. Dr. Hogg has him- 
 self a tree of it ; 00 years old, and yet not more than seven feet 
 high. A small round fruit, half an inch in diameter, pale red and 
 of agreeable lively acidity. Its hardiness, of course, I know 
 nothing of. 
 
 Our wild red cherry, or pigeon cherry {Prunus Pennsylvamca), 
 has been recommended as a stock for the cultivated cherry. If 
 suitable, certainly no stock could be hardier or more readily 
 procurable. Botanically, it is ^aid of all our native species 
 to be that most nearly related to the European cherry. We are 
 greatly in need of a hardy, cheap stock. The experience of Mr. 
 W. G. Waring, of Tyrone, Pa., as given in Report Iowa Horticul- 
 tural Society, 1880, is very encouraging. 
 
 What I would urge in this matter is the introduction in quan- 
 tity of the Vladimir and Ostheim into this country for extensive 
 trial. 
 
 PLUMS. 
 
 In all our most northern rambles in Central Russia, we find 
 the plum grown in fair quantity, and supplying a certain amount 
 to the local markets. In the severe climates of Moscow, Vladimir 
 and Kazan, we find plums, and some of them of really fine quality ; 
 and we are told that in the village of Gorbatovka, forty miles from 
 Nijni Novgorod, they are grown in large quantity for the Nijni and 
 Moscow markets. These plums belong to a family more or less 
 nearly related to the Quetche or Prune plums of Germany and 
 Hungary. Like the Vladimir Cherry, these northern forms of the 
 
i 
 
 6^' 
 
 plum are dwarf in habit of tree, often bushes, and this seems to 
 be a provision of Nature ; for, in these cold climates, if a plum bush 
 is killed to the ground new shoots soon grow and bear. Of these 
 plums there is great variety ; some are red, others yellow, but 
 mostly blue ; they differ widely in flavor, some, I would say, equal 
 to Lombard, some are early, some late ; they are usually without 
 any astringency of skin, and usually free stone. I was not pre- 
 pared to find such plums in the cold climates of Russia. The im- 
 proved varieties of the wild plum of the North-Western States, I 
 had ( pected to be the future plums of the Province of Quebec. 
 I have some of them, heavy and reliable bearers, but of medium 
 quality only. There are much better varieties than those I have, 
 for instance, the Desota and others, yet, these non-astringent, 
 fleshy, free stone Russians, have a combination of good qualities 
 which entitle them to extensive trial in our cold country. I would 
 say, however, that they will prove as easy a prey to the curculio as 
 other European kinds, while the North-West Chickasaw, though 
 not too thick-skinned to prevent puncture, is, as Mr. Budd observes, 
 so juicy, as usually to prevent the inserted eggs from hatching. 
 
 These Russian Plums are grown, no doubt, sometimes from 
 stones, but usually from suckers. Most of the horticultural gardens 
 or nurserymen have made small collections of the best they have 
 found. By thus obtaining roots of the best, from a number of 
 points, we may, more or less,- get the best of these Russian seed- 
 lings. 
 
 One of the commonest in the northern markets is a long, dark, 
 dull red, prune-shaped plum, tapering toward the stalk, not rich, 
 but non-astringent, and a really good cooking fruit. The Skoros- 
 pelkaya Krasnaya, at Petrovskoe, is said to be about the best of 
 these red kinds, and the tree one of the hardiest, but season a little 
 later than some other red. Mr. Shroeder has six kinds he recom- 
 mends, three of which we saw in fruit, but before they were ripe. 
 The Volga Valley, too, has its, plentiful supplies of plums. Espec- 
 ially at Simbirsk, we find them in great quantity and variety. At 
 Voronesh, Mr. Fischer specially recommends the Moldavka, a large 
 violet plum, not to say juiqr, but of medium quality, rather a large 
 
58 
 
 seems to 
 lum bush 
 Of these 
 low, but 
 lay, equal 
 ' without 
 not pre- 
 
 The im- 
 Stales, I 
 
 Quebec. 
 
 medium 
 ie I have, 
 stringent, 
 
 qualities 
 
 I would 
 urculio as 
 ', though 
 observes, 
 :hing. 
 nes from 
 il gardens 
 they have 
 umber of 
 ian seed- 
 ing, dark, 
 
 not rich, 
 e Skoros- 
 best of 
 on a little 
 le recom- 
 ivere ripe. 
 Espec- 
 •iety. At 
 ca, a large 
 er a large 
 
 tree, grown from suckers, and found to be very productive ; I count- 
 ed 150 plums on one branch. Here, too, we find the Yellow Egg, 
 whether our old Yellow Egg or not I cannot say ; tree seemingly 
 hardy, but either from want of proper ripening of wood, or from 
 some other cause, not a good bearer. 
 
 At Tula, we find quite a variety in the pe&sant orchards, and 
 among them Reine Claude. Yes, in Russia, we find a family of 
 Reine Claudes, red, white and blue; and Mr. Lauche, in his 
 Deutsche Pomologie, describes such varieties. They are of very 
 fine quality, extra quality, but in the cold climate of Tula, they are 
 planted at an angle of 45 degrees or less, and bent down to the 
 ground before the snow falls. Thus protected by a covering of 
 snow they often bea^;. bountifully. When too old to bend down 
 they are allowed to take their chances, often bear a crop or two 
 and then die. A whitish plum, known as the White Hungarian, 
 has also proved successful, as well as the White Otschakovskaya 
 and the White Vengerka. At Orel, we find a collection of the 
 best under names which mean large blue, large yellow, &c. At 
 Kursk, we find the Reine Claudes planted more freely, but unless 
 laid down, they are not reliable, though they may sometimes bear a 
 good crop in the sheltered peasant gardens around Kursk. At 
 Kiev, we find more of the German and French varieties, and, 
 therefore, notes from that climate are less valuable to us. 
 
 The Prunus Spinosa, of Russia, is very interesting, and quite 
 common as far north as any other plum. The peasants always 
 said it was not a plum, but called it by the Russian name for thorn. 
 There is a large fruited variety of it, round, blue and really good for 
 cooking, far better than our Canadian wild plum for that purpose. 
 We saw it bearing heavily in many places. 
 
 A dwarf variety of the Spinosa should be introduced into our 
 gardens as an ornamental curiosity. The fruit is quite small, blue, 
 covered, with a bright blue bloom. I have seen it for sale in the 
 markets, but fear it would be very sour. The bushes are seldom 
 more than three feet in height, and I have seen little round-headed 
 bushes, not more than eighteen inches in height, loaded with 
 lovely blue fruit. Strikingly curious and beautiful. 
 
54 
 
 -i ■ ■■•; ^ • :/Jv. •• f ,;: MELONS. . .ri:Jc>i:,i' ■ :, ...■-.•^,:^ 
 
 Russia has long been celebrated for its melons. The best we 
 saw belong to types we have not. ^; ,,,:;'• . 
 
 Musk Melon. — In the markets we used to find a melon about 
 fourteen inches long, netted, the flesh very deep, and a creamy 
 white in color, and of the highest quality, I call it a musk melon 
 merely because I do not know what else to call it. Those who 
 abstain from musk melons are not likely to object to these. Like ' 
 the Khiva melons, which gne of the Emperors of China always 
 enquired about on the arrival of the caravans, this is a keeping 
 melon, and may readily be kept till Christmas. It may be a little 
 late in ripening. However, on September 2nd we found fine 
 specimens in the Simbirsk market, said to be grown on the lower 
 Volga, probably at Tsaritsim, Sarepta or Astrachan. In the Kursk 
 and Voronesh markets we also find them sent from the south. 
 These melons are grown in Russia, where the summer is longer 
 than ours, yet not with such hotbed care as we can give them, and 
 they seem to be picked early. They cannot, therefore, be so very 
 late. Next autumn will test their value in this climate. 
 
 Water Melon. — Nearly every barge that is being towed up 
 the Volga has somewhere a small deck load of water melons. In 
 all the markets we find them in great quantity. They are a great 
 staple article of food. They are all alike, round, about 10 inches 
 in diameter, a creamy white in color, with red flesh, and of fine 
 flavor. Those who have grown the Russian netted cucumber 
 alongside of the finer English frame varieties, may have noticed 
 the hardy, take-care-of-itself character of the Russian plant. Just 
 such a hardy nature I expect to find in this Russian water melon. 
 It grows without care in vast quantity, apparently as readily as 
 pumpkins do with us, that is at Saratof and Southwards. At 
 Kursk and Voronesh it is not quite so large. It is a melon of 
 fine quality likely to do well in the hands of not very careful 
 cultivators. 
 
 1 rn 
 
 ;.!.i«*jr<l 
 
 fiH^r 
 
.'.,.■■[■'" 
 
 I '■' , <\,* » X, 
 
 ist we 
 
 ^ . .1 ■ 
 
 about ' 
 reamy 
 melon 
 e who 
 
 Like 
 always 
 eeping 
 a little 
 nd fine 
 5 lower 
 ; Kursk ' 
 i south. 
 
 longer 
 ;m, and 
 so very 
 
 )wed up 
 ms. In 
 ! a great 
 inches 
 
 of fine 
 ucumber 
 
 noticed 
 nt. Just 
 r melon, 
 jadily as 
 •ds. At 
 melon of 
 y careful 
 
 65 
 
 FINIS. 
 
 Our journey to Russia has si.own how necessary such a journey 
 was. It has set us upon the right track, and will greatly hasten 
 the introduction and dissemination of the best of the Russian 
 fruits — a matter to which all our Northern horticulturists were so 
 eagerly looking. We have but broken ground r, the work will con- 
 tinue by importations, by correspondence, by the interchange of 
 seeds and scions. 
 
 It was so fortunate, too, that Mr. Budd was himself able to 
 leave his college duties for so long a journey. 
 
 Every useful point of knowledge gained will be utilized in 
 Iowa. All promising varieties will be fairly tried in different 
 localities, the most promising scattered broadcast as soon as 
 possible. The other North-Western states will soon take action in 
 the matter. Ontario will do something, especially for her colder 
 districts. 
 
 When will our own Province have a propagating centre, where 
 the fruits adapted to each county may be propagated and dis- 
 tributed to each county, as prizes by the County Agricultural 
 Societies. 
 
 The action taken by our Provincial Government will be an 
 accurate test of the interest taken by our Government in the 
 people's welfare.