The Future of Orcharding in the Prairie States. 105 



Heart varieties, and a leaf that can defy our summer changes. Some of the 

 Amarels of this region seem a cross of this sweet cherry with the form of 

 Morello, of which our Leib is a type. 



The apiicots of GaHcia and Transylvania, and their form of English wal- 

 nut {Juglans regia), are equally worthy of trial in the Missouri belt, together 

 with their filbert, currants, gooseberries, and even grapes. Though we have 

 failed with the French grapes, the northeastern varieties are well worthy of 

 trial, as their foliage will stand our air quite as well as our native V. Labrusca. 

 We saw on the Volga many tons of dried grapes from Northern Persia and 

 Bokhara, which were infinitely superior to our home sorts. Where they will 

 endure the winters thej' are eminently worthy of trial. 



In this region no hardier peach is found than those we have. The coming 

 peach for the Missouri belt is from Northwestern China. While equal in 

 fruit to our best sorts, it is able to endure greater extremes of temperature. 



The belt across the Mississippi Valley corresponding to Southern Iowa 

 may experiment with the same races of fruits, and from a portion of the same 

 great plain, but fartlier to the east. 



The provinces of South Russia, east of Poland to Kiev, are well supplied 

 with choice fruits, and the soil and climate are as nearly identical with ours 

 as they well could be. Many varieties of the Galicia belt will not be found' 

 but their places are taken by others but slightly, if at all, lower in the scale 

 of value. The most positive change is with the pear. Many of the best des- 

 sert varieties here become tender, unproductive and short-lived, and their 

 places are taken by sUghtly coarser varieties of the Bergamot and Gucha 

 type. The best of the Griotte cherries are still found, and many varieties of 

 the Glaskirke, and a form of the Geans much like our Dukes, but with dif- 

 ferent leaf and a lower spreading top. The Juglans regia is still productive, 

 but is sometimes injured by the test winters. 



For the belt across the valley corresponding to Central and Northern 

 Iowa, the fruits of the black soil prairies of the great provinces of Orel 

 Koursk, Varonesh and Saratov in Central Russia, will best meet the requir- 

 ments of soil and climate. Apples, pears, cherries and plums are yet found 

 of such size, appearance and quality as would surprise any member of this 

 organization suddenly set down in the midst of one of their great commer- 

 cial orchards. The visitor will rarely find a variety of any of these fruits 

 which he found six hundred miles eastward. The very few exceptions, such 

 as Autonovka and Longfield apples, and Bessemianka and Red Bergamot 

 peai's, we are told at once are strays from Central Russia, thriving equally 

 well in a less extreme climate, as does our Duchess apple. Excellent forms 

 of the Griotte cherries are still found, and many varieties of the low-growing 

 sweet cherries and amarels are grown with greater or less satisfaction, de- 

 pending upon soils and mode of growing. The apricot and mulberry are yet 

 grown in considerable quantity, but the varieties are lower in quality for 

 dessert use than farther west. The belt corresponding with 



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