270 Wiscoxsix State Horticultural Society. 



development. Its agriculture, dairy and mineral industries are 

 soon to surpass its now great lumber interests, and the demand 

 for home grown fruit will be imparative. Importation will not 

 satisfy the mass of domestic consumers, and the same persevering 

 efforts will give all this region the family supply from the home 

 garden and orchard, the same as now enjoyed in the southern 

 part of the state. Just what this supply will ultimately be, no 

 one can tell, but present indications point strongly to the Russians 

 and Siberians and their hybrids as destined to fill the blank and 

 give varieties well adapted to the most extreme and rugged por- 

 tions of our state. The origin of these now recognized distinct 

 species is quite obscure. The " Russians " are said to have come 

 from northern China, and in their westward march to have come 

 to be distinguished as Pyrus Astrachanica, from the great com- 

 mercial sea port town of southern Russia. 



The t; Siberians," Pyrus bocata or P. prunifolia, are natives of 

 Siberia, and as there found, according to Pallas, grew only three or 

 four feet high, with fruit the size of peas. Specimens of this origi- 

 nal type are growing in the grounds of the agricultural depart- 

 ment at Washington, which are not so diminutive in tree, but the 

 fruit yet of the size of currants and borne in clusters. * 



The process of improvement from this original type has been 

 carried on for many years, but our present choice varieties of this 

 family are of recent origin. The Hislop is a native of Wisconsin, 

 named after Thomas Hislop, who was a seedsman in Milwaukee 

 in 1850-6. Mr. Chas. Gifford, nurseryman there, first introduced 

 it to the public about that time. The Transcendent is of eastern 

 origin — the oldest known in this state being brought from Mon- 

 treal, Canada, about 1851. Hundreds of new varieties have been 

 lauded as ' : best,'' but many of these are of little value, and it is 

 safe to say that nearly all the really valuable varieties, after the 

 Transcendent, are of northern origin. The following are some of 

 those most prominent for real worth: 



1. Whitney's No. 20 — Large size, often two and one-half inches 

 in diameter, handsome striped and crimson on yellow; flesh ten- 

 der, juicy, sub-acid to sweet ; good dessert fruit. August and 

 September. Tree vigorous, upright, stocky grower, and good 

 bearer. Hybrid of the Russian type. 



