New York Agricultural Experiment Station. 39 



at a single locality has been the subject of much discussion and, 

 doubtless, much work of this kind has been of little benefit. It 

 is felt, however, that the variety studies at the Station have been 

 of great value. They have provided the foundation data for the 

 preparation of three important publications, '^ The Apples of ISTew 

 York," " The Grapes of New York," and " The Plums of New 

 York." Other publications are in preparation and contemplated. 

 More than this, the Station has served as a bureau of infoirmation, 

 and the members of the Horticultural Department have needed to 

 be in. immediate contact with an extensive museum of living fruits 

 in order to speak from actual observation. 



The efforts of the Station have not been confined to old varieties, 

 but it has been active in the study of the new fruits that have been 

 offered to the public and has, on its own account, in the course of 

 its breeding experiments, developed a number of new varieties that 

 promise to be of great value. These new varieties include small 

 fruits, such as strawberries and raspberries, as well as grapes and 

 apples. Some of them have been distributed throughout the State 

 for trial by practical fruit growers and so fast as additional varie- 

 ties seem to be worthy of a more extensive trial, they will also be 

 distributed. 



One of the most laborious pieces of work that the Station has 

 ever undertaken was the preparation of the fruit publications re- 

 ferred to above. The collection and organization of the data pre- 

 sented in these volumes has been a work of great magnitude and it 

 is very gratifying that these volumes seem likely to occupy an im- 

 portant place in the horticultural literature of the world. They 

 have been in great demand, much beyond the supply, not only 

 within the borders of the State, but also throughout the United 

 States and in foreign countries. It has not been possible to meet 

 fully the outside demand without doing injustice to local needs, 

 but it has been felt wise to place a limited number of volumes 

 where they would serve to promote the interests of fruit growing 

 in a widespread way. For this reason, other experiment stations, 

 important libraries and a limited number of professional men have 

 been supplied with these publications. 



