304 ANNUAL RKPOIIT OF THE Off. Doc. 



stand adverse climatic conditions which will utterlj destroy others; 

 so after all, there may be more in my proposition than we can now 

 fully comprehend. 



]iut climate in its etl'ect upon ])lant life — and upon fruit varie- 

 ties — is a complex matter. There is more to climate than tempera- 

 ture and moisture even (hough we sometimes overlook the fact that 

 this is so. 



In naming the different elements of climate we would need to 

 mention: 



1. Precipitation (rain and snow). 



2. Temperature. 



3. Extremes of heat and cold. 



4. Times and freiiuency of frost. 



5. Amount and intensity of sunshine. 



G. Humidity and transparency of the atmosphere. 



7. Direction and velocity of wind. 



8. And perhaps the electritication of the atmosphere. 



We can readily understand that some of these at least in addi- 

 tion to temperature and moisture have a very close relationship to 

 the behavior and value of ditierent varieties. 



Another very important matter in the adaptability of varieties 

 is the location and site selected for the orchard. There are count- 

 less orchards throughout the country that are practically Avorthless 

 because of their location. But when we stop to consider the sig- 

 nificance of the location we find that it is mostly local climate. 

 It has to do with frosts, and air drainage w^hich are temperature 

 factors ; , Avith soil drainage which is a moisture factor ; and with 

 winds, etc. So here again we come back to the climate. We must 

 consider the climate in its several elements at every turn. 



But I have not forgotten that my subject calls for some com- 

 ments about apple varieties. Perhaps, though, I need make no 

 apologies for the background I 'have endeavored to set up. Per- 

 haps any remarks about the adaptability of varieties that may fol- 

 low will have greater significance than would otherwise be the 

 case because of the "setting" Avhicli 1 have tried to place for them. 



Even now before I reach the part of this discussion which gives 

 my paper its title, I want to ask your forbearance a little further. 

 I have recentlv been very much interested myself in making a sort 

 of inventory of the apple varieties that have entered into American 

 pomology. A portion of this inventory may not be without some 

 interest to you because of its connection with your state. 



About six years ago there was published a l)ulletin by the United 

 States Department of Agriculture, in the Bureau of Plant Industry 

 series, entitled: "Nomenclature of the Apple: A catalog of the 

 known varieties referred to in American Publications from 1804 

 to 1904." You will at once see the comprehensive character of this 

 bulletin. The year 1804 was taken as the starting point because 

 that is the year in which the first list of apple varieties grown in 

 America was published. It therefore marks the beginning of Ameri- 

 can catalogs of varieties. The work of compiling the data for the 

 bulletin mentioned was completed in 1904, thus making the period 

 covered by it an even hundred years. The American publications 



