52 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



which thousands of dollars' worth are annually imported from Europe and 

 Asia. Under this head comes the investigation of the subject of nut cul- 

 ture, now in progress. Systematic inquiry has been made in all parts of 

 the country concerning the extent of which the growing of nuts for market 

 has been carried on, and a number of important and interesting facts have 

 been brought out. The report on this subject now awaiting the comple- 

 tion of the illustrations, will discuss varieties, improvements already made 

 and likely to be made, methods of propagation and culture, adaptation of 

 varieties to soil, and methods of marketing, etc. As a means of drawing 

 attention to our leading market fruits and stimulating foreign interest in 

 our orchard products, the division recently sent to the Scottish Horticult- 

 ural association meeting a small exhibit of leading varieties of market 

 apples from several states. These were collected and contributed by a 

 few public-spirited growers, including your worthy president, and for- 

 warded with the growers' names attached. 



Third, the Advisory: The third general division of the division maybe 

 called advisory. It consists, first, in the publication of information to 

 growers, concerning varieties, methods of culture, etc,, of various fruits. 

 There have been issued thus far in this line a report on tropical and semi- 

 tropical fiuit, in the United States, Russian and other fruits in the north- 

 west, and one on the relative merit of various stocks for the orange. 

 There are in course of preparation similar reports on small fruits, the 

 apple and the peach. So far as adaptation of varieties to localities is con- 

 cerned, these are based on reports of correspondents numbered by the 

 thousand and living in every state and territory in the Union. The 

 reports will be illustrated and will contain descriptions of recommended 

 varieties and a carefully revised list of accepted names and synonyms. 

 The second division of this line of advisory work brings the division into 

 immediate contact with the fruitgrowers, and forms one of its most impor- 

 tant duties. This consists of the examination of new, and identification 

 of old, varieties of fruits and other matters requiring an immense amount 

 of individual correspondence. As an illustration of what is done in this 

 line, I have made the following analysis of work of this sort done in Octo- 

 ber 1891, as shown by the correspondence files and office records. 



Letters written during October 584 



Relating to identification of varieties 73 



" " examination and opinion of value 69 



" " nomenclature 20 



" " choice of variety for particular localities, methods of culture 



and pruning etc., 422 



Samples consisting of fruit, from one to many specimens each, received 



for examination during the month 537 



This may be taken as a fairly representative month, so far as the amount 

 of office work of the division is concerned, though the nature of it changes 

 with the subjects receiving the attention of fruitgrowers at different 

 seasons of the year. 



In closing this brief review of this part of the work of the department, 

 it should be stated that any subject connected with agriculture is given 

 careful attention, and if possible the information desired is furnished 

 whether it comes within the field of any organized division or requires 

 special investigation. The aim is to make the department a practical 

 working aid to farmers, whatever their individual line of work may be, and 

 as such it looks to them for their influence and support in its demands for 



