310 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



have larger, thicker leaves than our common sorts, ripen their wood earlier in fall, and 

 have proven 30 per cent, hardier than our old sorts. Plants we have sent out for trial 

 have stood well in south Iowa, north Missouri and Kansas. Some of them will prove 

 valuable on the northern borders of the peach belt. 



Two years ago we received pits of the peach from Riga, Russia, said to have been 

 brought from central Asia. The plants are now two years old, and show marked varia- 

 tion in leaf, bud, glands of leaf, and habit of early ripening of wood, from the old 

 varieties originally from Persia. 



We are now trying to secure pits from north Bokara, in A.sia. the most extreme climate, 

 80 far as I know, where the peach is grown. The most we expect to do in this line is to 

 make peach growing possible on the northern borders of the present peach belt. 



A peach, said to be a native of China, and known as Tong-Pa, is reported to 

 have been a couple of years on trial in Iowa county, in eastern Iowa; but 

 ^ith so short experience, no conclusion has yet been reached respecting ita 

 probable value for that locality. 



Peter M. Gideon, of Excelsior, Minn,, has a small plantation of bearing 

 peach trees, planted with reference to laying down and covering with earth in 

 winter. In August, 1887, these were in thrifty condition, and carrying some 

 fruit ; having apparently been three or four years planted, and from 8 to 10 

 feet in height. 



THE GRAPE. 



The grape (Vifis) is represented in Europe only by the single species 

 vmifera, although since the advent of the phylloxera in the grape growing 

 regions of that country importations of American species have been freely 

 made, with the hope that, by tlieir more robust habit, they may prove better 

 able to resist the attacks of this new enemy. This species proves ots'inately 

 unsuccessful throughout the eastern United States. A very consideraide 

 number of our improved American varieties have nevertheless become tainted 

 Tfith this strain by hybridization and many of these seem to have derived 

 desirable qualities from this source; although generally, if liot always, with 

 increased tendency to suffer from mildew — the chief enemy of the villi fera 

 class in this country. 



Of our American species, Vitis cordif(<Ua — the northern frost grape — is in- 

 digenous far northward of the United States. By modern botanists this is 

 blended with or included in riparia. 



Vifis labrusca — the indigenous wild grape of New England — becomes more 

 raie as we proceed westward, occurring very rarely in western New York and 

 Michigan; and, it is believed, wholly disappearing, as an indigenous growth 

 further west. 



Vifis cBsfivalis can only be said to be indigenous south of the region undt r 

 considi'iation ; though occasionally extending sporadically into its southern 

 portions. 



Within the past thirty or forty years, in the process of im])ro\ing our 

 native grapes by reproduction and bringing them under cultivation, wliile 

 there yei remain many varieties which clearly represent the original species, 

 these species have in many cases become so blended by hybridization, that, 

 frequently nothing short of an authentic history of a variety wouhi sullice to 

 assign it iis correct specific position. 



As the result of this blendmg and improvement, the resultant varieties have 

 come to be planted indiscriminately throughout the region under consideration ; 

 refercLce Leing mainly had to their probable ability to mature their fruit 



