LETTER OE TRANSMriTAL. 



U. S. Department of Agriculture, 



Bureau of Plant Industry, 



Office of the Chief, 

 Washington, D. C, July 25, 1910. 



Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith a manuscript entitled 

 "Summer Apples in the Middle Atlantic States" and to recommend 

 that it be published as Bulletin No. 194 of the series of this Bureau. 

 This bulletin was prepared by Mr. H. P. Gould, Pomologist in 

 Charge of Fruit District Investigations, and is coordinate \n. char- 

 acter with Bulletin No. 135 of the Bureau series, entitled "Orchard 

 Fruits in the Piedmont and Blue Ridge Regions of Virginia and the 

 South Atlantic States." It has been submitted by Mr. A. V. Stuben- 

 rauch, Expert Acting in Charge of Field Investigations in Pomologj^, 

 with a view to its publication. 



The information contained in this bulletin results from a sys- 

 tematic investigation which is now in progress by this Bureau in 

 different fruit-growing regions of the country. The object of this 

 work is to determine as far as possible the adaptability of fruit 

 varieties to different conditions and the particular climatic and 

 other requirements of different varieties. • 



The growing importance of early-apple culture and the increasing 

 demand for fruit of this character have warranted the giving of spe- 

 cial attention to this phase of fruit growing. In certain sections of 

 the region referred to in this bulletin early-apple culture is of great 

 importance not only because of its present degree of profitableness, 

 but because of the fact that it has developed largely in the place of 

 a declining peach industry. 



While the varietal data and other information are based on the 

 conditions which exist in this region and hence are not directly 

 applicable elsewhere, it is expected that fruit growers in other 

 regions who may be interested in the growing of summer apples will 

 find the discussions of value to them. 



The writer wishes to acknowledge his indebtedness to the many 

 fruit growers in this region who have without reserve given him the 

 freedom of their orchards and the benefits of their experience in the 



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