276 ANNUAL REPORT 



nesota. They have followed him in his tracings of the successful 

 varieties of the eastern part of the United States, and the Agricul- 

 tural Department Russians, so-called, to their origin in the damp 

 coast regions of Europe, and in his explanations of their general 

 failure in the Northwest, on account of that origin ; have heard his 

 warning to drop the Siberian because of their blighting habits and 

 the Coast Europeans for their inability to stand any of our test sea- 

 sons ; and have heard his intimations of clues he has obtained to 

 hardy and good varieties yet to be found in the interior of Russia. 

 I confess for one that in reading Prof. Budd concerning these things, 

 while in no wise moved to give up the idea of continued and more 

 careful experiments in seedlings of sorts we have, which certainly 

 contain more or less good blood and progressive adaptation to our 

 soil and climate, wherever the original blood came from, — I have been 

 greatly inclined to tie to him for a while, to encourage his researches, 

 and to hope that he may bring to us, from the land of the Duchess of 

 Oldenburg, and further east and north, an extended list of varieties of 

 fruit trees that do not blight or winter kill, and that may comprise 

 the keepers that we must have before the Northwest can be called 

 a fruit country. I like to hail for news the men who search for 

 fundamental facts to explain our difficulties and suggest reliefs, and 

 this inclination has placed me in communication Avith Prof. Budd^ 

 and enabled me to offer now the following letters and notes from 

 him, showing what he has done and what he has found during the 

 past summer and autumn in following up the Russian clues referred 

 to. I sincerely hope they may prove to be as important to our 

 Society as they are interesting to me : 



BEFORE THE JOURNEY. 



Iowa Agricultubal College, Ames, June 12, 1882. 

 Oliver Gibbs, Jr: 



My Dear Sir : — I am sorry I cannot be with you at your sum- 

 mer meeting to compare notes on experimental horticulture for 

 the cold north. 



I start this week for a trip into Northern Europe and Asia to 

 look up the iron-clad fruit question. Chas. Gibb, of Abbottsford, 

 Canada, goes with me. The purpose is to study the apples, pears» 

 cherries, plums, apricots, etc., from the standpoint of size, appear- 

 ance and quality, and in connection with the air and soil where 

 they grow. I shall bring home much stock with me. 



Yours with respect, 



J. L. BUDD. 



