-286 ANNUAL REPORT 



able. But we propose to still farther sift these lists in sections 

 where the summers are still dryer and hotter and the winters 

 colder. 



******** 



"For the prairie States it is unfortunate that all importing 

 worth noting has been done for the benefit of the humid portions 

 of the Eastern States, and the great West has utterly neglected to 

 row her own horticultural boat^ 



OFF FOR THE POLAND PRAIRIES AND NOTES FROM RIGA. 



Closing up his notes from Silesia, Prof. Budd says : "To-mor- 

 row I take a three hundred-mile ride over the prairies of Poland to 

 visit more northern collections at Warsaw, Riga, etc.:" 



NOTES FROM WARSAW. 



" Horticulturally Warsaw leads all Poland. In park, garden, and 

 nursery, tiees have an expressiou of luxuriant health which is not 

 seen at Vienna, or at most horticultural centers. This is in part, 

 due to the rich alluvial drift soil, but largely to the judicious selec- 

 tion of species and varieties. Some people have an idea that a very 

 beautiful park cannot be produced in a climate where the sum- 

 mers are as variable in temperature and humidity as here, and 

 where the winter temperature sometimes reaches thirty-five de- 

 grees below zero Fahrenheit. Indeed with us it is yet difficult. 

 Here the country is very old and hardy varieties have been devel- 

 oped and collected of many species we consider tender. For in- 

 stance, thegrand odd lime trees,poplars and horse chestnuts we see 

 here aloug the avenues grouped with rare skill as to effects with 

 other trees in the parks are wholly different in leaf and habit of 

 growth from those met with farther south. 



The magnificent and well-kept botanical garden illustrates this 

 to still greater extent. Many Chinese plants are hardier than with 

 us, mainly, I think, on account ot the source from which they were 

 obtained. Ours came from the Eastern coast, from Canton to Pe- 

 kin, while the Russian forms came from the interior, and often 

 from the north and west slopes of the Himalayan and Altai ranges. 

 We have had some experience of this kind with Rocky Mountain 

 conifers. Species from the Pacific side, obtained from England 

 and France, were tender, while the same species from the eastern 

 slopes, have been perfectly at home with us. Every move we make 



