STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 291 



der the generic name of Vladimir cherry. They are not true 

 Morellos in fruit, leaf, or habit of growth. As near as we can 

 learn they came from the slopes of the Altai range. One of the 

 varieties strayed in some way into the mountain regions of Spain, 

 from whence it went north into Germany and Poland under the 

 name of Ostheim. From the latter come the variety known as 

 Brusseler Braune, which is the largest of the class in fruit, yet 

 hardly equal to the others in quality for dessert use. We shall 

 study these varieties at Vladimir later. 



AT MOSCOW. 



Horticulturally it is a new field. The climate is much like that 

 of the south half of Minnesota. 



In the way of fruits we only find the hardiest known forms. The 

 cherries grown are of the race known as bladimis, some forms of 

 which have strayed into Germany, where they are very popular. 



No varieties of the plum are grown except of an Asiatic race, 

 which seems perfectly hardy. The fruit is superior to our best 

 wild plums in solidity of flesh, but not in flavor. The normal form 

 seems red, but yellow and black ones are seen here on every street 

 in great quantity. I think it will prove valuable if not destroyed 

 by the curculio. I say this, as it ripens very early in the season. 

 The fruit of all the varieties is oblong, with a deep and peculiar 

 suture on one side, like some peaches. Some of the choice vari- 

 eties of this race ripen, it is said, later in the season. 



We see nothingan the shape of grapes, except on walls and in 

 glass structures, though at St. Petersburg we saw in open air a 

 species from northern Asia closely resembling ourLabrusca. 



Of currants we find here a new race, with black and red fruit, 

 decidedly sweet. It is labelled in the botanical garden Rihes Albina. 

 The fruit of one variety seen here is as large as the cherry currant, 

 It is not prized, as the currant is mainly used for sauce and jelly. 

 for which the common form is preferred. Many Americans like 

 sweet fruits, and would think this new race valuable. Certain 

 very hardy sorts of the pear we have been following northward, but 

 we are sorry to hear them reported tender at Moscow. But we 

 need not despair, as where the Poland pears are lost, a still hardier 

 race is found. Most of these far north pears are very early in 

 ripening, and not considered valuable. They are now in the 

 market from the sparrow hills, near here, and we find them to 



