294 ANNUAL REPORT 



superior to our Duchess. (2) Miron Krasnui, an early variety, 

 now past its prime. It is showy, mild in flavor, and much eaten 

 from hand by the Russians, who do not like acid apples except for 

 cooking. (3) Titofka. — This is not our Tetofsky, but is a very 

 large, oblong, ridged, highly colored, aud really good variety. 

 Many of the specimens look so much like large specimens of 

 Benoni as to deceive the expert. The flesh is pinkish white, some- 

 what coarse, but breaking, tender, juicy, and pleasantly subacid. 

 This variety seems popular in all parts of Europe. (4) Summer 

 Aport. — In Russia are grown four Aports, three of which are late 

 autumn or winter. The one now in market on the Volga in im- 

 mense quantity is known at Moscow as Aport Oseniaii. It is large 

 and highly colored with splashes of pink and crimson. It may 

 always be known by its one-sided stem and lip, something like 

 Roman Stem. 



Other growers have other varieties, some of which are purely 

 local. For instance we talked with a man from a point east of 

 Nishny, who grew only one variety, of which he had a boat load in 

 the market. No other apple man seemed to know of it, nor is it 

 in the Russian catalogue of fruits. He calls it Bachnanka. It is 

 large, bright yellow, even in size and color, and fine grained. In 

 appearance and quality it is superior to our Coles quince. 



We took many pages of notes in the Nishny market, and from 

 very intelligent apple growers of the upper Volga, at least 1,200 

 miles from the Caspian. We are much pleased with the general 

 expression of the fruits in the market. As yet our studies are of 

 course confined to the summer varieties, and to getting the opin- 

 ions of growers and consumers as to the best known winter sorts. 

 Later we will decide many fruits as yet uncertain. 



THE PEARS. 



The pears of the Volga are better than we expected to find. It 

 is well known that the pears of early summer are not equal in 

 quality to those of autumn ; yet we find some varieties decidedly 

 good for dessert, but in no respect equal to our best varieties, such 

 as Seckel, We now recognize Russian pears at sight. They vary 

 in shape, but some peculiarities of stem and calyv always are 

 present. 



THE BORDER LINE WHERE EVERTTHING GETS MIXED. 



After spending one day at the great Fair at Nishny Novgorod, 

 no one will wonder that Chinese fruits find their way into Russia. 



