STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 303 



eties, and was conducted on the same general principles observed 

 in the other orchards. 



These very large orchards grow but very few varieties, all of 

 which we are assured have been popular on the Volga for at least 

 the past century. Ninety per cent, of the apples are of winter 

 varieties, but they are nearly all sold and shipped early in autumn. 

 This year the picking was earlier than usual, on account of the 

 excessive heat and drought of the season. But a few varieties are 

 yet on the trees of very late maturing sorts. Those who have 

 believed that no late keeping varieties were grown so far north 

 should examine the trees laden with Steklanka, Antonooka, or 

 Tchungka. While ordinary winter sorts are tinely colored and ten- 

 der enough for eating — if one were apple hungry — these very late 

 keepers are as hard and immature as is our American pippin in 

 October, 



The more we see of Russian orcharding, the more complete is 

 our surprise. Not only are the varieties larger, finer looking, and 

 better in quality than we expected, but the systematic management 

 of the great commercial orchards exceeds our expectations. For 

 instance, Saratoff is on the border of the desert. Since we have 

 been here the air from the east has been dry as that ot the day 

 when Chicago had its big fire, and is filled to the point of suffoca- 

 tion with impalpably fine sand that penetrates the very skin. As 

 far as the eye can reach the herbage is as dry as in December with 

 us. On such seasons the orchards must be watered to carry the 

 crop to full size and maturity. In the upper part of each orchard 

 are great reservoirs filled by steam pumps owned by a company ot 

 gardeners. In time of need the water flows in wooden troughs — 

 one row at a time — to every tree of the orchard. 



GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS, AND ANOTHER SHOT AT THE WASHINGTON 



RUSSIANS. 



VoRONESH, Russia, Sept. 17, 1882. 



♦ ****** ]|c 



We visited Voronesh specially to see one of the Russian schools 

 of forestry and horticulture, established about forty years ago. The 

 extensive grounds are finely located. The broken grounds on the 

 bank of the small stieam here coming into the Don are included, 

 while a large portion of the place reaches back on the rich alluvial 

 xJriftof the prairie. While the forestrj', the agriculture and other 

 divisions of the work were interesting and should have had much 



