a * 
36 ) ANNUAL REPORT. 
History of Russian Apples. eit mates 
The Russian apples are interesting for study from this standpoint. 
exhibit just such variations in leaf, bud, cell-structure, fruit, and habit of gr 
as we might expect, taking their history into consideration as given by Dr. Regel, 
Dr. Arnold, and others. It is the most extended example of crossing of widely 
varying forms to be found perhaps in the world. It commenced away back in 
the early ages, when China was called ‘‘ far Cathay,"’ by introducing north of 
¢he Caspian, the thick-leaved summer apples of northern China, the Siberian 
apples, and the hardier forms of the common apple from the Caucasus slopes, 
where it attained the highest perfection known in the early ages. 
These three widely varied forms here mingled and spread naturally by the 
process of seedling production, common to this day on the Russian steppes. On 
the Darwinian plan of the survival of the fittest, the hardier varieties went north, 
and still north, until at this day, at the northern limit of apple growing on these 
plains only summer varieties can be grown, on account of the shortness of the 
seasons. Russian history talks of the origin of their varieties in this way, and 
the varieties themselves confirm the story. Some of them, even among the 
winter varieties, retain the original Chinese leaf, bud, and style of growth. 
These Chinese leaves have trom one to two more rows of palisade cells than our 
common thin-leaved varieties. So these varieties, like Duchess in leaf, &c., 
stand our intense summer heats, as well as our arctic cold. Again, many of 
these varieties show in leaf, bud, wood and habit of growth, the Siberian form in 
a marked way. ‘These varieties will be as hardy as the others, but more apt to 
suffer with us by summer blight. 
Still again, among the Russian winter varieties, we have a queer mingling of 
the Chinese form, and the Caucassus range form. The size of leaves, their form, 
pubescence, netveining, margins, &c., are extremely varied, but they are all 
characterized by marked thickness of leaf. 
I will only add that it would take us about five hundred-years to originate as 
many hardy varieties in the natural way as the Rusians now have. Jn the arti- 
ficial way, if we were methodic and took advantage of the hints nature has given 
us as to the tendency of the Siberian to blight, we might work rapidly. This is 
too much of a question for a hasty letter. 
Yours fraternally, 
J. L. BUDD. 
Mr. Dart moved that the thanks of the Society be tendered and 
the letter filed for publication, which motion was carried. 
Mr. Pearce. Are the Russian varieties more disposed to blight 
than the natives? 
Mr. Dart. No. 
Mr. Pearce. I don’t know about that. 
Committee on Russian Apples. 
Mr. Grimes. This subject of Russian apples is an important 
one. I move the appointment of a standing committee to visit two 
