100 ANNUAL REPORT 



Lieby, which is considered as hardy as any of them, and that has 

 failed; and whether or not the return of milder seasons and better 

 treatment will bring out any Russians that will stand, I don't 

 know; I am still in doubt as to their value. I have not any great 

 faith in getting the apple we are looking for among the Russians. 



Mr. Somerville. I am now getting quite old, but if I live ten 

 or twelve years longer I will then be better able to give you my 

 opinion on Russian apples. I have experimented with about 140 

 varieties now. In 1878 I got some scions through our congress- 

 man, Mr. DunneU. I don't know where he got them, whether at 

 the department at Washington, or from some agent. He sent me a 

 bunch of scions which I grafted and they have done remarkably 

 well. I have raised considerable fruit; I think there is among 

 them no variety that is so prolific an annual bearer as our Duchess, 

 but I have some in the Anis family that I think every alternate 

 year bear as large a quantity as the Duchess. I have about 47 

 varieties now in bearing of the Russian apples. Among these, I 

 have some that produce excellent fruit. I will name the White 

 Pigeon (I give the name as I understand them). White Pigeon, 

 I think, is rightly named, and Prof. Budd and Mr. Tuttle are of 

 this opinion also. It is a hardy tree in my orchard. It has never 

 shown any blight whatever, and is sound and healthy I have three 

 or four of those trees. One year they bear a fine crop and the 

 next year the crop is light. The apple is not so large as the 

 Duchess, but is of very fine quality. I have also what I call the 

 Charlamoff. 



A member. Is it early or late? 



Mr. Somerville. Very early, earlier than the Tetofsky. It is of 

 the Tetofsky family; there is no doubt of that. Then I have of 

 the Anis family, the Red, Yellow, Koursk and Blue Anis. I have 

 some of the Koursk Anis apples at home now; they are a pretty 

 fair apple. Red Anis is early, and the trees I think are hardier 

 than Duchess; I will qualify that, for my Duchess don't kill. 



President Elliot. Have you had any experience in top-working 

 Duchess or any other Russian variety? 



Mr. Somerville. I have not top- worked many of them, but would 

 say I have top-worked a number of them on Transcendent stocks. 

 I have the White Russet, worked on a Transcendent stock, that 

 bears very well and is a very fine apple. Then I have the Long- 

 field which I think, from its appearance, will grow as far North as 

 any apple tree from which we can raise apples. The fruit is small 

 in size, but it is of pretty fair quality. 



As for the Russians, I think a great deal of them; so much so 



