STATE HORTICCTLTURAL SOCIETY. 327 



Kazan, Kursk and Saratov, as described by Colonel Robertson from 

 those old records in 1867, and the cherry orchards of Vladimir. 



Mr. Tattle, who appears to have been the pioneer importer, told 

 me on the cars returning from Green Bay, a few days ago, that his 

 attention was first drawn to the subject by the writings of Colonel 

 Robertson. Mr. Saunders does not remember, as he informs me by 

 letter, where he got his ideas that led to the government importa- 

 tion, except he had heard and read that Russian sorts like the 

 Duchess and Tetofski were the only ones showing adaptation to 

 the extreme north, and the pressure was upon his mind that the 

 northern fruit list might be extended by a further trial o Russian 

 trees; but nowhere else in the horticultural literature of that time 

 have I been able to find any writings of this elaborate character on 

 the subject, or any such facts as are presented in this essay, and 

 the indications are too strong to be overlooked — perhaps some of 

 our Minnesota Senators or llepresentatives may know — that Col. 

 Robertson's facts, ideas and appeals were disseminated among the 

 agents of the Government at Washington, through the pressor 

 by personal interviews, and had the influence that resulted in the 

 very efforts he had so forcibly suggested years before. But however 

 this may be, Charles Gibb informed me last fall that wherever he 

 and Prof. Badd traveled in their searches for orchards east of 

 Moscow, they used this essay as their guide-book ; and Prof. Budd, 

 in a recent letter, writes about it as follows : 



"It served as an incentive to open up correspondence with Rus- 

 sian fruit growers, and specially directed oar steps to Simbirsk ; 

 and when Gibb and myself stood on the high bluffs west of the 

 Volga, overlooking thousands of acres of ground covered with apple 

 and pear trees, we remarked that the reality far exceeded the idea 

 expressed by Col. Robertson in the Minnesota Horticultaral Re- 

 port. We also made a similar remark when passing through the 

 great cherry growing sections of Vladimir. Beyond all doubt Col. 

 Rubertson deserves the thanks of the people of the Northwest." 



''Somebody must go to Russia," was the idea of Col. Robertson. 

 Mr. Tattle, in 1866, and Mr. Saunders, in 1870, sent there for cions 

 and made a beginning. "Somebody had to go to Russia," said 

 Charles Gibb in his report in 1882, '' and Prof. Budd and I went." 

 Until a month ago Col. Robertson remained in entire ignorance 

 during all these years, that his studies and writings on this subject, 

 in 1867, and before, had borne any fruit whatever. His bread had 

 been cast upon the waters. That was all he knew. 



The importance of the efi'ort made by Mr. Tattle and Mr. Saun- 

 ders, and the valae of the personal searches of Charles Gibb and Prof. 



