374 A"NrNUAL EEPOKT. 



says: "Fruit of good size, red on the sunny side, season January to April.'* 

 It may thus be seen that the Department test v/as no test at all as regards the 

 quality and keeping of these fruits, nor were they so intended by the 

 Department, their grounds having been used merely for the purpose of grow- 

 ing for distribution. These trees, as received by the Department, were 

 labelled by number; they were also sent out by number. Some mistakes are 

 observable, and mistakes will happen when things are received and sent out by 

 number, i These numbers referred to a list in Russian which was translated at 

 the Russian Embassy in Washington and distributed by the Department. Un- 

 fortunately the Russian names are rendered into English sounds from a Russian 

 not an English standpoint. These names should be rendered euphonicalhj from 

 an English point of view. Thus "ow" and "ou" are intended to be pronounced 

 "ov" or "off," "ja" should be pronounced "ya." This has taken from the Rus- 

 sian all of its music. We should have uniformity in the spelling of the Russian 

 names. We find naliw, naliv, nalin, naleiv, nallwnoe and even walisonoe, for 

 the word translated juicy or transparent. We find scholti, scholtor, schaltui^ 

 soltoi, scholtoe for the word yellow. The word green is spelt m six different ways^ 

 but this is in part the work of the prmter. We have Rannet Kiluski, Queen of 

 Kiew, or Kiev, as we would say, but who would suppose Kiluski had anything 

 to do with Kiev; any number ot such mistakes. 



The translation also is badly donp. 



The translation of the foreign names is unfortunate; sometimes merely un- 

 musical, sometimes wrong. In 399 Krimskaja is rightly translated Crimean. 

 In 439, Krim, and in 563, Kriintarter. In 200 and in 466 Repka is translated 

 turnip, whereas in 410, it is translated seedling, which must be much nearer the 

 truth, for apples of fine quality in Russia are known as Repka. The translation 

 of the German names is still more open to criticism. In 355, Aportis traoslated 

 orange, which it does not mean. No. 5-54, Erdbeerapfel (or strawberry) is 

 translated Red Calville. No. 162, Buschbon is translated Buschbon. It prob- 

 ably is intended for Buschbohn dwarf bean. Sinisleper is translated into the 

 English (?) word Switzer. The translation was done at the Russian embassy at 

 Washington, but unfortunately the Russian who dictated it was not an apple 

 grower, and did not know that he was disintegrating the foundation stones of 

 Russian nomenclature in this country. 



There is another drawback. In the North scions have been usually top- 

 grafted on crabs. Growers in Vermont, Wisconsin and Minnesota are now 

 agreed that the crab stock is uncongenial to the Russian apple. The experi- 

 ence of Mr. Tuttle will illustrate this. Of 127 Tetofsky, top-grafted on Trans- 

 cendant, after ten years growth, but one living; on yellow crab, 2 trees alive out of 

 74, the Tetofsky having made a growth, before dying, of six to eight feet; of 57 

 on apple, all alive and doing well. Mr. Sia?, of Rochester, Minnesota, and Mr. 

 Webster, of South Northfield, Vt., often speak of fruit, medium in size, top- 

 worked on crab, larger on apple. It is to be regretted that our first impressions 

 of the Russian apple were either from specimens grown in the climate of Wash- 

 ington, or else from tcp- grafts on crab at the north. 



My information in the tjUowing list is based vpon visits in August last to the 

 orchards of Mr. Spaulding (formerly that of Mr. Moulton), near Minneapolis- 

 A. W. Bias, Vice President Minnesota Horticultural Society, Rochester, Minn.;. 

 Underwood & Emery, Lake City, Minn.; A. G. Tuttle, Baraboo, Wisconsin;. 



