266 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OP AGRICULTURE. 



apparent. It is too cool for its natural development. The apples of 

 this region are especially good keepers. The very late and mild 

 falls enable them to develop size and color and yet not hasten their 

 ripening. Indeed, the climatic conditions of this section of our coun- 

 try are very peculiar, and I may say very favorable for many kinds 

 of fruit. I gathered Carolina June, and Primate apples from the 

 trees in the first week of October near Benzonia, and Grimes Golden 

 and Colvert were quite eatable at the same time. The Baldwin does 

 finely, but the Beji Davis and Winesap are out of their latitude. 

 Pears grow luxuriantly. Some Sheldon trees that I saw were loaded 

 with specimens that would grace any exhibition table. Peaches also 

 do quite well. It seemed strange to gather peaches within fifty miles 

 of Mackinaw, when six hundred miles south of there the cold of the 

 previous winter had killed every peach-bud. The secret of the 

 whole matter is the influence of the great lakes in tempering the 

 atmosphere in winter, so that it is not so cold nor so dry as it is for 

 manv miles south of such influence. Grapes were just beginning to 

 ripen when I left, about October 10. However, I saw some very 

 fine little vinevards of Delaware and Agawam, in which there was 

 no sign of mildew, black-rot, or any disease. The vines and fruit 

 looked as clean and bright as if they had been washed every day. 

 However, it is rather too far north for successful grape culture, except 

 in very peculiar situations on southern and eastern slopes. 

 ^ Before returning to my headquarters, I proceeded, under direc- 

 tions, to Springdale, Ark., where was being held a fair of the Ar- 

 kansas State Horticultural Society. This place is in the northwest- 

 ern portion of the State, and in the midst of the best apple-growing 

 counties. 



In size and beauty the apples of this section can rarely be equaled, 

 because the soil and climate are well adapted to their growth; and 

 much attejition is now being given to this branch of pomology by 

 the farmers. One thing that interested me particularly was the 

 large number of seedling apples of high quality. I think fully fifty 

 varieties were shown that were entirely new. Some of these are 

 worthy of further trial by experimenters, and a very few of these are 

 described and illustrated in this report, as well as some already some- 

 what known. 



A meeting of the State Horticultural Association of Pennsylvania 

 was held January 19 and 20, 1887, at which the Department was rep- 

 resented by the Pomologist. At that meeting there was a goodly 

 number of the horticulturists of this great State, and the tables were 

 covered with fruits. Notable among the apples shown was York Im- 

 perial, which is a native seedling of the vicinity of York, in that State. 

 Although not a new variety, it is not nearly so well known as it should 

 be. The fruit is of a bright red color and excellent flavor and keep- 

 ing qualities. It also succeeds remarkably well both East and West 

 as a profitable orchard variety. In Kansas and Missouri I have seen 

 it doin^ remarkably well, and. it is worthy of general cultivation. Its 

 only defect is, that it is often of an irregular, or rather a diagonally 

 inclined form, which is found objectionable when paring it on a 

 machine. 



The subject of ''Nut Culture," and especially the chestnut, was 

 discussed with much interest. The rough and worn-out fields of this 

 State seem peculiarly suitable for nut trees. There are a few im- 

 proved kinds of chestnuts, which are far more desirable as to size of 

 the nut and early bearing than the common native varieties. Mr. H. 



