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628 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 
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differences weil understood. This is very important in the study of — ~ 
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the scientific principles which underlie practical pomology. 
In accordance with your directions, there have been prepared for 
publication within the present year the following manuscripts: By - : 
Mr. P. W. Reasoner, of Manatee, Fla., a report on ‘‘The Condition of » 
Tropical and Semi-Tropical Fruits in Florida and the Gulf States;? — 
by Mr. W. G. Klee, of Berkeley, Cal., a report on ‘‘The Condition of 
Tropical and Semi-Tropical Fruits in California, Arizona, and New 
Mexico.” These two reports, together with a few notes by myself — 
epee the same general subject, and colored illustrations of Japanese 
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report on ““The Adaptation of Russian and Other Fruits to the Ex- 
treme Northand Northwest Portions of the United States.” This re- 
port is also in the hands of the Public Printer and will be issued as 
Bulletin No. 2. It was my desire to have both of the above-named _ 
bulletins issued promptly, and it is to be regretted that the want of 
sufficient appropriations should have delayed their publication. 
An article was prepared by W. H. Ragan, of Greencastle, Ind., 
entitled ‘“‘Our Fruits, Native and Introduced,” which gives informa- - 
tion of a character that should be issued by this Department, and it 
is now awaiting publication. 
A monograph has been prepared by T. V. Munson, of Denison, 
Tex., entitled ‘‘ The Native Grapes of the United States.” This is a 
scientific treatise of an unusually valuable and interesting character, 
and should be published with illustrations in colors, showing a por- 
tion of the branch, leaves, fruit, flowers, and seeds of each of the 
twenty-one species native to this country. A part of the original | 
illustrations to accompany the text have already been prepared, 
and it is my purpose that the artist, Mr. Presteie, shall prepare, dur- 
ing the next fruiting season, an accurate, typical, and life-size water- 
color painting of each species, with a view to the whole being pub- 
lished in the highest serie of art. Certainly this subject is one that 
deserves to be placed before our people in the most lucid manner 
possible. It is my earnest desire that within the next year this matter 
shall receive the favorable and necessary action of Congress to enable 
this work to be done. 
THE APPLE. 
The condition of this, the most important of all our fruits, during 
the year 1887, was somewhat peculiar. In the States of Ohio, Indi-- 
ana, Illinois, and parts of several adjoining States, where apples are 
usually very abundant, the crop was almost a total failure. Im Con- 
necticut it was very heavy, and in western New York, and most of 
the New England States and parts of Michigan, there was a plenti- 
ful supply. The northwestern part of the southern peninsula of 
Michigan, which is commonly called the ‘‘Grand Traverse Region,” 
produced a large crop for the amount of orchards planted. The 
climate there seems peculiarly well adapted to the growing of apples, 
and especially late keepers. The samples grown there were the 
very last to disappear in this office, which was about the Ist of June. 
Missouri, Kansas, northern Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, and 
western North Carolina had about half a crop in some localities, the 
fruit, in size and quality, not being up to the standard, because of | 
the unusual drought which prevailed, 
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ms and persimmons, constitute Bulletin No. 1, of the Division of 
Pomology. It has been in the hands of the Public Printer since 
December 1. Also, by Mr. T. T. Lyon, of South Haven, Mich., a> 
