126 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



RUSSIAN FRUIT. 

 By Dr. T. IT. Hoskins of Veruiont. 



I suppose that this subject which has been announced is one upon 

 which there is as little general knowledge as any subject in pomology. 

 In all the great fruit growing regions there are established varieties 

 and there is but little desire for new ones. There have been attempts, 

 on the part of tree agents, to introduce Russian apples in districts 

 where they are not required. We may state, in the first place, what 

 is meant by Russian fruit. 



About fifty years ago three varieties were introduced from Eng- 

 land, obtained there from Sweden and introduced as Swedish apples ; 

 the Duchess, the Red Astrachan, and the Alexander. Some other 

 varieties were brought at the same time, but did not attract so much 

 attention. The Red Astrachan was found to succeed equally well 

 in Maine, in Louisiana, and on the Pacific coast. It originated in 

 the Province of Astrachan where the climate is not so severe as 

 here. It is not strictly an iron clad variety. The Duchess of 

 Oldenburg got an almost equally wide distribution. It has proved 

 better in quality, and the farther north it is grown the larger and 

 better it is. I sent Mr. Downing a specimen of it and he was so 

 struck with it that he sent for scions, but afterwards found that it 

 was the same as his own. 



The first Russian apples introduced proved very satisfactory, 

 because they are susceptible of being successfully grown in so many 

 different locations. An attempt was made to have other varieties 

 imported from Russia and an appropriation was made by Congress 

 for that purpose. Between two and three hundred varieties were 

 imported and distributed. The distribution was made, as is usual 

 among Congressmen and their constituents. They should have been 

 distributed among nurserymen and responsible and interested parties. 

 The parties who received those varieties must have thrown them out 

 of doers or burned them up. At all events, out of 300 kinds 

 imported I do not know of more than about forty now in existence. 



About eight years ago the people of Iowa, feeling the necessity of 

 hardy varieties, sent the professor of their horticultural school to 

 Russia. He visited all the fruit districts and brought home a good 

 collection, as numerous as that of the government. A neighbor of 



