SECOND INTRODUCTION OF IMPROVED FRUITS 45 



RUSSIAN FRUITS 



The second introduction of cultivated fruits to California was by 

 the Russians. The exact date of their planting at Fort Ross on the 

 ocean side in Mendocino county, is not known, but is believed to have 

 been as early as 1812. The survivors of the original Russian planting 

 look "very old and mossy, and are not very thrifty, but still bear some 

 fruit every year." They were planted too closely, and have undergone 

 periods of neglect, no doubt, The trees are apple for the most part, 

 but there were also cherries, and some of both fruits survive. The 

 trees are all believed to have been grown from seed, and if this be true 

 some fortunate results were obtained, for there is still grown in Green 

 Valley, Sonoma county, a medium-sized, bell-shaped apple, lightly 

 striped with red, which is called the Fort Ross or Russian apple, and 

 was probably propagated by grafts from the Fort Ross orchard. Seeds 

 were also secured from this source for propagation of apple trees in 

 early days in that section of the State. 



