The Canadian Horticulturist. 359 



NOTES ON SOME GOOD RUSSIAN APPLES. 



The Arabka — Here is another " family " of Russian apples, the so- 

 called Arab family, variously named " Arab," " Arabian," " Arabskoe " and 

 "Arabka." The one of these introduced some years ago by the nursery firm of 

 Ellwanger & Barry, of Rochester, N. Y., has been approved by them, and is 

 really in some respects quite a remarkable apple. As shown at the meeting of 

 the Montreal Horticultural Society, in January, by Mr. Chas. Gibb, the Arabka 

 is a large, dark red fruit, near the size of Alexander, but less even in form, being 

 roundish, a little flattened, and somewhat " probulgent," or irregular. The tree 

 is very vigorous, and an early and profuse bearer ; the fruit is fair and even in 

 size, a good keeper until midwinter, in Canada Mr. Gibbs' trees, four or five 

 years set, gave him nearly a barrel each. The flesh of this apple is coarse and 

 not above the culinary grade, but its showiness and productiveness will make it 

 quite as profitable to grow as Alexander, at least. In some respects it is 

 preferable, as it is a better keeper, and apparently far less frequently injured by 

 the codlin worm. 



The SwitzeP.— The Switzer apple, one of the "Government Russians," 

 imported by the United States Department of Agriculture in 1869-70, shows 

 itself a thoroughly iron-clad and a remarkably fine grower, both in nursery 

 and orchard. It is a large and handsome red apple, and the tree is a heavy 

 bearer. On a light soil, it drops a good deal of its fruit in the course of 

 the season, but carries a fair crop to maturity. Grown in Northern Vermont 

 and Quebec, it keeps until the holidays, or later. At the last winter fruit meeting 

 of the Montreal Horticultural Society, Mr. Charles Gibb said of the Switzer, 

 " It is not an acid apple ; it has no weak points about it, and it has the special 

 merit that it is not quickly perishable. It is of good, fair, even size. It has 

 what is called 'reinette' flavor." Mr. R. W. Shepherd, Jr., said, "I agree with 

 Mr. Gibb. The Switzer is in quality much more like Fameuse than any Russian 

 I have ever tasted." To compare any apple to Fameuse is a rare compliment 

 from a Canadian. The Switzer is much larger than Fameuse, and entirely free 

 from that apple's chief fault, spotting. 



The Antonovka. — In the Antonovka (or Antony) apple from Russia, 

 we plainly have a valuable and serviceable fruit, though not so long a 

 keeper as was hoped. This variety is a true ironclad and a free grower in the 

 nursery, forming a neat, upright tree, that in tree-agent language will "deliver 

 well." It is easily transplanted, grows off freely, even in moderately fertile soil, 

 and requires but little pruning; in all these points resembling the popular 



