160 HOBTICULTURAL MANUAL. 



850 alluded to this. The maiden, whose neck was like a 

 swan and whose lips were like cherries, had cheeks like a 

 Volga apple. The high color of the apples of this dry 

 region is very striking. A wild, rugged race of apples has 

 been grown here for many centuries by seedling produc- 

 tion, until we have a number of seedlings much alike in 

 tree and fruit and hence it is that the name Anis is but 

 a family name with many varieties." 



The Marquis Pauluci in the province of Kazan, on the 

 57th parallel of north latitude, was able to prove to the 

 writer from documents in the family possession that apples 

 similar to or identical with some varieties on his grounds 

 were grown in that vicinity eight hundred years ago. 

 Beyond doubt the apples of the great east plain of Europe 

 and north central Asia were developed by culture, selec- 

 tion, and natural crossing from the indigenous wild 

 applies yet common in the forests. 



Dr. Henfrey speaks from personal observation in his 

 geographical distribution of plants of the wild apple-trees 

 of east Europe towering up to the height of other forest 

 species, and Lou don, who was exceedingly careful in 

 dividing true species, had no hesitation in placing the 

 native apples of east Europe as a distinct species under the 

 name of Pyrus Astrachanica. Central Asia also has the 

 same high-colored type of cultivated apples peculiar to 

 the Volga region. Dr. Albert Regel, who spent nine years 

 in Turkestan and north central Asia, speaks of "Fiery- 

 tinted harvest apples " and "Large round apples of beauti- 

 ful carmine color and with bloom like a peach or plum." 

 He also speaks of a winter variety in northwestern 

 Badakshan as "A roundish-pointed apple of beautiful 

 color, firm flesh, and delightful flavor." Dr. Regel also 

 states that high-colored varieties with rich bloom seem 

 to have been anciently cultivated as indicated by the old 



