STATE POMOLOGIC\L SOCIETY. 4^ 



i:XTRACTS FROM RP:P0RT ox RUSSIAN FRUITS. 



BY CHAKLKS GIBB, ABBOTTSFOKD, QL'K. 



* * * * ''The fruits of Western Europe and their pure 

 otfsprino; l)oni on tliis continent, as a nile, are not long-lived upon 

 the Western prairies above latitude 43|, not a success above 451 in 

 this Province, and that only in exceptionally favorable localities. 

 In Eastern Russia we tiiul fruit growing a prolitable industry in 

 climates decidedly more severe than that of the City of Quebec. 

 Hence we may expect to increase the area of fruit culture northward 

 upon this continent very largely." 



"The uncertainty of these fruit trees of Western Europe in the 

 severer climates, had led to large importations by the State Agri- 

 cultural College at Ames, Iowa. (See Ttli Report Montreal Hort. 

 Soc, p. lol.) Prof. Budd had gathered there the largest collection 

 of fruits for severe climates, which I know to exist ; but such was 

 the uncertainty of noraenclature, such the difficulty of getting exact 

 information as to their proliable value, that the work of sorting out 

 the best seemed a \vork of many years. Northern horticulturists 

 were looking with great hope to the Russian fruits. The work could 

 not be allowed to rest. Some one had to go to Russia. Mr. Budd 

 and I went." 



"■ Nomenclature in Russia is hopelessh' confused. Different 

 names are given to the same apple in different localities, the same 

 name to different apples growing in adjacent districts. So, man}- 

 names, however formidable the}' may sound in Russian, mean 

 merely round white, white sweet, white transparent, &c., names 

 without individuality. Fortunately, a few names have been fixed 

 by conunercial demand, and are known by the same names through- 

 out Russia." 



"'One great difficulty in Russian nomenclature arises from the 

 strong family likeness of seedlings of like parentage. A hardy 

 race of the apple, seemingly more nearly allied to the wild form than 

 the cultivated apples of Western Europe, has been grown for many 

 centuries by seedling production, and has been reproducing itself 

 from seed. Yet this is not strange news to us. Some families of 

 apples, even when surrounded l)y apples of other types, have a strong 

 tendency to reproduce them.selves in their seedlings." * * ♦ * 



