8 



THE WESTERN POMOLOGIST. 



1871 



For the Wbstbbs Pomoloqist. 



Tetofski. 



Bt D. W, Adams. Waukon, Iowa. 



I follow Warder in spelling this name, believing it to be correct and fully sustained by the analogies 

 of the language of the country originating the fruit. A careful examination of a large map of Russia 

 shows that a, i and o, are about the only vow- 

 els used as terminal letters, while i', u and y. 

 rarely or ne er occur in such situation. Webster's 

 Unabridged Dictionary of Biographical Names 

 gives us Czelakow.ski, Wisznewski, Zhukovski^ 

 Ladowski, Jablonski, Gorski, Sobicski, and a 

 host of others ending in "ski," and only a single 

 instance of "sky" terminating a name. Such be- 

 ing the case it seems proper that we should in 

 our ortliograpliy of the word conform to the 

 usages of the language of which it is a part. 



This fruit was introduced from Russia some 

 years since, but not till the last four or five years 

 has it attuined much notoriety. Like Duchess 

 of Oldenburg, Grimes' Golden, Ben DavLs, and 

 some other now popular sorts, its valuable quali- 

 ties were not prematurely pushed into notice, 

 but only with time has intrinsic merit built up a 

 reputation. Time was, when quality of fruit alone was sufficient to cause a variety to be highly 

 extolled and recommended for cultivation. In this more practical day, however, the hardi- 

 ness, vigor, early and constant productiveness and health of the tree have quite as mucli weight 

 in determining the value of a variety. In the far Northwest, especially, hardiness or ability to 

 endure extreme cold, is the first and indispensible requisite. Very few varieties possess this in suffi- 

 cient degree to be wholly successful north of 43o north latitude. Among this few, the Duchess 

 of Oldenburg and Tetofski stand pre-eminent, enduring the severest winters even up to 45° like a frolic. 

 Another point in a fruit tree that is recently receiving much attention, especially in newly-settled 

 districts, is early fruitfulness. In this particular Tetofski is excelled b}' none, often commencing to 

 bear in nursery at four years from graft. And when once it commences it produces most profuse crops 

 every year, loading itself to sucli an extent that the tree usually becomes dwarfed from overbearing and 

 seldom attains much size. There are trees in this 

 county fifteen to twenty years old not more than 

 four or five inches in diameter of trunk; yet 

 these trees are literally loaded with beautiful fruit 

 year after year, and have been so ever since they 

 were the size of a hoe handle. With those who 

 plant the apple tree for timber the Tetofski will be j 

 a failure ; for fruit, it is decidedly a success. The ' 

 value of this sort South, is still a matter for experi- 

 ment. North, it is no longer a question. It com- \ 

 bines in an eminent degree symmetry, hardiness, 

 early and abundant fruitfulness of tree, with 

 beauty, fair size, fair quality, and extreme earliness 

 of fruit. Such a combination of good points is sel- 

 dom found in one variety. It has this serious draw- 

 back to extensive planting in commercial orchards, 

 viz : The skin is very beautiful and delicate, show- 

 ing plainly the least bruise ; and further, it is very tetofski— outline. 

 perishable, lasting but a few days after maturity. To give you an idea of the appearance of the tree, I 

 send you a photograph of one on my grounds, set in the Spring of 1865, now in full bearing. For de- 

 scription I cannot do better than copy Warder : 



"Tree vigorous, hardy, productive, upright. Leaves broad, pale, light green. Fruit small to 

 medium^round, flattened, somewhat conic, angular. Surface smooth, yellow striped ; splashed car- 

 Basin shallow, folded. Eye large, closed. Cavity wide, wavyor deep ; acute. Stem 



mine. WMte bloom. 



