I02 The Canadian Horticulturist. 



able. The business of carrying it is so shortlived ; you send forward 

 nothing until autumn, and then expect us to put aside everything else for 

 your fruit. Now we have to arrange our space to suit all classes of traffic. 

 With regard to a guaranteed count, the steamship companies always give 

 this, although the railway companies do not. 



Mr. Thorn, of the Beaver line, said that it had been stated that fruit 

 was handled better by New York lines than by Montreal, but this was not 

 the case. He had been at both ports on duty, and was in a position to 

 prove what he said. In one point shippers were often neglectful, viz.: In 

 sending carloads of fruit without notifying the steamship companies either 

 of date of shipment or of the number of the car. This should always be 

 done, either by letter or by telegram. 



Representatives of the Thomson line, the Dominion line, the C.P.R. Co. 

 and the Express companies were also heard from, and all seemed to desire 

 to do their best to accommodate shippers. We hope, therefore, that, as a 

 result of this conference, some practical result may accrue which shall 

 encourage the more extended export of Canadian fruits. 



LETTERS FROM RUSSIA.— III. 



BY JAROSLAV NIEMETZ. 



RUSSIAN AND ANSJUTIN'S APRICOTS. 



i I 4HE Mennonites were German colonists of Russia who emigrated to 

 X America because they did not believe in military service ; they 



^ _^ inhabited the southern Governments of Russia, viz.: Karsonskaja with 



the chief town Odessa, Ekaterinoslavskaja and Crimea, which last was the 

 central colony. In all these governments, grapes, peaches and apricots 

 grow wild, and on the south coast of Crimea even the almonds and figs will 

 succeed. Although sometimes there is a heavy frost in the governments 

 of Karsonskaja and Ekaterinoslavskaja, and the grape requires protection 

 in winter time, yet these countries may be considered well adapted for the 

 cultivation of grapes. 



In the above-named governments the apricot grows in vineyards, 

 gardens and fields, into a large tree, and yields abundantly. The fruit is 

 sold in the gardens for twenty or thirty cents per poud (one poud equals 36 

 kilogrammes*). The fruit is used chiefly for eating fresh, and to some 

 extent for preserving ; no other use is made of it, because we Russians are 

 not so ingenious in preparing fruit dishes as you are in America. 



There are many varieties in southern Russia, of which the following are 

 the chief, (i) " Holland red cheek " (probably raised from pits of the Breda), 



*i Kilogramme'=2.2o pounds. 



