374 



Garden and Forest. 



[Number 289. 



flowering bulbs as large as cocoanuts, and smaller ones 

 about two inches in diameter. They were all potted and 

 wintered over in a cold frame. On May 9th, 1891, they 

 were planted out in a prepared bed consisting of peat and 

 loam in equal parts. The large bulbs proved a complete 

 failure ; their grip on the ground did not seem sufficiently 

 strong to enable them to throw up a spike at all charac- 

 teristic of the species. 



Three of the smaller bulbs grew well, but showed no 

 signs of flowering until this year. They were protected in 

 winter by a soap-box inverted over each bulb, and over 

 this eighteen inches of Oak-leaves. As early as the middle 

 of April growth had begun, and necessitated the removal 

 of the winter covering ; their development from this time 

 until they reached a maximum height of ten feet and a 

 diameter of four inches at the base of the stems was very 

 rapid, and the plants bore an average of eighteen flowers 

 each. Although planted by the margin of a swamp, 

 and only two feet above the water-line, it was found neces- 

 sary to give the surface-soil frequent waterings, liquid- 

 manure being used at every watering. This Lily starts 

 into growth so early in the season that some care must be 

 exercised in protecting it from late spring frosts, which 

 would be disastrous to it. An inverted flour-barrel affords 

 good nightly protection until the plant attains some height, 

 when a covering of light cotton cloth can be used. 



Lilium giganteum, while a most interesting plant to 

 watch during its rapid growth, is rather a disappointment 

 when it finally opens its flowers, for one naturally expects 

 from such a huge stem a flower of like proportion. Such 

 is not the case, however, the individual flowers being no 

 larger than those of the Bermuda Easter Lily. One gets 

 the impression when looking at the plant that nature had 

 been so lavish of her energy in building up the stem and 

 foliage that she had little left for the crowning effort of 

 flowering. The flowers emit a spicy odor, which is so 

 strong as to be almost overpowering and not altogether 

 agreeable to many persons. 



Lilium Wallichianum superbum, a near neighbor of L. 

 giganteum in its native habitat, and withal a very beauti- 

 ful plant, has proved itself quite hardy here with a slight 

 protection of Oak-leaves. It spares the planter any anxiety 

 on the score of spring frosts by starting into growth about 

 the last of all the Liliums. From two bulbs planted out two 

 years ago we had this year four growths six feet high with 

 forty flowers. r t> ^ 



Yarraouthport, Mass. J- BrydOU. 



Cultural Department. 



Notes on Russian Fruits. 



AFTER working upon them for upward of twenty years, 

 1 realize that if I were to continue for another equal 

 length of time it would be still difficult to give decisive con- 

 clusions regarding the vast variety of tree-fruits which the 

 good-will of Russian pomologists and the Russian Govern- 

 ment have favored us with. Here is a country almost as 

 large as ours, and all of it north of this latitude of forty-five 

 degrees, north, upon which I am making tests. It is true tliat 

 southern Russia, though on the same parallel, has a much 

 warmer climate than northern Vermont. Judging from its 

 productions, the chmate of southern Russia resembles more 

 that of southern rather than of northern New England. 



But the chief collections sent to this country have been 

 made mainly in central Russia, not far from the parallel of 

 sixty degrees ; and thermometrical records seem to show a 

 winter climate in those parts of Russia very closely resem- 

 bling that of Minnesota and the Dakotas. This is approxi- 

 mately the region of Russia's Pear and Plum orchards, as well 

 as of the fine apples ; while farther north only Apples and 

 Cherries are grown. The difficulties of intercourse between 

 these great provinces (almost as large as our states) has 

 tended to make the varieties of tree-fruits quite local in each ; 

 and this, in a measure, accounts for the large number of 

 varieties which have been sent to us. There are now under 

 test in this country scarcely less than four hundred named 

 varieties of these Russian tree-fruits — perhaps ten times as 

 many as can be found in any single Russian locality — except 

 some of the testing orchards of the new experiment stations. 



This is an immense amount of material to be thrown into 

 the hands of American experimenters, east and west; and 

 the work of handling it has been chiefly confined to a few in- 

 terested individuals in Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin ; and 

 eastward in Vermont and Canada, and in the experimental 

 grounds of some of the State Agricultural Colleges, along our 

 northern borders. 



The first importations of Russian tree-fruits were confined 

 solely to Apples. It was not until the return of what is known 

 as the Budd-Gibb expedition, some ten years since, that we 

 learned anything about the Pears, Plums and Cherries of Rus- 

 sia. These ten years have certified to us that Russia has ail 

 these in much hardier forms, as regards resistance to the se- 

 verities of winter climate, than were before known to us. After 

 fifteen years of experiment, I had fully established the dis- 

 couraging fact that, with very slight exceptions, we had in 

 America not a single variety of orchard fruit, aside from 

 apples, that would endure the winter climate of northern 

 New England. Ten years' subsequent testing of the Russian 

 varieties has shown me not one that is not as hardy, along the 

 Canada line, as the common and popular old sorts are in 

 eastern Massachusetts. There are, however, no heart cherries 

 among them ; and the pears, though fairly good, are inferior 

 in both size and quality to our best native and European kinds. 

 The plums are very good, but no less subject to damage from 

 the curculio than the old stock. All the Russian tree-fruits 

 appear to have much thicker foliage than our old sorts, and 

 to resist blight and the attacks of other fungal diseases. 

 They are good growers while young, but come to bearing 

 soon ; and thereafter, though continuing healthy, are moder- 

 ate in their growth, and tend toward dwarfishness. 



Although their early and free bearing would recommend 

 these Russian tree-fruits anywhere, and though they furnish 

 material for crossing that may prove advantageous, I think it 

 important to avoid possible disappointment by refraining from 

 any undue estimate of their value. They are a valuable stock 

 to experiment with, and breed from. They are invaluable 

 where the older kinds will not endure the climate. 



The nomenclature of these numerous varieties of tree-fruits 

 from Russia is, and I fear for some time must be, somewhat 

 confused. So many kinds have been imported, and the two 

 sections, north-western and north-eastern, where they are 

 likely to be most planted, are so widely separated, and many 

 distinct sorts have yet so much similarity, that it will take a 

 long time to assort and apportion the names correctly. The 

 best authorities on these points are unquestionably Prof. J. L. 

 Budd, of the Iowa Agricultural College, at Ames, Iowa ; and 

 Mr. John Craig, Horficulturalist of the Canadian Department 

 of Agriculture, at Ottawa. Under the charge of each of these 

 are large testing-grounds and orchards. To them the many 

 private individuals who are planting and testing the numerous 

 sorts under trial must often refer for identifications ; and the 

 nurserymen, who are commencing to propagate them, ought 

 to take the greatest possible pains to avoid the beginnings of 

 evil in this direction. From my own experience I should 

 think it easy, in due time, to make select lists for each locality, 

 that would prevent waste of time and serious disappointment 

 in distribution. My own plantings are growing vigorously, 

 though carrying very little Iruit this year. 



Newport, Vt. 



T. H. Hoskiiis. 



Grapes in North Carolina.. 



IF the other of Munson's seedlings which we have yet to fruit 

 are as excellent as Munson's Brilliant Grape, which is now 

 in bearing here, there is little left to be desired in our native 

 Grapes. I have not learned how this Grape will do in a more 

 northern climate, and I undertand that some of these seedlings 

 are rather tender in winter. I have never tasted any native 

 grape that compares favorably with the Brilliant. One of its 

 most remarkable characteristics for a native grape is the skin, 

 which melts away with the pulp, and has no trace of acidity. 

 The gentleman who grew the grapes I ate to-day, for our own 

 Munson vines will not fruit until next season, is a painstaking 

 cultivator, and his grapes are all bagged. As a result of his 

 careful treatment he is getting fifteen cents per pound for his 

 fruit in the northern cities, while most of our growers are ut- 

 terly discouraged by low prices. But he grows only the 

 choicest kinds, while they have filled their vineyards with 

 Champion and Ives. 



At our station we have a superb crop of Black Hamburgs 

 and Muscats under glass in a cold grapery. Some of them we 

 shall ship to test whether cold-grapery grapes can be made to 

 pay here. I am inclined to believe that they will pay if allowed 

 to start early and ripen in July. Our vines this year were kept 



