584 



Garden and Forest. 



[Number 250. 



to a broad region in northern America east of the Rocky 

 Mountains, Messrs. Budd and Gibb, during their summer's 

 tour in Russia some ten years since, did not neglect other 

 tree-fruits, and a large variety of both Plums and Cherries 

 were imported. Professor Budd's relations, then formed with 

 careful and well-trained pomologists of that region, have re- 

 sulted in a continuous influx of new varieties. In addition to 

 these he has, by the aid of missionaries in northern China and 

 Mongolia, secured many valuable varieties, and perhaps spe- 

 cies, of the tree-fruits of that part of the world. Since then, 

 through his kind aid, I have l)een enabled to grow and test on 

 my own grounds a large variety of new tree-fruits, the study of 

 which from year to year has occupied much of my time. I 

 am convinced that these interesting researches, while perhaps 

 not bringing quite so much of absolute and striking novelty 

 before us as those of Professor Georgeson, in Japan, are yet 

 of no less importance to the fruit-growers of our continent. 



It may be well here to note that while Messrs. Budd and 

 Gibb were for America the pioneer students among the or- 

 chards and gardens of eastern Europe, the fruits of that region 

 were by no means unknown in other parts of Europe. The 

 Russian Apples, Pears, Plums and Cherries are quite well 

 known and distributed in north Germany and the Scandina- 

 vian countries. It was, indeed, by the way of Sweden, through 

 England, that our earliest importation of Russian Apples took 

 place some half-century ago. It is altogether probable that 

 had not some enterprising fruit-growers of eastern Massachu- 

 setts imported that half-dozen varieties of Russian Apples we 

 of the cold north might yet be left to our own extremely lim- 

 i ted resources in the way of available tree-fruits. 



As to Apples and Pears, I have endeavored to keep the 

 readers of Garden and Forest informed of the progress 

 which is being made in their study in northern New England. 

 More recently I have been enabled to report something of 

 parallel experiments with Plums and Cherries, and even in a 

 sligh't degree with Apricots. Of this latter fruit, though the 

 results with the Russian forms are not promising for northern 

 New England, they have at least proved that there can be 

 hardier races than those of western Europe ; while later tests 

 with sorts from Mongolia give strong hope that the area of 

 their successful cultivation cafi be extended quite to the banks 

 of the St. Lawrence River. 



As already stated, north-western Europe is not unfamiliar 

 with the native tree-fruits of Russia. Many of the Cherries 

 recently imported into this country from Russia are grown 

 now in Prussia, Poland and North Silesia. Yet their original 

 home was, with slight doubt, eastern Europe and northern 

 Asia. Some of these have even reached western Europe 

 from Asia by the Cape of Good Hope, having been brought 

 from Asiatic ports in Spanish and Portuguese ships. These 

 varieties from both directions have met, and been found to be 

 identical, in the gardens of Holland, for this is a small world 

 after all. But the same or very similar varieties are reported 

 as growing in a semi-wild state as escapes from gardens on 

 all the bluff lands near the rivers of central Russia, while the 

 most truly iron-clad, like the true Ostheim and the Bes- 

 sarabian, are strictly Russian. Other so-called Ostheims — 

 no doubt seedlings grown from mixed seed in Germany, are 

 not hardy, or at least not "iron-clad." And as to the now 

 pretty well-known Griotte du Nord, it will be seen by a 

 reference to the Pomological Manual of the late W. R. Prince, 

 pp. 146, that "the Dutch obtained this variety from Russia." 

 Indeed, as Professor Budd remarks, it is a variety of the 

 Ratifia family, found growing with the Brusseler Braune, 

 on most of the roadsides of southern Russia. These are not, 

 like many of the Russian Cherries, a dwarf family ; for Pro- 

 fessor Budd says that on the road-sides and division lines of 

 estates in Russia he has seen the trees much larger than he has 

 ever seen Early Richmond, or any of the Montmorencys, in 

 this country. In Iowa, and, so far as they have fruited, here in 

 Vermont, they prove to be great and continuous bearers, even 

 in the most unfavorable seasons. I have fine trees of these 

 sorts, nearly twenty feet high, which have proved quite as 

 hardy as our wild Bird Cherry (Prunus Pennsylvanica). They 

 are chiefly valuable for culinary uses, canning, and the making 

 of " Ratifia," or what is commonly known as " Cherry Bounce." 

 Still, the slight bitter which characterizes this family of Cherries, 

 even when fully ripe, is agreeable to many ; and some regard 

 them as excellent dessert fruit. Even when gathered prema- 

 turely, no trace of bitterness remains after cooking. Professor 

 Budd expresses the belief that in time these iron-clad Ratifia 

 Cherries will be planted along the roadsides in America, as 

 they are in Europe. 



Another variety, known as Lutovka, represents a family of 

 large-growing road-side trees, found all over south Russia. 



Where in the orchard such dwarfs as the little Spate Amarelle, 

 Shadow Amarelle and Orloff, only six feet high, are seen in 

 full fruit, Lutovka is at the same age a large round-topped 

 tree. Its fruit exceeds the English Morello in size, is yellowish 

 red in color, and would be called excellent for dessert use> 

 even where the Heart Cherries can be grown. This family is 

 so common in Russia that it is found as an escape from cul- 

 ture, yet it is only lately attracting the very favorable attention 

 of growers in Poland, Bohemia and parts of north Germany, 



The Asiatic Sweet Cherries, represented by Orel Sweet, are 

 also strong growers, but not so upright as the Sweet Cherrie.s 

 •of western Europe. A glance over the collection planted in 

 18S3 in the grounds of the Iowa Agricultural College showS- 

 many varieties larger and stronger in growth than Richmond 

 or Montmorency Ordinaire. 



Of the dwarf sorts belonging strictly to Russia it is said that 

 Orloff and Sklanka are proving continuous and heavy bearers. 

 In my own grounds little trees three years set are bearing well, 

 without regard for spring frosts in blooming time, and they 

 mature their fruit as early as the Richmond. Sklanka is 

 larger than Richmond, with a small pit, firm flesh, and is ex- 

 cellent for any use. Spate Amarelle, Shadow Amarelle, Large 

 Long Late, Shubianka and Double Natle are continuous heavy 

 bearers. Of some of these I have quite large trees, entirely 

 unharmed by a cold that freezes mercury. There is no better 

 fruit of this class for canning or preserving in sugar. They 

 are incomparably better in quality for the table than any of the 

 Morellos of western Europe ; but as they are long in ripening, 

 and double their size after beginning to color, their long ex- 

 posure renders it necessary to protect the crop from birds by 

 the use of netting. When fully black they are, to my taste, 

 better than any of the Heart Cherries. Allow me to add that I 

 am not propagating these fruits for sale. 

 Newport, vt. T. H. Hoskms. 



Winter Protection. 



T N almost every garden there is sure to accumulate a num- 

 -'• ber of plants which one comes to consider indispensable, 

 although not hardy enough to be left outdoors during the 

 winter in severe climates. The cellars of dwelling-houses are 

 not always available for storage, being either too hot or too 

 cold, and the question naturally occurs, What are we to do 

 with them ? It is not advisable to place such plants in a heated 

 structure, as they need rest, and should not start to grow until 

 they can be safely planted outdoors in spring. The one place 

 of all others for all half-tender border-plants is the cold-frame, 

 but the term is perhaps an unhappy one, in that we do not 

 build a frame and invite the cold to enter in because it is a 

 cold frame ; on the contrary, the frames are well protected in 

 winter by a lining of dry leaves, packed tight outside and kept 

 in place by boards, and the sashes are covered with mats, and 

 shutters to keep the mats dry. In this way we manage to keep 

 out the frost, and rarely do we get the plants frozen. Lily-of- 

 the-Valley for forcing, Astilbe, pot Roses, Freesias, Ixias, 

 Ranunculus, double Anemones, Anemone fulgens, Pansies, 

 stock-plants of Chrysanthpmums, Violets, Hollyhocks, Fox- 

 gloves, Narcissi, Bulbocodmms, and, in fact, the whole of the 

 winter-forcing bulbs may be safely stored in cold frames of 

 this description. Chrysanthemums stored in this way produce 

 excellent cuttings, stout and vigorous in May, just when they 

 are wanted for growing on for pot-plants of medium size, or 

 for large flowers. Freesias may be kept until March in this- 

 way, and will not have the weak habit of those brought on 

 earlier in heat. All plants that have green tops must be ex- 

 posed to the light on all favorable days and given air during 

 sunshine, but bulbs and plants that have no top-growth may 

 remain covered until required for use elsewhere. 



There is a good deal of labor incidental to the management 

 of cold frames in the covering up and uncovering daily, but 

 this is offset by the little attention necessary in watering as in 

 a greenhouse. Very little water is required in winter; the less 

 the better, as long as the plants do not suffer, as one's greatest 

 enemy is the tendency of such plants as Violets to damp-off; 

 these must be carefully watched and decaying parts removed 

 at once, or the plants will surely and rapidly die. 



In the spring-time these frames can be utilized as hot-beds 

 for the production of early vegetables, such as Cauliflower, 

 Lettuce, Radishes, Beets and the raising of a host of tender 

 seeds, such as Tomatoes, Celery, Zinnias, Asters, Stocks and 

 many others. The use of the hot-bed was much better un- 

 derstood in the old days than it is now, but it is still the best of 

 all ways to raise seeds and to grow on the young plants in a 

 sturdy, vigorous way. We take out the soil to the required 

 depth and place bricks under the corners of the frames to pre- 



