THE RUSSIAN APRICOT. 



647 



plum (/'. Aviericana). The latter, on account of its 

 hardiness, I consider the most desirable stock. Crown 

 grafts on this have made a growth of from two to 

 three feet since spring, when they were set. 



From R. G. Cha.se cS: Co., Geneva, N. V. — Russian 

 apricots have proved hardy in this locality. We regard 

 the Alexander, Budd, Alexis and Catherine as the best 

 varieties. They seem to do well in our stiff clay soil, 

 also in gravelly loam. How they would do on sandy 

 loam, we cannot say. We think they should have culti- 

 vation and annual pruning the same as other orchard 

 trees. They are a valuable acquisition where the finer 

 or older varieties cannot be grown successfully. We 

 have tested them by budding on peach, common plum 

 and myrobolan stocks, and are inclined to use myrobolan 

 exclusively hereafter. 



but not having been able to make a careful study of th^ 

 named varieties in the orchard, I do not feel like giving 

 an opinion upon their relative merits. Those seen in 

 the Mennonite settlements in central Kansas were quite 

 small, of poor flavor and were affected by the curculio 

 to a considerable extent. 



In answer to the direct question from the editor, as to 

 whether I consider them "a valuable acquisition," 

 I would say from my present knowledge, No ! There 

 may, however, be some varieties with which I am not 

 acquainted that would convince me to the contrary, and 

 of this I should be very glad. The best stock to bud 

 them upon is the native plum [Priiiuis Aviericana), 

 although it sprouts badly. I have never seen it upon 

 the Marianna stock, but I think this would be still bet- 

 ter, as it does not sucker, and I think it will be hardy 



From H. E. Van Deman, Department of Agricztltiire, 

 Washington, D. C. — In the first place, I think it is 

 entirely proper to say that the apricot should hardly be 

 mentioned as one of the fruits of Russia, for, according 

 to authentic reports, it is only found in the vicinity of 

 the Crimea, which is a very different and much milder 

 climate than Russia proper. Because this little corner 

 over which the Czar has domain is mild enough to allow 

 the culture of the apricot, it is not wise to associate it 

 with the fruits that generally grow in Russia. Having 

 seen many varieties of the apricot growing in both east- 

 ern and western states which were called Russian, I 

 might be justified in saying that they seemed similar in 

 nearly all respects to the ordinary seedling apricots 

 which are found all over the country. I think they are 

 quite as hardy as the ordinary varieties of the peach, 



wherever the apricot will grow. 



From Professor E. S. Goff, Madison, Wis. — Professor 

 Henry set out six named varieties and six unnamed seed- 

 lings on our station grounds in the spring of 18S7. The 

 following winter all were killed down to the root, though 

 most of them started anew in the spring of 1S88. The 

 next winter all were again killed down to the root, and 

 several were killed outright. Most of those that started 

 grew from the stock. During the last winter the remain- 

 ing ones were again badly killed back, and as none of 

 them showed any blossoms all were removed, so that at 

 present we have not an apricot tree on the place. Evi- 

 dently the Russian apricot is not adapted to Wisconsin. 



From Professor J. L. Budd, Ames, lo^ua. — Some of 

 the named varieties are fairly hardy on the college 

 grounds, yet they are injured at the points of growth by 



