648 



THE RUSSIAN APRICOT. 



our severest winters. They succeed best on high and 

 dry soil. The treatment does not differ materially from 

 that required by the plum, but more care should be 

 given to spraying, as the curculio works upon them to a 

 greater extent than on some of our native and Russian 

 plums. 



I first tested the fruit in south Russia in the summer 

 of 1882. I did not then consider it superior for any use 

 to the best native plums of the west for dessert use, 

 and my opinion has not since changed. But it is 

 superior for culinary use, and upon the whole a decided 

 acquisition. In tree it is much hardier than any of 

 the old sorts, the foliage is far better, and in all respects 

 the best varieties are better adapted to our American 

 soil and climate east of the Rocky Mountains. If not 

 up to the required standard in fruit, we can soon improve 

 it by crossing with the pollen of the best California 

 varieties. In this line, I am glad to report that apricot 

 pollen can be sent across the continent by mail without 

 loss of vitality. We have germinated California apricot 

 pollen six weeks after it was taken from the anthers. 

 They work perfectly on seedlings of our western native 

 plums (Primus A„ierica}ia\, but we find they do not unite 

 well with the peach, or with such foreign stocks as St. 

 Julian or myrobolan. 



Of the varieties we have tested and observed, the 

 Gibb, Nicholas, Catherine and Budd, appear to stand 

 well at the head. But the best of all in tree and fruit is 

 Chinese, rather than Russian in origin. It was grown 

 from a pit imported by the Iowa Agricultural College 

 from the province of Shense, in northwest China. At 

 first it was sent out for trial under the name of Chinese 

 apricot. Later we named it ' ' Shense, " but in Nebraska 

 it is grown by a few parties under the name of Acme- 

 It does not come into bearing so early as some of the 

 Russian varieties, but it makes a larger and handsomer 

 tree, has larger and better foliage, and the fruit is larger, 

 handsomer and better for any use than any of the Rus- 

 sian sorts I have seen in east Europe or here. 



From Carpenter & Gage, Fairbury, Nebraska— 'X\ift 

 Russian apricot is perfectly hardy in southern Nebraska. 

 We have seen a fair crop of fruit after 30° below zero. 

 We consider the Alexander the best variety, although 

 many varieties are good. It is a success in all 

 kinds of soil in this state, but, like the peach, the buds 

 are more liable to be injured on lowland than on upland 

 We find apricots on peach much better than on plum, as 

 they make a better union 



From G. C. Brackett, La-coreme, Kansas .—T'aft Rus- 

 sian apricot IS not hardy in every respect in this state. 

 Varieties are as numerous as peach seedlings, and a 

 majority are as worthless. Selections can be made of 

 varieties of superior quality and beauty. The sorts 

 selected and propagated thus far have not proved pro- 

 ductive, so far as reported from Kansas growers. Soil 

 and treatment should be the same as for plums. I do 

 not regard them preferable to such as were in use before 

 their introduction to this state. There has not been 

 sufficient time devoted to their testing to prove what is 



the best stock for their propagation. They make much 

 the strongest wood-growth on the peach. I have several 

 kinds grafted into branches of the Early Golden apricot 

 as a test in comparison. They show no evidence which 

 would give them a preference. They were first brought 

 into notice by the Mennonites settling in Marion, Harvey 

 and McPherson counties, and for a few years succeeded. 

 I visited a number of orchards in Marion county, and 

 found almost the entire crop ruined by curculio, plum 

 gouger and scab, and found it very difficult to obtain 

 half a peck of the fruit fit to bring away with me for 

 my family and friends. Nurserymen said that it 

 would prove a valuable substitute in regions where the 

 peach failed ; but I have yet to learn of a crop being 

 grown in seasons when the peach failed, and last year 

 when a good peach crop was grown, the apricot failed. 

 I was strongly in hopes that it would prove to be all its 

 friends had claimed for it. But so far it has not, and 

 residents of the most favored counties report to me that 

 it has not, nor will not become a profitable fruit. It may 

 be profitable in successful peach regions and where it is 

 exempt from late spring frosts, and even then will not 

 prove superior to our old established sorts. It has been 

 a nurseryman's hobby. 



Reports of Kansas Fruit Growers in vol. ly, Kansas 

 Hortiailhiral Society (^fip. jgo-462, 1881-8). — "Russian 

 apricot trees have been planted and fruited. The tree 

 is very hardy. I can sea no reason why it will not 

 prove profitable." — Geo. A. DeGroff, Marshall Co. 

 " Russian apricot trees have fruited in this country and 

 are considered profitable." — John O'Toole, Norton Co. 

 "From observations, I am favorably impressed with 

 this fruit, and would not hesitate to plant it for profit." 

 — J. W. Knodle, Phillips Co. "Russian apricot has 

 proved to be an entire failure in this locality " — J. B. 

 Avery, Washingtoii Co. " The general seedling class is 

 a failure." — H. H. Kern, Wyandotte Co. " Russian 

 apricot has been fruited in the county, and would be 

 profitable if protected from injury by the curculio. It 

 is now regarded as of no more value than other sorts." 

 — J. W. Byram, Chase Co. " Russian apricot has failed 

 in a crop of fruit during the last two years." — M. Hall, 

 Harvey Co. " Russian apricot trees are not profitable to 

 grow." — Theo. Boggs, McPherson Co. "Russian apri- 

 cots are grown in the Mennonite settlements in the 

 northeast part of the county, and are considered profit- 

 able. " — B. P. Hanan, Keno Co. "The Russian apricot 

 is not considered a profitable fruit to grow." — Jos. Rey- 

 nolds, Crawford Co. " The Russian apricot is not con- 

 sidered profitable for this country." — D. Morrison, 

 Kiowa Co. 



From C. M. Stark, Stark Nurseries, Louisiana , Mo. — 

 Russian apricots are quite hardy here ; we have also 

 tested them at Denver, where the climate is even more 

 trying, and apples like IVCaiden Blush, Missouri Pippin, 

 Northern Spy, etc., do not stand, and they are hardy — 

 hardy as Richmond cherry. 



The best sort is doubtless the Shense ; then Alex- 

 ander, Alexis and Budd : Gibb and Catherine, less 



