N. £. Hansen, Department of Horticulture, State College 
Brookings, ^ South Dakota, February 8, 1936 
■> 
3 pages 
v 
'i £->'3. 
This department does not conduct a commercial nursery, but propagates and 
distributes new varieties originated in this department or imported from similar 
climates of the Old World. Many acres of seedling fruits have been grown since the 
work was started by the writer in 1895. The improvement in size and quality of each 
plant generation is greater year by year. Hybridization and selection are the main 
methods of improvement. 
No 1935 spring list was issued. No budded apple and plum trees are ready for 
spring 1936, because no apple and plum, stocks were available here in 1933 and 1934. 
December 15, 1934, a two-page list "New Plants from the 1934 Expedition" covered the 
East Siberian tour. 
Scions of most of the varieties already offered can be cut at the uniform price 
of fl.00 per foot. 
TERMS. The money received from the sale of plants makes it possible to do the 
work on a larger scale than would otherwise be possible. Those who have followed 
the progress of the work for many years know the importande of ordering promptly, as 
soon as this list is received, as the supply of plants is limited. Terms are cash 
with order. No credit except to Government Experiment Stations. Add two percent to 
the above prices for(state)Retail Sales tax. 
re, -n o TJ T V IG x> 
fefdF- apricots are Here ^ FEB 1 3 1935 
Probably the Greatest Hardy Fruit Introduction in Many Years 
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Apricots are a highly desirable fruit, either fresh or canned. But the apri¬ 
cots of commerce are mainly for the peach growing regions and are not hardy at the 
North. 
The hardy apricots of the world are in North Manchuria, now called Manchukuo, 
and in East Siberia. 
The- following is from r.y Spring List issued by the Department of Horticulture, 
State College, Brookings, South Dakota, March 24, 1934: 
"Manchu Apricot , Nos. 1—25 . Offered for the first time . In my 1924 tour to 
north Manchuria, home of the old Manchu conquerors of China, I became interested in 
the apricots native of the region between Harbin, on the Siberian railway, and the 
Amur River. This section of China comes up like a wedge into eastern Siberia and is 
cut through by the Siberian railway. The conditions are really those of east Siberia 
on either side with minimum temperature of about 47 degrees below zero Fahrenheit. 
I saved seed from many fruits and now have 32 seedlings. All of these are of ex¬ 
cellent quality. The size varies more or less and there is no good chance to deter¬ 
mine the relative superiority as the seedlings were planted very closely in the row. 
They are offered herewith for preliminary trial as Manchu Nos. 1-23 inclusive. So 
far, 23 out of the 32 seedlings have been budded. The trees are a beautiful sight in 
bloom. The large flowers, white with distinct pink tinge, appear early before the 
leaves. The fruit is yellow, somewhat smaller than the apricots of commerce, and 
makes delicious preserves". 
The Manchu apricots, Nos. 1-23, bore a heavy crop of good fruit in 1935. This 
is surprising, considering that 1953 and 1934 were perhaps the two driest and hottest 
years on record in this region. The trees are flourishing but are planted much too 
close for their best development. 
Besides the 32 seedlings mentioned, several other lots should be included, the 
total number being about 45. The minimum temperature of their native region is from 
47^ to 5CF below zero Fahrenheit. 
In 1935 a careful study was made of these 45 seedlings, and 1 decided tint the 
best 12 should be given a name, and the remainder held for further study. 
It is important that these named varieties should be sent out where they can 
be placed under orchard conditions with abundant room for full development. The 
names are all Chinese, and mostly geographical names from the Harbin region. 
The great advantage of these apricots is their early season, coming in here 
ahead of plums so that they find a ready market. 
Of the Manchu apricots no?/ under number, the following are now named: Manchu 
No. 1 is Sing; No. 2 is Ninguta; No. 3 is Chow; ^o. 4 is Sj.no; No. 8 is Lalin; No. 11 
is Sansin; No. 16 is-Tola; No. 15 is Hulan; No. 19 is Anda; No* 22 is Manchu; No. 23 
is Mandarin; No. 39 is Zun. 
