102 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
RUSSIAN FRUIT IN IOWA. 
CONDITIONS IN CANADA. 
After ten years of extensive trial it must be said that for the 
south half of Iowa at least, the experiment with Russian fruit 
has been not only a disappointment, but a serious and costly 
failure, writes C. L. Watrous. To recommend the extensive 
planting of these fruits in this district would now seem little 
less than criminal. 
It is well to be enterprising and keep as near the front of 
the procession in one’s own calling as possible, but in few 
ways is it easier to lose money than to be too ready to plant 
largely of new and untried varieties because some one recom¬ 
mends them. If a new fruit or plant is offered, having origi¬ 
nated near by and under substantially the same conditions, it 
may safely be planted with far less experience than if it comes 
from a different botanical region, especially if from another 
continent. A seedling must find favor at its place of origin, 
if at all, for the reason that it is especially adapted to the con¬ 
ditions of soil and climate prevailing there. It succeeds there 
because its constitution is fitted to those conditions, and it 
follows of necessity that the chances are strongly against it 
being equally well adapted to succeed under the quite different 
conditions of a different state or country. 
All this was specially emphasized in the season of 1896 of 
uninterrupted sun, which was so favorable to the rapid in¬ 
crease of insect life, so that we may properly consider this as 
another of the beneficial lessons taught by our lean year. The 
season was not without its uses also in winnowing out from 
our lists undeserving varieties. I will not attempt to account 
for the facts observed, but it was true on my grounds, as I 
pointed out to many visitors, that foreign varieties of fruit of 
late introduction suffered far worse from insect ravages than 
the average of our old sorts cultivated and acclimated here for 
a quarter century or more. 
The Russian aoples, both in nursery and in orchards, were 
examples strikingly in point. There was an unusual activity 
of the leaf roller and leaf skeletonizer, and but for the spray¬ 
ing apparatus, the injury would have been irreparable. 
In one nursery of two-year trees, one might readily dis¬ 
tinguish two hundred yards away the rows of Russians of the 
Hibernal family, intermingled with rows of various older sorts, 
the broad leaves of the Russians turning red and dry under 
the same care which produced a fair degree of health and 
vigor in the leaves of the others. I can only account for this 
lack of resistance on the part of the foreigners by the fact that 
our conditions must have been in some manner less favorable 
to their vigor than the conditions of their native places. 
One of our most famous physiologists affirms that it takes at 
least four generations of men to adapt a people to the condi¬ 
tions of a continental change of climate, and that the adapta¬ 
tion is secured only at the expense of much mortality and a 
profound change of physical and nervous organization. Now 
it is a plain fact that a tree must be far less able to withstand 
the vicissitudes of a change than a man who may vary at will 
his food and dress and shelter, as seems to suit his physical 
needs, while the tree or plant is rooted to one place and sub¬ 
ject to the full force of every unfavorable influence. I have 
thought it advisable to grub out the last of my Russian plums 
and cherries, and I believe that the last of the pears and apples, 
save one or two, must share the same fate. 
Editor National Nurseryman : 
Trade in our line shows a marked improvement this season. 
There is a more hopeful feeling in all lines of business in 
Canada. Although in some sections the country has suffered 
from drought, as a whole crops are very superior, and as prices 
will be good, there will be considerable money to spend. 
In fruit there is no large planting being done, as for a num¬ 
ber of years there seems to have been an over-production in 
small fruits, peaches, pears and plums ; but farmers generally 
are buying more freely, and the business is brighter than we 
have had it in Canada for a number of years. 
We believe there is ample stock grown in Canada to fill all 
wants. 
Toronto, Ont. Stone & Wellington. 
AT BERLIN, MD. 
Editor National Nurseryman : 
We have had one of the best growing seasons for years ; 
about enough rain. Our block of peach one year old with 
over a million trees is second to none in the United States 
and the June-budded trees are now makipg a rapid growth. 
Our fields of asparagus roots and strawberry plants are mak¬ 
ing a wonderful growth, yet the cost of hoeing and pulling 
grass has been unusually heavy and the price must go higher 
to cover the cost. 
Berlin, Md. J. G. Harrison & Sons. 
THE PRACTICE IS VERY OLD. 
Parkinson, who wrote the Paradiseus terrestris in 1656, says 
when writing of cherries : “The Arch-Duke Cherrie is one 
of the fairest and best cherries wee have, being of a very red 
color when ripe, and a little long more than-round, and some¬ 
what pointed at the end, of the best rellish of any Cherrie 
whatsoever, and of a firme substance ; scarce one of twentie 
of our Nurserie men doe sell the right, but give one for 
another ; for it is an inherent qualite almost hereditarie with 
most of them, to sell any man an ordinary fruit for whatsoever 
rare fruit he shall aske for : so little are they to be trusted.” 
In these days, comments Meehan s Monthly , the chances are 
19 to 20 that the buyer would get the kind asked for, which is 
something to say of modern civilization. Parkinson was a 
druggist. It might be well to know whether dealers in phar¬ 
macy were as bad as the “ Nurserie men ” two hundred and 
fifty years ago. 
everbearing mulberries, j 
LARGE STOCK. LOW PRICES C 
FREIGHT PAID. \ 
Write us before you buy. t 
Carolina Nursery Co., Selma, N.c. I 
Hicks, 
Russian, 
Downing, 
Black English, 
White English, 
New American 
NURSERYMAN WANTED! 
Young, unmarried man, 
successful propagator, 
especially of Roses and 
Ornamentals. Only thoroughly competent man who knows his trade. 
Steady and permanent job. Address, stating salary wanted, 
S. H. WATSON, Successor to Wm. Watson, 
ROSEDALE NURSERIES. BRENHAM, TEXAS. 
