70 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
cent display within the structure. It was interesting to observe 
that the pots and tubs occupied by the plants are only just 
large enough to receive the stem, and consequently boxes in 
which plants of Phoenix tenuis with stems fifteen inches in 
diameter are growing are only eighteen inches square. Mr. 
Winter has also outside, and not far from his palms, a superb 
collection of agaves, opuntias, and plants of a similar character, 
which, by reason of the large size and splendid condition of 
the individual plants, is especially attractive.” 
THE TARIFF SCHEDULE. 
As already announced the senate committee was asked by 
the executive committee of the American Association of Nur¬ 
serymen at the request of evergreen growers to add evergreen 
seedlings to the tariff schedule in regard to seedlings and make 
them dutiable, at $r.75 per i,ooo. This was done by the 
senate committee. 
Articles in this paragraph not specifically provided for are 
changed from 30 per cent, to 25 per cent, ad valorem. 
RUSSIAN FRUITS. 
Professor I. L. Budd, Ames, la., writes as follows to Ameri¬ 
can Gardening : 
“ Under the head, ‘ Some Russian History in Iowa,’ the 
words used and resolutions quoted give a false impression. 
The truth is that we have sent out for trial in a small way the 
most promising apples, pears, cherries, plums, prunes, peaches, 
shrubs, etc, of Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The 
reports from careful amateurs are specially favorable, as an 
almost invariable rule. 
“The apples, pears and many shrubs have naturally proven 
most valuable in North Iowa, Dakota, Minnesota, Vermont, 
and the cold North generally, as have some of the cherries and 
plums. 
“ South of the forty-second parallel the East European 
plums, cherries and peaches have' proven specially valuable. 
If your space will permit, we can send you from all parts of 
the West reports from our trial stations as favorable as that I 
inclose, by Mr. Curtis. This is selected for the reason that he 
is widely known as a careful experimenter with long experi¬ 
ence, and as a judge of good fruits ; his location is like that of 
Southeast Iowa. 
“ Our labor in securing a wide test of these fruits, shrubs, 
etc., is now about completed. In 1898 we will be able to close 
for good the college nursery so severely criticised by three or 
four of our Iowa friends. The new crosses and hybrids of 
fruits, roses, etc., we are now testing will be distributed with¬ 
out cost to planters, as from the other experiment station. Our 
nursery work was forced on us, as without it the real value of 
these new fruits would never have been known.” 
The report referred to is by B. O. Curtis of Paris, III., and 
is as follows : 
“ The Russian cherries with me are a great success. In 
1895 the severe freeze on the 14th of May killed all my cher¬ 
ries, except on the English Morello and the Cerise de Ostheim. 
In 1896 the cherry crop was good. All the Russian varieties 
were loaded with fruit. Cerise de Ostheim again produced a 
heavy crop of delicious fruit. This is very late and equal to 
English Morello in productiveness, and superior to it in hardi¬ 
ness and quality. 
“ I prize the Russian cherries for their hardiness of tree, 
quality of fruit, and for early and profuse bearing. I have 
had them for ten years and have not lost a tree from trans¬ 
planting or any other cause. 
“ The Russian plums have come to stay. I have been 
planting them now for ten years and have not lost a tree and 
have not seen the least damage on them, except one tree of 
Maruraka, with stem five feet high, which is sunscalded on the 
south side. Another tree of same variety, with a low stem, is 
perfect. Both of these bore a full crop in 1896 of large, nice 
blue plums of the best quality and most beautiful appearance. 
It was a sight to see the fruit as it hung on the trees. It 
matured perfectly and is one-third larger than the Communia. 
Dame Aubert Blue is the largest of all plums I have grown or 
seen. Many of the specimens measured two and one-fourth 
inches in diameter. Color, dark blue ; flesh firm, juicy, rich 
and delicious. It is equal to the best English varieties, and 
the tree is a perfect ironclad. In the May freeze, in 1895, the 
ground froze half an inch deep. This killed all the leaves and 
young shoots on the Lombard, while the leaves of the Com¬ 
munia and the Russian plums were not damaged in the least. 
This proves the Communia to be of Russian origin. The 
leaves of the English plum were all scorched by that freeze, 
but not a leaf of any Russian was changed in color. The 
trees seem as hardy as any forest tree. 
“ The Long Blue, Leipsic, Hungarian and White Nicholas 
produced plentiful crops the past season. 
“ The Russian plums I have are all hardy, productive and 
superior in quality. The English plums are tender in tree and 
will be winter-killed when it is cold enough to kill peach 
trees.” 
THE DORSET PEAR. 
The Dorset pear is a seedling raised by the late Lemuel 
Clapp. It is a very handsome and showy late-keeping pear. 
Large, golden yellow ground, with bright red on sunny side ; 
flesh juicy, melting, sweet, of good quality. Keeps and ships 
well and is a valuable late pear. Ripe in February, but keeps 
in perfection till May. Ellwanger & Barry, Rochester, N. Y., 
exhibited beautiful specimens of it at the World’s Fair in May, 
1893. Tree a vigorous grower. 
NURSERY STOCK VALUATION. 
Mr. Freeman, Q. C., contributes an article on “ The Hu¬ 
mours of Arbitration ” to the first number of the Land Maga¬ 
zine, (England) and among many good stories he tells there is 
one of a counsel who was examining a nervous expert in the 
valuation of nursery stock. The witness was a hostile one, 
and counsel took him through the list this way : “ What do 
you put down for the Platycodon Mariesi ?” He didn’t know. 
“ Really ? Well, what for the Eccremocarpus scaber, the Lep- 
tosiphon androsaceus, or the Echeveria secunda glauca ? ” 
Still no answer. Counsel went on: “I’m afraid you’re not 
much used to valuing plants ! At least you know the Lopho- 
spermum scandens?” “No.” “Nor the Matricaria eximia 
corymbosa?” “No.” “ Well, what you know? Do yon 
know a cabbage?” Witness (in despair) : “Yes, thoroughly.” 
Counsel: “ So I thought.” At this point the jury intimated 
that they were quite satisfied about the claim. 
