510 
"Pears, as a rule, do not survive a severe winter, and 
therefore cannot be grown, unless stored In cellar every win- 
ter. Pyrus ussuriensis, however, is hardy, and Mr. Woeikov, 
still hopes to get hardy pears by hybridization and selec- 
tion. 
"Of plums about ten varieties are grown, but they are 
not all successes. They are grafted on the ordinary slough, 
Prunus spinosa, which occurs also wild here and there in the 
Simbirsk Province. 
"Of cherries there are several varieties and hybrids, 
and strange to say, some English varieties like Kent, Queen 
Hortense, and Early Black are quite hardy there. Of all the 
things Mr. Woeikov has, his cherries are of the greatest * 
value to us. There are forms of Prunus avium, P. cerasus, and 
P. chamaecerasus and hybrids between these three species and 
they are all exceptionally hardy. I saw hybrids between 
Wladimir cherry and P. chamaecerasus that looked of very ' 
great promise as fruit trees for the upper Mississippi valley 
regions. I spoke about the fact, that in Ames all the 
Wladimir cherries had been frozen back to the ground last 
winter, but Mr. Woeikov stated that the same thing happens 
every so many years here in Russia also and — that there are 
at least five distinct strains of Wladimir cherries which all 
differ in looks and degree of resistance to drouth and cold! 
One very hardy variety is cultivated near Nishni-Novgorod 
of which he also has a few plants; this variety is called 
'Rostinia' . 
"I also saw various species of wild Prunus like 
P. padus in a few varieties; P. glandulosa, P. maackii, 
P. pumila, P. japonica, P. pennsylvanica. The last looks like 
a stock for stone fruits, although some specimens sucker 
badly. Mr. Woeikov thought that hybrids between P. pennsylva- 
nica and P. mahaleb would make ideal stock for cherries and 
plums . 
"Of the Siberian cherry (Prunus chamaecerasus) I saw a 
block of old bushes, which were remarkable for their various 
habits. Some were 2-3 feet in height and of slender twigs, 
while others were 6-8 feet tall and of -heavy wood. Mr. Woei- 
kov stated that he had a few shrubs which he suspected were 
hybrids between P. chamaecerasus and plums! In case this is 
so, this Siberian cherry will be of still greater value to us 
in the Northern States, for endless crossings can be made 
then and practically all sorts of stone fruits created! 
"I also was shown a hybrid between the ordinary peach 
and the steppe- almond ( Amy gdalus nana) made by a Mr. Midjurin, 
a nurseryman at Kozlov, Tambov Government, who wants to make 
a race of peaches fit to stand the uncongenial climate of the 
greater part of Russia. The plants were grafted on Prunus 
spinosa roots and they looked most remarkably like young 
