Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1883-06-06
Gibb on Russian Fruits.

gions of Russia, in company with Horticul-
tural Professor Joseph L. Budd Of the Iowa
Agricultural College, and has given us
brief but exceedingly interesting account
of his observations in paper contained in
the Eighth Report of the Montreal IIorti-
cultural Society, which is also issued sepa-
rately in an octave pamphlet Of ifty-fve
pages, for copies of which we are indebted
to Mr.. Glib. In this paper Of Mr.. Gibbs,
the Russian and North American climates
are compared, 80 that we may be able to
Judge of the comparative severity of locali-
ties in both countries. This, when he comes
to speak Of the particular fruits of different
provinces, is a useful guide. Yet it may
be briefly said that no part of Russia Wis.,
tied by Mr.. Glib has less severe winter
than any part of Vermont, while in many
spots, in which orcharding is yet successfully
pursued, the climate is far more trying to
trees of any sort than in New England or
Canada.
Mr.. Gibb says the leading apple of the
vast regions bordering on the river Volga
is the Anis. This apple takes position
similar to that of the Baldwin in Southern
New England. 1t is the hardest, the most
productive, the handsomest, and conse-
quently to most popular apple Of that coun-
try. The name Anis is rather generic,
however, than specific, there being quite a
number of that name which vary in fruit
more than the Fameuse varies in Canada !;
yet the trees are apparently very much
alike. They are probably seedlings all Of
one origin, or derived from one another, and
coming more or less true to the original.
Mr.. Glib says" AS we used TO gallop past
these peasant orchards, we were always struck
by the beauty, even when some distance off,
of one variety of the Anis. This is the
1nis Alui, or Pink Anis, and, suppose, the
same as the Anis ROsouoi, or Rose Anis,
spoken of at Pimbirsk and other places on
the Volga. 1t is an oblate apple of full
medium size, mostly of deep pink with a
light blue bloom. On account of its beauty
and salableness this Pink Anis is the most
valuable of the family. The grain is fine,
and it is really dessert apple of fine
quality"
Among the apples imported from Russia
by the United States Department of Agri-
culture in 1870 are nearly a dozen having
the name Of "Anis "prefxed to them, and
these varieties have fruited to some extent
Mr.. A. w. Sias, new nurseryman and or
chardst of Rochester, Mimi, TO whom we
sent copy of Mr. Gibbs report, writes us
that he has fruited Anis Sacharomi, Anis
Kurski, Anis Krasnui and Anis Schaltui
and may this year fruit Anis Rospisni
They are very hardy, and the bark looks
smoother than the Duchess. They are fine
looking trees, but they blossom early, and
the late frosts Of that section have blighted
most of the fruit for the last three years
Mr.. Sias does not say how the fruit has
kept, but in Russia the Anis Alui keeps
until late winter or spring" 1t is sold in
Russian markets at about sl75 per bushe
when poorer fruit is selling at thirty cents.
A leading apple of the Steppes, or prai
ries of Eastern Russia, is the Antonovka
In the cold climate of Toula, four hundred
and eighty miles farther north than Quebec
it is considered the hardest and most pro
ductive appletree. A young tree, twelve
years planted, was pointed out as having
produced crop of eight poods. GA pood il
thirtysix pounds.) They stood where othe
kinds had been destroyed by cold winter
That winter the thermometer fell to forty
six degrees and in some places fifty-one de
grees below zero, and the Antonovka il
there the leading apple. Some large tree
are reported to have yielded crops of twenty
seven pools, or nearly half a ton. 1t is tn,
commercial apple of that section. Tn,
fruit is large, sometimes very large, yellow
ish, oblong, acid or sub-acid, rather coarst
in texture. Mr.. Glib doubts if it will keel
much longer than Fameuse, though it il
kept all winter in Russia.
Mr.. Glib gives descriptions and outline
of large number of other Russian apples
but we will not further refer TO them here.
In pears the Russians are quite successful
in very cold sections, but the fruit is no
generally of high quality for the dessert
Pear trees are called the very hardest of al
trees in Simbrsk on the Volga, where the
are set out for ornamental purposes in tn
public square. These are seedlings, how
ever, or what is called "wild pears" Tn
dark, glossy foliage is very ornamental
The hardest sort that bears edible frui
among the Russian pears is the Tonkovietks
1t is fairly good eating pear. Anothe
variety, less hardy, is the Bessemianka 70
seedless). 1t is by far the best pear grow
in the severer parts of Russia. The fruit i
OF medium size, green, with some russell
brown, tender, juicy, quite free from astrin
gency, mild and pleasant, almost butter,
Season, early October. There is Bergs
motte family of pears of which a late variet
is recommended by Mr.. Glib, but he is no
sure about the name. Another Bergamott
called Sapieganke, pretty hardy, and wit
good fruit, which Mr.. Glib says is tn
Bergamotte rond d etc, or round summe
Bergamotte, is grown successfully at wilma
Riga, and Voronesh. Mr.. Glib here make
a note of a pear introduced into Iowa fron
Sweden called by Iowa Crassane Bergs
motte, but declared by Mr.. Downing TO
the Btzi de la Motte. The fruit is medium
buttery, and of a delicate sweet flavor. Tn
tree seems hardy in Iowa, and is calle
promising but not iron clad" MIR. Glib
gives considerable list Of. other Mort
European pears regarded as more or lea
hardy, productive and good.
There is a family of hardy cherries i
Russia Of which MIR. Glib speaks in YER