The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-11-21

one Russian (Red Astrachan) among the
four best early apples; in the middle dis
trict two among four, (Red Astrachan
and Duchess of Oldenburgh with favora'
BILE mention of another, Tetofsky) while
in the western district the only two early
varieties recommended are Red Astrachsn
and Duchess of Oldenburgh. When we
consider that up to few years ago the
above named, with one exception, were the
only Russian apples known in America,
and that the other variety, Alexander, is
recommended on select fruit lists all over
the country, we think there is little reason
to hold that Russian apples are Of small
Importance to so cold state as Vermont
Among the later imported Russian apples
there is cause to believe that the Yellow
Transparent is likely to be popular almost
everywhere as one of the best and most
profitable of very early dessert and market
fruits. Growers may, therefore, still be
encouraged to continue the tests. We
feel some satisfaction in having been the
first in this country to note the merits of
this splendid August apple, and to dis
tributes cions and buds of it to the extent
of over 5000 through all the north
ern states and Canada.
Among other of what are called the
department Russians (because i'm
ported by the United States Department
of Agriculture in 1870, we consider st.
Peters, fine, red, early, fall dessert apple.
Prolific Sweeting, large yellow Septem-
Der sweet apple of excellent quality for
baking or dessert, and Switzer, fruit
similar to Red Astrachan and of the same
season, but with far better flavor, (some
thing like Fameuse), all as being worthy
of general planting, the trees being /" iron
clad" in the coolest sections, healthy
strong growers, aud abundantly pro-
ductive.
We have as yet been rather slow in
getting hold of Russian winter apples, but
they have them, and they are now being
brought to light. We have three now in
fruit, Borsdorf, Little Seeding and Long
fl I'D, all valuable apples, keeping through
winter, and only Objectionable on account
of their size, being about the same as
Fameuse. But among the recent impor-
tations by Budd and Glib are some very
large, fine winter sorts. the fruit of which
is every desirable. Arabskoe is as large as
the Baldwin, and similar in appearance /;
Antonovka, "the commercial apple of
the Russian steppes, is of good size, ap-
pearance and quality, good tree and a
heavy bearer, yellow in color the Titovka,
a large handsome fruit, heavily striped
with red. and keeping probably about
with Wealthy or Founding; and the
Bogdanoff (meaning -" God-given y which
Mr.. Glib describes as large, handsome
and long keeping variety, productive, and
of high quality. Here are few out of a
considerable list of Russian winter apples,
all of which are now in the country and
being propagated for distribution. In ad.
dition to these, and perhaps superior to
any, are the varieties of the Anis, of
which we have heretofore spoken. Within
a few years scions of all these sorts will be
ready for distribution, and there can be
scarcely doubt than some at least among
them will rank as we'll in the standard
lists of keeping apples as the early Rus
SLAMS already do among our summer and
fall varieties. Aud certainly they will be
a godsend to the cold places where none
but the Russians can stand the severe
winters,