Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1884-12-31
RUSSIAN FRUITS FOR AMER!-
CAN PRAiRiES.

\ short review of Professor Budd's "R.ll
ietin," appearing under the above title "a
No &c of this paper, Is construed BY some
of our horticultural correspondents as
hearty endorsement by the writer of the re-
view, of the views of Professor Budd on this
question To quote from letter in hand
~ There are many agents now in our
state Offering such fruits at the fabulous
prices of 81 to Sl.50 per tree" and they
twill use such articles as the one referred to
as an endorsement of their stock; and en-
couragement for people TO buy.
Ii was the intention of the writer of the
article in question to offer only bare state
ment of the contents of Prof. Budds inter
esting little phamphlet, and mainly in the
Professors own words. Unless such refer
ence to that work is itself an encourage
nient to the tree peddler, the only comfort
he would in the article in question would be
found in the last paragraph, which, on sec
ond reading, has been found susceptible of
a misleading Interpretation; although, if
read as was intended c., that the early
dissemination [of trees of these varietiesl
among the intelligent horticulturists Of the
northwest viii soon show TO what extent
they are valuable, and how far the enthusi-
asm of Mr.. Budd is warranted, there
would be found but slender encouragement
to:.the tree buyer to pay the prices quo
ted
Moreover, the Kansas horticulturist, if he
has read the rural papers, and examined the
catalogues Of the dozens of reliable nursery
men who have these trees TO sell at usual
prices, will never be gulled by the misrep-
RESERVATIONS of the tree peddler into paying
81 to S1-50 for rare apple trees, Russian or
otherwise; for he will know that they are as
readily propagated and grown as many
other varieties, and should accordingly be
sold at corresponding prices. Further, for
the tree buyer who will not make use OF
such ordinary means of information there il
no school hut experience; and, if be does
not buy Russian trees at Sl.50, he will pay
that amount, many times perhaps, for some
other peddler's goods of equal reputation,
and his bank account will be no less light at
the end Of the years, without encourage
meut.
Our friend, who l. one OF the most promi-
nent of. the ho-ticulturists Of this state, g.
well as candid and sincere gentleman, will
pardon us for publishing the following ex-
tracts from his letter, which contain facts
that, while generally known among those
familiar with the progress of horticulture,
max be new 10 some OF our readers.
=
of the Russian apples into this state some
ten wears ago, and their absolute failure both
in tree and fruit, should be lesson OF cau-
ton and proof of their non-adaption to
our soil and climate. Some ten or twelve
years ago the nursery firm of Ellwanger &
Berry, Rochester, y. T., whose very name is
a sufficient guaranty for honor, integrity and
intelligence with the horticulturists of the
United States, thinking that there might be
something valuable to our people in the
Russiaa fruits, sent an agent into that coun-
try, who spent the entire summer among the
orchards for the purpose of selecting, during
the fruiting season, such varieties as were
most promising for introduction here.
Cions of such, numbering over 100 varieties.
were taken, and tried in their vast and most
thoroughly conducted experimental gro unds
at Rochester: and these are the results as
reached and published in their catalogue for
1884, viz: We haze spared neither trouble
nor expense to ascertain the true value of
these apples. After having fruited many
of them several times upon our grounds, We
are Of the opinion that few, if any, viii be
valuable for this or similar climates
where the choicest apples can be successfully
grown. But in the colder regions Of this
country, w:le;c only the hardest varieties
succeed. tl.eT viii undoubtedly prove desir
able. All the sorts which have borne fruit
thus far are summer or early fall apples"
'.Such Is the verdict of firm qualified in
every respect for the experimentation as no
other firm in the United States is, and who
were even anxious TO find a valuable acquisi-
ton to our present lists, even at great costs;
and ! would further say that ] am of the
opinion that the conclusion of that firm
,fnan This class of frtlits has haer tho ,.a,isn