The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-10-31
More About Russian Fruits.

Professor Budd, the horticultural in
structor of the Iowa Agricultural Col
lege, has favored us with several letters
in regard to this subject, so interesting
to many farmers in Northern Vermont
Under date of July IS, referring to
Russian winter apples, he says: About
Babuschino Grandmother apple) we
first.supposed our importation and the
Agricultural Department apple, (num-
Der 469,) the same. We first grew the
latter, but it proved only moderately
hardy. Now we grow the true sort
from central Russia. Perhaps yours
is the Department apple. Surely it is,
if it is slightly tender with you. So of
Good Peasant. We did think, only
two years ago, that the Department No.
3S7 was the true Good Peasant, but it
proves Longfield, though l think with
slight variation. True Good Peasant
is an erect grower in nursery. am
rapidly clearing up the Russian names.
AS rule, our Moscow importation is
correctly named, and also those from
Orel and Veronesk. But the latter had
mixed cions in it, coming, l think, from
the practice, on the college grounds at
Voronesk, of growing many sorts top
grated on one tree"
We observe that in all far northern
localities, where only few varieties
endure the climate, it is much more the
custom than farther south to grow Or
chards largely or entirely of one kind.
When this is done, there being no mix
ing of varieties in the bloom, the seed
lings which may grow very generally
resemble the parent variety. We have
found this to be so in Canada. We
have had unusual opportunities, as
Judge of fruit at the Montreal Horti-
cultural Society's shows for a success
sion of.years, to see great number of
these seedlings; and they almost uni
versally show more or less of the
Fameuse type. We are sometimes
asked whether there is more than one
kind of Fameuse. We should feel safe
in saying that in the Province of Que
bee hundred different seeding apples
can be found which do not differ suf-
ficiently from Fameuse in appearance
to be certainly distinguished by sight
alone, even by a skilled observer. This
being the case, it is not remarkable
that we have from Russia what seems
to be an extensive duplication of sorts.
Thus, there are Yellow Transparent,
Grand Sultan and Charlottenthaler;-
three apples, the fruit on the trees of
which cannot be separated with GER
tainty when mixed, even by an eX-
perienced hand yet long experience
in growing them has proved to us that
they differ greatly in hardness, when
grown side by side, and are plainly not
one and the same, though so much
alike. 1t is the same with the Aport
family of Russian apples, of which the
best known sort in this country is the
Alexander. We have an unnamed
Russian tree, the fruit of which no one
can certainly discriminate from Alex
ander by its appearance, which is dis
tinctly different and better in quality,
when eaten. The Duchess of Olden-
burgh has twin in the Berkoff, so far
as looks go, yet quite distinct in quail
ity when tasted There seems also to
be Longfield" family, or rather a
family TO which Longfield belongs.
We cannot distinguish the tree of
Longfeld from English Pippin, but the
fruit is quite distinct. So it seems
highly probable that the Russian apples
will require much testing and sitting,
before we can settle on the best fam
lilies, and the best members of those
families. AS this process goes on, we
shall undoubtedly find more and more
good winter kinds among them.
In the letter quoted, Professor Budd
speaks of a Russian apple which has
been grown many years by our friend
Aaron Webster of East Roxbury, VT, )
No. 1924 of the Department lst-the
German Calville. He says: I" l like it
very much, and it is perfectly hardy in
tree. 1t is large, heavy, firm-heshed