THE CALL of Minnesota, in 1867-8, to the National Department of Agriculture, for an importation of apple trees from the country that had supplied the only good varieties (Oldenburgh and Te. tofsky) which, up to that time, had been found able to resist the test winters of that region, was responded to with a surprising degree of completeness. Even to-day, with all the after-raking of the Budd-Gibb expedition, it would be difficult to find in many orchards any bearing apple trees of this race not included in that list. This is not said with any view of disparaging the labors of those gentlemen. Far from that; the critical study of Russian pomology made by them has brought order out of the chaos of the Department list, and has bestowed upon us all the ironclad pears, plums and cherries required to complete our supply of tree fruits, and place northern orchard-ists on something like an equality with those of the rest of the country. In apples, the work, now proceeding under the hands of Professor Budd, in discriminating varieties and eliminating synonyms, and also in classifying the whole list according to the merits of each variety, as to quality and climatic adaptation, cannot be over-rated. Professor Budd, in the most laborious and careful way, is doing for the iron-clad fruits what the Downings did for the longer known varieties.

No one has had more reasons for gratitude to him for this work than myself.

But as intimated above, the drag-net of the Departments Russian correspondent operated very thoroughly. Just 250 named varieties are given in the original printed list, sent out with the cions. But these cions were distributed so miscellaneously and unintelligently that it is not very probable that more than one-half of the varieties are accessible, even if existent. Instead of being sent to nurserymen in the northern tier of states, or to leading orchardists in that section, they were sent in the same way as garden seeds. The larger quantity thus went outside the limit within which they might have proved specially valuable ; and worse still, they went to hundreds of men in the section where they were needed, who had no stocks upon which to graft them, even if they knew how to graft. Even where they may have been used, and proved valuable to the user, they were generally hid in out-of-the-way places, and practically buried from the public. I cannot learn, after much inquiry, that a single variety from this distribution was ever propagated in Maine or New Hampshire; and I am one of but three persons in Vermont who are known to have received and propagated them.

There must have been some careless labelling, for among the ten varieties sent to me, one which proved to be very closely related to Alexander, if not identical, bad the label of "Riabinouka," which is described as a small apple by Dr. Regel, of St. Petersburgh.

As rapidly as I could, I acquired others in this list from my correspondents, east and west, as soon as fruited. In this way I got Grand Sultan from D. W. Adams, of Waukon, Iowa (now of Florida), and Chariot-ten thaler from Professor Budd, who was then a nurseryman at Shellsburgh, in the same state. I also got White Transparent and Sweet Pear from Aaron Webster, of Roxbury, Vt. ; and another apple - the label lost - from Mr. Howard, of West Randolph, Vt. This last was very much like my "Riabinouka," of the Alexander type, yet not quite the same ; and we now know, by way of Messrs. Budd and Gibb, that there are in Russia families of apples (probably seedlings from orchards of single varieties), which produce nearly identical fruit, yet on trees showing considerable differences. The Alexander type is known there as the Aports, while Grand Sultan, Charlottenthaler, Sweet Pear and White and Yellow Transparent are known as the Transparent family.

The Longfield, Good Peasant and English Pippin, as we have them, constitute another family.

Though I was acquainted with the fact of this importation, and received a share in it among the first, twenty years ago, it may appear a singular fact that I have as yet planted and grown extensively but a single variety - the Yellow Transparent. The reason is that among the first sorts I got hold of, though most of them had merit, and all were iron-clad, this was the only one of much commercial value. St. Peters, a nice little early apple, which I nicknamed the "Russian Early Joe," is too small. Prolific Sweeting is a large and admirable fall sweet; but sweet fall apples are not in much demand. Golden White (apparently identical with the "White Russet" of the same list, though possibly only a member of the same family) was too near Oldenburgh in season, and less attractive - though better in quality, and a longer keeper. Green Crimean, Sugar Barbel, Spreading Pipka and Yellow Arcadian have little merit, aside from hardiness.

Of more recent requisitions, I find positive merit in such large, handsome and productive autumn kinds as Titus, Zolotoreff and Switzer, all closely succeeding Oldenburgh, which is my standard variety of that season. But I am not decided yet to select one of these, rather than the Red Beitigheimer, an apple introduced by Ellwanger & Barry as German, but which proves as iron-clad as the Russians. Antonouka and Longfield promise to be worth planting as profitable early winter varieties. The Red and Yellow Anises (much alike, both having considerable color), are too small for market. The same must be said of Borsdorf, a longer keeper of good quality. Getting beyond these, we need time in order to arrive at satisfactory conclusions.

Vermont. T. H. Hoskins.