ctors , ▁which ▁was ▁a ▁rare ▁skill ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 5 , ▁he ▁helped ▁him ▁travel ▁to ▁a ▁state ▁farm ▁in ▁Ch ern ig ov ▁in ▁the ▁Ukraine . ▁John ▁earned ▁a ▁small ▁st ip end ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁tra ctor ▁drivers ▁on ▁the ▁farm , ▁which ▁grew ▁whe at , ▁be ets , ▁and ▁cab bage . ▁When ▁he ▁returned ▁to ▁Moscow ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁summer ▁on ▁the ▁way ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁he ▁paid ▁a ▁visit ▁to ▁V av il ov ▁to ▁thank ▁him ▁for ▁the ▁opportunity ▁and ▁during ▁that ▁visit , ▁V av il ov ▁offered ▁him ▁accept ance ▁to ▁the ▁Tim iry az ev ▁All - Union ▁Academy ▁for ▁Agricult ural ▁Sciences , ▁which ▁was ▁the ▁top ▁agricult ural ▁school ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . S . R . ▁John ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁delay ▁his ▁Corn ell ▁Sch olar ship ▁for ▁one ▁year . ▁He ▁spent ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 5 - 3 6 ▁academic ▁year ▁in ▁Moscow , ▁and ▁then ▁moved ▁to ▁Corn ell ▁University ▁the ▁following ▁year . ▁ ▁During ▁course ▁registration ▁at ▁Corn ell ▁University , ▁John ▁met ▁Herbert ▁H ice ▁Wh etz el , ▁the ▁founder ▁of ▁the ▁Corn ell ▁University ▁Department ▁of ▁Plant ▁Path ology ▁and ▁Wh etz el ▁convinced ▁him ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁plant ▁path ologist . ▁John ▁completed ▁his ▁under grad uate ▁studies ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 9 ▁and ▁his ▁Ph . D . ▁(" The ▁rust ▁of ▁green house - g