46 Mississippi Valley Horticultural Society. 



THE VIGOR OF THE PLANT. 



That the Wilson plant is not as robust as many other varieties of the straw- 

 berry will scarcely be questioned by any one, certainly by none who have 

 cultivated the Crescent, Piper, Cumberland Triumph, Kentucky, and others 

 of like constitutional vigor. It is now almost universally conceded that va- 

 rieties of trees, and more esjiecially of plants, deteriorate. Whether this is at- 

 tributable to a tendency to " revert to the original type," as physiologists 

 claim, or whether it is due to continued stimulation through many succes- 

 sive generations, or any other cause, the fact, in the case of this variety at 

 least, is unquestionable. 



The experience of the writer is a fair representation of the general expe- 

 rience of those who have long grown the Wilson and other varieties of straw- 

 berries. Upon the same, or adjoining and similar soil, where, fifteen years 

 since, vines of Wilson were healthy and productive, they are now feeble, 

 make but few plants and give but one-fourth, at most, the fruit they formerly 

 gave; and this, too, where the best plants are used in planting, the ground 

 enriched with manure, and good care given in the cultivation. 



Samuel Edwards, of Mendota, 111., a fruit grower of about forty years' ex- 

 perience, says : " The Wilson does not succeed, and I have excused it." 



E. C. Hathaway, of Ottawa, 111., good authority in small fruits and vegeta- 

 bles, says: "Wilson is losing its vitality — 'petering out ' as it were. I can 

 get no Wilson plants from any source but seem to be in this condition after 

 the first year." 



Charles Myers, of Toulon, 111., writes, in report to State Horticultural So- 

 ciety: "Wilsons have run out. Charles Downing is the most successful 

 berry here." 



Geo. J. Kellogg, of Wisconsin, writes: " Captain Jack is best. The leaf of 

 Wilson suffers from rust, while leaf of Captain Jack does not rust at all." 



Wm. Jackson, Godfrey, 111., who grows fruits for market, says : " I have 

 discarded Wilson, except that I keep a few for old acquaintance's sake." 



John Howard, of Alton, remarked in the Alton Horticultural Society: "If 

 I were growing berries for fun, I might plant the Wilson." He stated that 

 an acre of Downing produced 2,204 quarts, while an acre of Wilson, on good 

 ground, and well cared for, gave but 240 quarts. 



James E. Starr, ex-President Illinois Horticulturaf Society, wrote : " The 

 Charles Downing is now considered to be ahead in our district (the Alton 

 district)." 



Capt. D. Stewart, of Upper Alton, 111., says: " I will plant no more Wil- 

 sons." 



B. F. Smith, of Kansas : " Wilson is the chief variety ; the vines have 

 rusted badly." 



There are, however, many localities in which the plants are satisfactorily 

 vigorous, and especially in virgin soil not highly stimulated by manures. 

 For instance, we have good evidence that in some localities in Wisconsin, 

 in Western Michigan, and in Southern Illinois, the plants are vigorous ant\ 

 healthy; but these are exceptional. 



