Tlie Best Strawberries for Home Use and for Market. 87 



I have not been expert enough to discriminate so as to give one preference 

 over another. 



These named varieties have been carefuUj^ selected from the many I have 

 fruited, after a thorough test (except Mt. Vernon*), through a series of years 

 embracing favorable as well as very unfavorable seasons, with an eye espe- 

 cially to hardiness and vigor of plant and reliable bearing; with a single 

 exception, (Sharpless), fruit of the largest size and of superior quality form- 

 ing a succession from early to late. While I do not claim perfection in any 

 one of these, I doubt if an equal number could be selected from our present 

 long list that would rival these in number of desirable merits, or with as few 

 faults. • 



The Sharpless is all that could be desired in plant and fruit when one can 



get tt, but it has not proved wholly reliable with me, being easily touched 



by frost and liable to rot of a wet season. Yet, I would recommend it in 



•every family collection and trust to Providence for protection against frost 



and rot. 



THE BEST STRAWBERRIES FOR MARKET. 



This heading necessarily calls for two lists : one for a near market and one 

 for distant markets. 



We often see varieties recommended for home use or a near market. 

 What are we to understand by the term near market? My idea is, this 

 should be governed by circumstances. Where shipping facilities are favor- 

 able, a near market may be at one's door, or two hundred and fifty miles dis- 

 tant, or any distance ovir fast trains can make, receiving the fruit late in the 

 afternoon of the day it is picked and putting it on an early market next 

 morning. For this purpose, I can only improve on my family list by adding 

 •Crescent. 



My principal market is Cincinnati, distant about two hundred and fifty 

 miles, to which I have shipped more or less of all these named varieties, ex- 

 cept Mt. Vernon; even when fairly ripe had them to arrive in good condi- 

 tion and bring the top of the market. 



THE BEST STRAWBERRIES FOR DISTANT iMARKETS. 



The hst under this head is very short, and not very sweet, namely, Wilson 

 and'Glendale. Since the introduction of the Wilson it has outranked all 

 others as a shipper, has proved nearer a success everywhere than perhaps 

 any other, has been, and doubtless is yet, more extensively grown for com- 

 mercial purposes than any other. "Why so?" Simply on account of its 

 coloring two or three days before it is ripe. Picked as soon as colored, which 

 it generally is for long shipments, it will carry hundreds of miles and be in 

 good condition for a few hundred more. This premature coloring and its 



-The Mt. Vernon is of recent introduction— not so thoroughly tested as the others. From its 

 good record, so far, I feel warranted in giving it a place in my list. 



