86 Mississijypi Valley Horticultural Society. 



ren. Perhaps no gentleman in this country is better qualified from 

 a long and intelligent experience to tell us what are the best varie- 

 ties for home use, and which are best for market. I invite your 

 attention to Mr. Webb's paper. 



THE BEST STRAWBERRIES FOR HOME USE AND FOR MARKP:T. 



BY A. D. WEBB, OF KENTUCKY. 



Ever since I attached myself to a horticultural society I have endeavored 

 to make myself useful by comi^lying, to the best of rny ability, with every 

 request made of me in the interest of horticulture. Permit me to say I 

 could but feel highly complimented on receipt of a request to have my ijame 

 appear in the programme of business as one of the contributors to this 

 meeting. 



Permit me to say further, that my presence on this occasion is coupled with 

 a double pleasure, being the first meeting of this Society it has been my 

 privilege to attend, also my first visit to the Crescent City. Consequently I 

 expect to be abundantly rewarded for the sacrifice of a few days' time and a 

 few dollars, in what I may see of interest and what I may learn and profit 

 by in the future. 



The subject lam billed for is, "The Best Strawberries for Home Use and 

 for Market," a very difficult one to handle satisfactorily to any one but my- 

 self. There being such a variety of soils and localities to accommodate, so 

 many tastes to please, that an effort on my part to name a half dozen varie- 

 ties as the best for family use, expecting my list to meet with general ap- 

 proval, would be an effort to accomplish an impossibility. I doubt if two 

 parties representing the same locality would be a unit on a similar list. 

 Therefore, I merely propose to exercise my own judgment in inx selection, 

 based upon practical experience and close observation, as to the best for my 

 locality, as well as others where they have or will jirove equally successful. 



Allow me to further preface by saying, that I have been engaged in grow- 

 ing strawberries, both for home use and for market, for the last twenty- five 

 years (more, however, in the capacity of an amateur than as a large com- 

 mercial grower), during which time it has been my pleasure, and I might 

 add misfortune, financially, to fruit on my own grounds not less than one 

 hundred and fifty varieties, a verj- large per cent, of my investments ranging 

 in price from two to five dollars per dozen plants — went back on their good 

 record, or rather what was claimed for them, and proved not worth a nickel. 

 I merely refer to this to show that I have had quite a long list from which 

 to skim the cream. 



I now name the following varieties as the best for family use, viz. : Cum- 

 berland Triumph, Mt. Vernon, Warren, Longfellow, Monarch, Chas. Down- 

 ing, and last, though not least, Sharj^less. 



I do not propose them to stand in the order named, as, in a few instances, 



