STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. ng 



DISCUSSION UPON STRAWBERRIES. 



A. H. Gaston. — I will name for Dr. Schrceder the Crescent and 

 Wilson — placing the Crescent at the head for home use and home 

 market, and Wilson at the head to ship. 



Secretary Galusha. — I make the growing of berries my specialty, 

 and test fairly and fully every variety which gives promise of success, 

 and, with twenty-five years' experience, think that I am competent to 

 judge. If I know about anything I know strawberries. The Wilson has 

 been among strawberries what the Concord has among grapes, as far as 

 the market value of the crop is concerned ; but this can no longer be 

 said of it in any soil or location. Wherever, as yet tried, it will succeed 

 well, Capt. Jack (its offspring) will succeed better as a market berry, 

 being larger, of better quality and more prolific. There are several 

 others which now surpass our good old friend the Wilson. Sharpless, 

 Miner, Charles Downing, Continental, are excellent shippers. 



Planted side by side on my grounds, and with same care. Crescent 

 has borne more than two bushels to one of Wilson, but it is not as firm 

 to ship (though Capt. Jack is as firm). 



Mr. Webster, — The Crescent does well at Centralia, but Wilson is 

 best for shipping. We have made more money out of Charles Downing 

 for shipping than any other sort ; Prouty also does well with us, and 

 many of the other new varieties bear well ; but the crown-borer is so 

 destructive that we have to plow up our beds as soon as they have borne 

 one crop, and plant again on fresh ground. 



Dr. Humphrey. — In selecting lists of strawberries we must make 

 allowances for locality and soil, as a variety which is first-class with me 

 may be almost valueless with another. 



Mr. Robison. — I would like to ask Mr. Galusha if he has fruited 

 Sharpless. 



Mr. Galusha. — I have quite a large plantation of Sharpless set in 

 October of 1878 and last spring, and allowed a portion of them to fruit ; 

 I can say that it is a magnificent fruit. 



J. T. Johnson. — The only use I now have for Wilson is to use as a 

 fertilizer for other sorts; I get more fruit from Crescent, Russell, Down- 

 ing and Kentucky than Wilson. 



The Secretary. — I wish those who still adhere to Wilson as a 

 market sort (and no one contends that it is a really good berry to eat) 

 would plant Capt. Jack and Wilson side by side and they will then 



