STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 20I 



Pioneer, one of Mr. Durand's seedlings recently introduced, is a 

 medium grower, with delicate, light-green foliage; fruit of rather large 

 size, medium only in firmness, of good, rather sweet flavor, holding out 

 well in the latter part of the strawberry season. Some growers place it 

 at the head of their lists. 



Essex {or DuramP s Beauty) is one of the best berries in cultivation — 

 large, brilliant, as though varnished, firm, rich, rather sweet. The vines 

 are quite disinclined to form runners, many of the plants not making an 

 average of one new plant per year \ hence the stock of plants of the 

 genuine variety must remain scarce for several years to come. They have 

 proved rather sparse bearers on my grounds, and I will not extend the 

 plantations. 



Star of the West is a luxuriant grower, and on good soils an abundant 

 bearer of quite large, sub-acid fruit, firm enough for shipment from loo 

 to 200 miles by rail. It is more reliable than Monarch of the West, with 

 which it is often compared. Its place (or rank) is not yet fully established. 

 I shall continue its cultivation. 



Crystal City has not fruited on my grounds sufficiently to admit of 

 giving its characteristics. All accounts agree that it ripens earlier than 

 any variety in general cultivation; that the fruit is of good medium size, 

 of fair, not rich flavor, and of only moderate firmness. It may, however, 

 be shipped 100 miles in good order. It is profitable as an early market 

 sort. 



Glendale is highly commended, is a rank grower and fruit said to be 

 very abundant, of a large size, firm, and late. This with Longfellow, 

 Warren, Oceana Chief, Brilliant and others are on trial. 



Sterling is an abundant bearer of good fruit above medium size, but 

 so close to the ground as to render it almost impossible to keep the berries 

 clean. " I shall discontinue its cultivation. 



This long list, it must be borne in mind, contains only the names of 

 *'new fruits," or those comparatively new, and no inference should be 

 drawn from it that the older sorts are to be discarded, and will refer to 

 my report upon strawberries for opinions in respect to some of them. 



Currants. — The only sort which seems to be any improvement upon 

 older sorts is the Long-bunch Holland, which, though many years old, is 

 comparatively unknown. It is a very robust bush, with broad, tough, 

 persistent foliage, bears abundantly of large, long-bunched, red, acid 

 fruit which holds on the canes longer than any of the other sorts. 



Of Gooseberries I have nothing to report from experience, except 

 that I have not found the Downing productive. Mountain Seedling has 

 not been tried. 



A. H. Gaston. — As the Secretary, in this report, has mentioned Mr. 

 Hatheway's Seedling, the Salome, which promises to be of great value to 

 the West, I will call attention, also, to a seedling growing in this county 

 (McLean). The tree is forty years old, hardy and a good bearer, and the 

 fruit said to keep till February and March. 



