214 TRANSACTIONS OF THE HORTICULTURAL 



and that dnriiii; the period of hloomiri«^. As such was the existing 

 condition of things here last season, therefore the cause of my utter- 

 ing these expressions. 



Tliere was no complaint to be made of the prices which small 

 fruits Ijrought in the markets in my locality last year. Oh, no! 

 But with all the big })rices the amount of the receipts didn't over- 

 burden any grower of ray acquaintance. Had I a full crop, at the 

 prices obtained however. I might, quite likely, have now become a 

 "bloated bondholder'' or ^' sich ;" but from such a misfortune kind 

 nature fortunately ( ? ) rescued me. If it was a question as to how 

 to grow vines regardless of fruit, then I might spread myself in the 

 endeavor to enlighten this Society. But what do we want vines for 

 without fruit? and as I can grow the vines, but have — yes, for 

 two years — failed to grow profitable crops of fruit. I guess I'll 

 sound this Society for a little information. 



I desire to find some good — or if it is not very good it does 

 not matter. much — strong-growing, hardy variety of strawberry: 

 one that is as prolific in the jiroduction of good sound pollen as the 

 Wilson for instance; that can stand grief enough that when one set 

 of blossoms are killed by the frost it will throw up another set. and 

 Avill still continue so doing as long and as often as tliey may be cut 

 down or destroyed by the late spring frosts. I want such a variety 

 to plant alternately with the Crescent to fertilize or fecundate its 

 imperfect flowers: and if I can only find such an one, then I will 

 settle down on those two varieties for riiotieif, and leave the others, 

 old and new, for somebody else to experiment with. 



The blossoms of the Crescent, with the young fruit, were frozen 

 down three times last season, and each time she threw up flower 

 trusses and bloomed again, and had the frosts continued she might 

 have kept on blooming all summer. I have always had faith in the 

 Crescent since I first saw her, and I am not going to give her up yet. 

 If I only had a f/enfJeinari c/aJhinf as hardy and persistent in bloom- 

 ing as she to stay with her, I know I would get fruit even if it took 

 all summer. Now, is there any variety that is perfect flowering that 

 will fill the bill? With me. Captain Jack comes the nearest to per- 

 fection as a late l)loomer of any I have thus far seen or tried, but 

 he can't stand much frost while in bloom. 



Currants were the most profitable of any of the small fruits 

 which I raised last year. The quantity was about the average, and 

 they sold in Chicago at an average price of one dollar and a half 

 per crate of sixteen quarts. Currants seem now to be the neglected 

 crop, and each year the prices in the large markets go higher. No 

 cro]), in my estimation, is easier to raise: no crop is surer or more 

 profitable if properly cultivated. A little shade is quite beneficial, 

 and high manuring, even with green manures, will not hurt it. 

 Mulching is beneficial, and thorough pruning absolutely necessary in 

 order to reach the best results. Red and White Dutch are the most 

 reliable varieties to plant. 



