DIVISION OF HORTICULTURE 297 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



sprightly flavour; quality good; stone large, flattened, cling. Season late September. 

 A very promising plum, large, of attractive appearance, of firm texture. Should 

 prove to be a good shipper. 



Firmana (Consul seedling). — Large; oval, wedge, slightly lopsided; cavity 

 medium to large, medium depth; suture indistinct; apex flattened; yellow, mottled 

 and washed with carmine-red; predominant colour carmine-red; dots few, medium 

 size, around apex; bloom moderate; skin medium thick; flesh yellow, firm, somcv 

 dry; sweet to insipid flavour; quality medium; stone large, bean shaped, flattened, 

 free; season late September. A plum possessing pre-eminently the characteristics of 

 a good shipping fruit. Ten fruits weighed 10 ounces. 



Hazel (Gloria seedling). — Large; rounded ovate; cavity shallow, medium; suture 

 indistinct, fairly clearly lined; apex rounded; yellow, generally entirely overspr- 

 with a dull, rich red; predominant colour dull, rich red; dots, medium to large, dis- 

 tinct, yellow, bloom moderate; skin thick, tough, but agreeable; flesh golden yellow, 

 juicy, moderately firm; sweet flavour; good quality; stone large, elongated ovate, 

 flattened. Season mid-September. A very attractive plum of considerable promise. 



Rhoda (Cheney seedling). — Large; oval (regular); cavity broad, moderately deep 

 to shallow; suture slightly depressed, faintly lined; apex rounded; dark red; pre- 

 dominant colour dark red; dots small, numerous, indistinct; bloom none to slight; 

 skin fairly thin, tough, peels when ripe; flesh rich orange-yellow, firm, juicy; sweet, 

 rich, pleasant flavour; good quality; stone broadly oval, dark colour, semi-free. 

 Season mid-September. A good plum. 



Vesta (Gloria seedling). — Large to very large, oval; cavity medium to large, 

 shallow; suture slightly depressed, fairly clearly lined; apex swollen, opposite suture; 

 yellow overspread by bright pink to dark carmine-red; predominant colour light ear- 

 mine-red; dots medium to large, distinct, yellowish; bloom moderate; skin thick, 

 slightly bitter; flesh yellow, juicy, firm, meaty, sweet, distinctive flavour; good 

 quality; stone large, flattened, oval, nearly free. Season late September. One of the 

 best. Ten fruits weighed 12 ounces. Attractive, large, firm, of good quality; skin 

 somewhat tough. 



SEEDLING STEAWBEKBIES. 



While seedling strawberries have not been grown on a very large scale at the 

 Central Experimental Earm, a limited number of plants have been raised from seed, 

 though none of these was hand pollinated. Of 650 seedlings which fruited in 1889, 

 forty were saved at first and these were gradually reduced in numbers, but none was 

 thought worthy of, introduction. In 1897, about 1,400 seedlings were raised from 

 some of the best named varieties. These were gradually reduced to thirty-four, 

 among which were some of great promise. In the winter of 1905-6, these were 

 practically all winter-killed, so that nothing came of this experiment. In 1906, seed 

 was sown of Bubach, Wm. Belt, and Marshall, and while the number of these which 

 fruited was small, there being only ninety seedlings of Bubach, seventy-three of Wm. 

 Belt and seven of Marshall, the proportion of very promising varieties has been large. 

 None of the Marshall seedlings, though good in quality, were productive, but so 

 promising were the others that in 1912, there were still being grown thirty-seven 

 Bubach seedlings and twenty-four Wm. Belt seedlings. Both Bubach and Wm. Belt 

 would appear to be excellent mothers to use in breeding strawberries. 



Twenty-one of the best of these sixty-one seedlings have been named as follows: 

 Bianca, Cassandra, Celia, Cordelia, Desdemona, Erancesca, Helena, Ilermia, Julia, 

 Lavinia, Lucetta, Mariana, Miranda, Octavia, Olivia, Ophelia, Portia, Silvia, Valeria, 

 Viola, Virgilia, these being names of Shakespeare's heroines. It is proposed to send 

 these out to the branch Experimental Farms and other places for further test. Follow- 

 ing are descriptions of thirteen of these varieties : — 



