EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 167 



NOTES ON SMALL FRUITS. 



BY M. L. DEAN. 



STRAWBERRIES. 



Bulletin No. 206. 



The soason of 1902 was unfavorable for the growing of strawberries 

 of the best quality. Late frosts in some localities ruined the earlier 

 berries and more or less impaired the quality of the general crop. The 

 extremely wet weather retarded the development of pollen and many 

 blossoms were not properly fertilized, causing many green-tipped, poor- 

 ly formed, knotty berries. There was a tendency, however, for the ber- 

 ries to be of extra size, but they were rather soft and lacked in flavor. 

 This in a measure affected the scoring of the varieties and improved the 

 rating of some, while others rated low in color, texture and flavor. The 

 varieties having imperfect blossoms showed the most serious lack in 

 fertilization. 



NOTES ON THE NEWER VARIETIES. 



Auto. — Received from Slaymaker & Son, Dover. Del. The flowers are 

 perfect. The vines are very vigorous and hardy; foliage small but 

 dense. There seems to be a tendency to throw an excess of runners, 

 and they should be kept well pruned to encourage fruit development. 

 The plants are very productive and developed a large percentage of im- 

 perfect, irregular berries. Late frosts and cold, wet weather might 

 have caused much of this trouble. The berries are uniformly large, 

 round, conical, bright crimson; flesh pink, pleasant and desirable in 

 quality. For vigor and productiveness the variety seems to be of much 

 promise. The uniformity of berries through the season is a striking 

 peculiarity. The berries ripened two days later than Haverland. 



Belle of La Crosse. — Received from John A. Salzer, La Crosse, Wis. 

 Flowers perfect; foliage medium size, dense, dark, glossy green; fruit 

 stems are very numerous, stout and upright. The berries are of medium 

 size, broad, round conic, regular, bright crimson, and thickly covered 

 with seed, which makes them very attractive. The pulp is firm, reddish, 

 rather acid, but pleasing. 



A very productive sort and promises to be of some value as an early 

 market variety. 



Cameron's Early. — Received from D. Brandt, Bremen, Ohio. Flowers 

 perfect. The vines are extremely strong growers, and have long, stout, 

 upright leaf stems; leaves large, coarse, dense, light green, and show a 

 tendency to rust. 



The fruit was lacking, in proportion to the growth of vines. Frost 

 hurt them badly, so it is hard to judge as to productiveness without fur- 

 ther trial. They blossom full, but the fruit stems are lacking in ber- 

 ries. They are stout and upright; berries usually round, regular, conic, 

 some slightly elongated and a little irregular ; color, bright crimson ; tex- 



