430 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



During the same discussion Mr. Barry remarked : " The Triomphe de Gand 

 has been tested all over the country, and everywhere the experience has been, 

 that it is a large berry, excellent in flavor, standing the sun well in summer, 

 and enduring the cold of our winter without injury. It, is also quite pro- 

 ductive." 



Again at the session of the same Society at Boston, in September, 1863, this 

 variety was very fully considered. In the course of this discussion Mr. Barry 

 remarked: "We imported the Triomphe de Gand originally from Belgium; 

 we had it for eight or ten years ; for a long time we confined it to a small spot, 

 having no faith in foreign varieties." * * * "Itisfound to possess a greater 

 degree of hardiness and vigor than any other foreign variety, and has attained 

 a greater degree of popularity in our section than any other strawberry." * * * 

 "I don't say that for profit it will come up to some other varieties." 



In 1864, at the "Agriculturist's Show," this variety took the first prize as 

 the best market berry, also for the largest three berries, — also a special prize. 



At the June meeting of the Western New York Fruit Grower's Society, in 

 1867, twenty-eight members balloted upon a selection of six varieties for ama- 

 teur purposes ; all the ballots included Triomphe de Gand, — Wilson's Albany 

 standing at twenty-two. 



Downing's description characterizes this fruit so fully, as well as justly, that 

 ^ve give his notice, entire, as follows : 



" The Triomphe de Gaud is a Belgium variety, which appears to stand our 

 climate and produce more crops in more localities than any other foreign sort. 

 The vines are vigorous, hardy, moderately productive, and well suited to strong 

 clayey soils; requires high cultivation, and to be grown in hills. Hermaphro- 

 dite. 



" Fruit, large, roundish obtuse, sometimes coxcomb-shape, bright, rich red 

 next the calyx, almost greenish white at point, glossy as if varnished; seeds 

 light yellow, brown near the surface. Flesh firm, white, a little hollow at core, 

 juicy, with a peculiar, rich, and agreeable flavor." 



No. 3.— DOWNER'S PROLIFIC. 



This variety seems to have been first introduced to the public in 1858 by 

 means of the following certificate : 



" At the request of J. S. Downer, proprietor of Forest Nursery, near Elkton, 

 Ky., we, the undersigned, met at his house on the 29th day of May, 1858, to 

 examine a seedling strawberry raised by him, and now bearing its third crop of 

 fruit, and after a careful examination of the plants and fruit, and a compar- 

 ison with a number of the most popular varieties of this fruit under cultivation, 

 such for instance as McAvoy's Superior, Hovey's Seedling, Hooker's Seed- 

 ling, Burr's New Pine, Myatt's Deptford Pine, Longworth's Prolific, etc., we 

 submit the following report and description : 



" Vines remarkably large and vigorous, of a pale green color, resembling 

 Peabody's New Hautboy ; fruit stalks long and erect, fruit of the largest size, 

 roundish oval, of a bright scarlet color. Flesh moderately firm, rich, juicy, 

 high-flavored, and excellent. Ripens early, and continues in bearing for a long 

 time. Flowers hermaphrodite. 



" We regard the introduction of this strawberry, which we propose to call 

 Downer's Prolific Seedling, as a triumph. Its productiveness surpasses any- 

 thing that we had ever conceived of in this fruit. We counted upwards of fifty 

 very large, ripe berries upon a single plant, with a great number of unripe 

 ones, in the various stages of development, from the bloom to the perfect berry, 

 and this, perhaps, was not more than an average of the entire bed. 



