THE NINE STRAWBERRIES. 435 



by "W. F. Heikes, at the June meeting of the Montgomery county Horticultu- 

 ral Society ; who concludes his notice of this variety by saying : " For my own 

 garden and table I would give the variety preference over all others." 



In Michigan it is understood to be generally satisfactory. My own experi- 

 ence and observation of it are certainly of a highly encouraging character. 



Downing says of it: "Plant very vigorous and very productive. Herma- 

 phrodite. 



" Fruit very large, nearly regular, conical, deep scarlet. Seeds brown and 

 yellow, rather deep. Flesh quite firm, pink, juicy, sweet, rich." 



No. 8.— THE MICHIGAN 



Is a seedling, originating with B. Hathaway, of Little Prairie Ronde, Cass 

 county, Michigan, who sent it out on or about the year 1858. During this year 

 some account of several seedlings of his, designated by numbers, was contrib- 

 uted by him to the Western Eural ; of these number, one is understood to 

 designate the variety subsequently named Michigan. Of this he says: "For 

 field cultivation it will take the lead; the berry is light scarlet in color; 

 about the size of the Wilson; with fewer small ones; hang on the vine well; 

 and as to fruitfulness it is a marvel to behold. One hill, in no way remark- 

 able from the other, produced one and one-third quarts, or at the rate of four 

 quarts to three hills." 



In the "editor's portfolio" of the Horticulturist for October, 18G9, under 

 the head of " Hints on Selection of Varieties of Fruit for fall transplanting," 

 we find the following notice of this variety : " x\s far as our experience has 

 gone, we have found it the finest in growth of all the varieties we cultivate. 

 Ic seems to succeed in any soil, and especially a sandy one, and we have hopes 

 that it will justify the anticipations we have formed of it. We observe that 

 Messrs. Purdy & Johnson are also highly pleased with it. ' The plant is the 

 nearest, in foliage and vigor, to the Wilson, of any sort we have ever tried.' 

 Fruit light scarlet, uniform in size; round to flattish; medium to large; very 

 productive; flavor excellent; firm, and will undoubtedly bear carriage a long 

 distance." 



During the same month, the Gardener's Monthly, under the head of "New 

 and Pare Fruits," notices the Michigan as follows: "While on Mr. Adair's 

 grounds, at Detroit, last summer, he pointed out this variety in his collection. 

 It was not in condition for us to offer an opinion, but Mr. Adair siDoke very 

 highly of it." It was introduced in 1868. An exchange says of it: "Raised 

 by B. Hathaway, of Little Prairie Ronde, Michigan ; a week or ten days later 

 than the Wilson, said to keep better, more even size, and finer fruit." 



It seems still to have maintained its standing in 1870, as we find the Horti- 

 culturist, in x\ugust of that year, indulging in a "chat about strawberries," in 

 which he remarks: ^^ Michigan Seedling is exceedingly vigorous, with dark 

 green, healthy leaves, and extremely large stools ; very productive ; fruit only 

 of medium size; light crimson color; moderately firm; not as much so as the 

 Wilson ; flavor pleasant, excellent, and good ; desirable for family use." 



In a series of notes on strawberries in central Massachusetts, Mr. James 

 Draper, of Worcester, heretofore quoted, thus speaks of its success there dur- 

 ing the trying season of 1870: "A hardy, healthy, vigorous plant; enor- 

 mously productive ; fruit of the average size, and fair quality ; very promising." 



It was sent to me by the originator soon after its introduction to the public, 

 together with two others. I tried it in rows and also in beds with very satis- 



