356 STATE rOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



occasiou, I lifive been able to do but little more than briefly stetch a few of the- 

 principal points. I have endeavored, as best I could, with the material at 

 hand, the limited time, and my poor abilities, to present for your considera- 

 tion facts that I think prove pretty conclusively the following propositions, 

 viz. : That our soil is unexcelled, and all that can be reasonably desiretl. That 

 our climate is unequalled, and if not all that is desirable, it is at least the best 

 attainable in the northwest. 



February 5th. 



The question for the evening was called, viz. : "What are the best varieties 

 of small fruits for profit?" 



J. G. Ramsdell made some A"ery appropriate remarks in reference to fruit 

 lists. He said these lists neccsarily included sometimes unworthy varieties, but 

 excluded ten to one hundred such where one was included, aiid to the inex- 

 perienced were invaluable. For one, he was ready to prepare a list to-day from 

 the best experience he could collect, and revise it to-morrow, if he could 

 improve it. There were many things to be considered in the recommendation 

 of a certain variety of fruit. Certain qualities were present or absent in a 

 variety which adapted or unfitted it for transportation, for keeping, for eating, 

 for cooking, for canning, or for drying, A variety that possessed the greatest 

 number of desirable qualities was sure to get placed first on the list. As an 

 improvement in preparing a list he would suggest that the ada[)tability of each 

 variety to soil, and climate, and use be expressed in connection. Such a list 

 would be valuable to every one and would tend to increase the market value of 

 the fruit. 



N. Phillips wanted to set a quantity of small fruits in the Spring, and wished 

 to get the experience and advice of the members of the Society. He thought 

 the Wilson the best strawberry for profit, the Concord the best grape, and the 

 Early llichmond the best cherry, the Kirtland the best red ras])bcrry, the 

 Mammoth Cluster the best black cap, the Kittatinny the best blackberry, the 

 Houghton's Seedling the best gooseberry, the Victoria the best red currant, and 

 the lilack Naples the best black currant. If there were as good earlier or 

 later varieties he would like to know it, to increase the length of the marketing 

 season. If the Herstine was a better late variety of raspberry he would 

 certainly like to know it. If the Triompli de Gand was a more profitable 

 strawberry he would like to know that. If sweet cherries were more profitable 

 here than sour cherries he would like to know that. If the Delaware grape 

 paid as much as tlie Concord he would like to know that. If the Doolittle 

 raspberry, the Lawton blackberry, and the Downing gooseberry were as desirable 

 varieties he would like to know that, — and why. 



D. E. Ilisted said he would set both varieties of each kind of small fruits. 



C. H. Wigglesworth said he raised the varieties of small fruits that brought 

 the most net money with the least fruit. If the Triomph de Gand strawberry 

 brought three dollars a case and the Wilson two dollars, the Triumph de Gand 

 netted more if it yielded but one-half. There was more money in half the 

 fruit at twice the price, and the sooner the fruit grower found it out the better. 

 It were better to let half the small fruit rot on the ground and market the 

 best than to overstock the market with culled fruit. One hundred bushels of 

 !No. 1 fruit would sell more readily than ten bushels of inferior fruit. The 

 best plan was to grow small fruits in hills, well trimmed and cultivated, and avoid 



