286 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Capt. Moore. Well, it is said to grow well enough for 

 two 3'ears. It is suflicient to sow it the first year. Some 

 one asked what was the best strawberry. Mr. Sladc can 

 answer that question. 



Mr. Slade. Well, gentlemen, there is not any best straw- 

 berry. A strawberry that might be best with me might 

 not with you. If any one desires to go into the strawberry 

 business, let him experiment with a few varieties, carefully 

 selected, and decide for himself. Nobody can tell you what 

 the best strawberry is for you. I can tell you Avhat straw- 

 berry does well with me, but I cannot tell Avhat does well 

 with Capt. Moore. So that the question, although pertinent 

 enough, is really a foolish one, to ask a man what is the 

 best strawberry ; because a strawberry that does well ■with 

 me might prove worthless witii you. If 3-ou are going into 

 the strawberry business, my advice is to try a few promi- 

 nent varieties. You will learn at the end of the first year 

 which is the strawberry for you to raise. 



Question. What are three or four of the best kinds for 

 market to try ? 



Mr. Slade. The Wilson strawberry has been the straw- 

 berry for the last dozen or fifteen years. Amateurs have 

 grown other varieties; but the regular strawberry-grower, 

 who has furnished strawberries for the million, has grown 

 the Wilson. Within a few years, several new varieties have 

 been presented to the public, and some of them are rather 

 promising. Among them I would mention the Sharpies, the 

 Crescent, the Glendale, and the Charles Downing. There 

 are still other new varieties that come very highly recom- 

 mended ; such as the Manchester, said to be the most remark- 

 able berry that has ever been offered to the public, and which 

 is going to have its run, like the others. 



Question. Have you found any strawberry that will 

 yield the quantity that the Wilson has done ? 



Mr. Slade. I think the Crescent will yield as much as 

 the Wilson. 



Question. What is the quality of the Crescent? 



Mr. Slade. It is about No. 3. There is a good deal said 

 against the Wilson ; yet I would rather take my chance with 

 that now, were it not for its liability to blight, than with any 

 other strawberry that I have ever seen. 



