52 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE 



it, no berry has done so much to establish strawberry culture 

 as a profitable business pursuit, as this much-abused variety, 

 and no berry is so universally cultivated for market. On 

 suitable soil and with good culture, Wilson's Albany can be 

 relied on for a good crop every season. It is hardy, early, 

 prolific, and when ripe, a delicious berry. It is sometimes 

 gathered before it is ripe, and this has, in most cases, given it 

 a bad reputation for flavor, which it does not deserve. 



The Triomphe de Gand is a favorite variety for amateurs, 

 and so is the Agriculturist, but neither is as hardy as the 

 Wilson. The more recent varieties, although possessing many 

 good qualities, have not shown themselves remunerative mar- 

 ket berries, in the West, and have been generally discarded by 

 growers. The varieties will, however, be a proper subject for 

 discussion. 



For market purposes even, I would not use the horse culti- 

 vator. The small hand cultivator is much better adapted to 

 the purpose, and can be so adjusted as not to injure the roots, 

 while, keeping the ground stirred during the growing season, 

 will prevent injury from drought. The rows need not be more 

 than thirty inches apart, for using this implement, and the 

 plants can be a foot apart in the rows. Any closer than this 

 would be detrimental. 



EXTENT OF CULTURE. 



With regard to the extent of strawberry culture in the 

 United States, some idea can be arrived at from the fact that 

 on the 2d of this month a train on the Illinois Central Rail- 

 road arrived in Chicago with twenty-three cars, all filled with 

 Btrawberries, the aggregate weight of which was one hundred 

 tons! This was only one train on one railroad! The idea 

 that the business can be overdone here is a great mistake. 

 Steamers from the mouth of Grand River could just as well 

 take a similar cargo every day from the middle of June to 

 the middle of July, as to take the moderate shipments now 

 exported. Instead of here and there a patch of two or three 

 acres along the banks of Grand River, at Bass River, at East- 



