SUMMER MEETING AT OREGON. 93 



It is by comparison of things that we are enabled to judge and ap- 

 preciate their merits, and as I have answered what is the best berry for 

 South Missouri, I will now tell you why I think so, by giving the good 

 qualities of the " Jessie: " 



1st. It is a good, hardy, strong-growing plant, free from rust, very 

 productive, of nearly best quality, very large, with few small ber- 

 ries ; will pick full three weeks. I picked ripe berries from it on the 

 7th of May , after many of the first blooms had been killed by a heavy 

 frost. It is about as early as the Crescent. Why, says some one, it is 

 as near the ideal or perfect berry as can well be. The only fault visible 

 is it blooms so early and may be tender and liable to get injured by late 

 spring frosts. This can be easily remedied by keeping your mulch on 

 the plants until all danger is over. It is also a staminate, which I con- 

 sider another great advantage. 



As to quality, there is as much difference as between a Pine Apple 

 and a Buckeye, and my word for it, the " Jessie " is not the Buckeye. I ex- 

 pect to receive the criticism of many fruit growers. Let it come, I am 

 willing to let experts say, if every word I have said about the Crescent 

 is not true. 



W. M. HOPKINS. 



Lone Tree, Mo., May 31st, 1888. 

 L. A. Goodman, Esq., Westport, Mo.: 



Dear Sir: — I send you by mail to-day a package containing some- 

 thing, I know not what. — I received it yesterday from Mr. J. H. Welch, 

 Rockville, Bates County, Mo — ^which is very troublesome in their straw- 

 berries. It comes on apparently as if a stem had been broken and the 

 sap oozes out and then forms a ball and then dries up and blows away as 

 the inside of a puff-ball Please bring it before your meeting and see if 

 others are troubled with the same. He says he finds it only in the 

 Crescent. I was there and examined his berry patch and found that it 

 was apparently injuring his berry patch. I wish you or some person 

 would explain what it is and to what extent it will injure the plant, if 

 any. 



Hoping to hear from you in the near future. 



Yours truly, 



Frank J. Sciiatz, 



(No definite answer could be given to this description and the mat- 

 ter is to be examined by Miss Murtfeldt, Secretary.) 



