234 MISSOURI STATE UURTICULTUKAL SOCIETY. 



WE WANT BETTER KINDS. 



Notwithstanding the Crescent and the Capt. Jack have done so well, 

 they arc by no means perfect. We still look for something better. But 

 for their superiors, we must look to the new.cr, untried varieties. Of 

 these the most promising that I know of are Warfield's No. 2, and 

 Speece's Perfection. The former has not yet fruited in this country, but 

 has made a very satisfactory growth this summer, and will fruit the 

 coming season. The plant appears to be very vigorous, but of rather 

 slender growth, much like the Crescent, and entirely healthy, so far. It 

 makes about twenty-five per cent, more plants under similar circum- 

 stances than the Crescent. Its conduct next year will be watched with 

 a great deal of interest. 



Of Mr. Speece's seedling, I might say a'great deal, but since he has 

 prepared a paper on the subject of his seedlings, I deem it unwise and 

 unnecessary. But I wish to add that, from what I have seen of it, the 

 Perfection is enormously productive of very large, fine, well-shapen, 

 bright scarlet berries. It being originated here in the Southwest, is a 

 strong point in its favor. I consider it very promising. 



In conclusion, Mr. President, allow me to add a few words concern- 

 ing 



EARLIER AND LATER VARIETIES. 



Since I began to read horticultural literature, ten years ago, a num- 

 ber of " earlier " and some " later " varieties have been introduced ; each 

 one, in turn, " a week to ten days" earlier or later than the then known 

 earliest or latest var'ety, as the case may be. Let me illustrate : the 

 Wilson is early, the Kentucky, late. The Great Early is introduced, 

 and said to be ten days earlier than the Wilson. Next we have the 

 Earlier, a week or ten days earlier than the Great Early, and this is fol- 

 lowed by the Earliest, a week or two earlier than the Earlier, and it in 

 turn by the Very Earliest, and so on. On the other hand, the Late, 

 which was ten days later than the Kentucky, was followed by the Later, 

 this by the Latest, and it in turn by the Very Latest, each one, in turn, 

 a week or ten days later than its predecessor. It reminds me of a para- 

 graph which I read recently, anent the anouncement by one of the rail- 

 roads, that they had dropped thirty miles of distance between Kansas 

 City and Chicago, whereupon the Paragrapher asks, " How long will it 

 take, at that rate, for Kansas to get over into New England .'' " 



