72 Small J^r aits for t?ie J^amllj' Garden. 



bright red color, sell best. Whoever has the great desideratum of the strawberry 

 vine, a well drained, rich, deep, and above all, a moist soil, can grow any variety to 

 perfection, and with him the small, wild berry of the fields would almost rival the 

 Seth Boyden or Dr. Warder. 



Most of the varieties named will do equally well for the home garden. Lovers of 

 fine fruit, however, should not do without the Lennig's White or the President Wil- 

 der ; and for the epicure, who does not mind time, labor or cost, there are numerous 

 other sorts, combining the highest standard of excellence, size and flavor, that satisfy 

 the most fastidious palate. 



But my list of varieties would be incomplete without mentioning the Ida and the 

 General Meade, and more particularly so, the first. Mother earth seems to grow them 

 SDontaneously for those of her favorites who like to reap without sowing. Let those 

 who are afflicted with this failing, try the Ida. Plant it close enough for the run- 

 ners to cover the ground the first season, and they will afterwards take care of the 

 weeds themselves. ' 



Ncii' Vnfieties- 



And now a few words about new seedling varieties, some of which promise a bright 

 future : 



1. The Col. Cheeney I saw, for the first time, in fruit last summer, at Barnesville, 

 in what I consider one of the regions best adapted to small fruit culture in our State, 

 of which fact our Belmont county friends, I am happy to add, seem to be fully aware; 

 the berries on exhibition were extremely large, of fine showy appearance, fair taste, 

 but rather soft. In productiveness, the Col. Cheeney appears to rival the far-fumed 

 Mr. Nicaise, as the berries were few and far between; it certainly took a great many 

 plants to fill a few quarts. I suppose the plant to be pistillate, as by far the larger 

 number of berries were small and knotty and of no earthly account. 



2. Black Defiance, raised by Mr. Durand from the Green Prolific and Triomphe. 

 It is a strong, healthy grower, and seems to have many good qualities ; but with mo ■ 

 the fruit stems are so short that the berries cannot be kept clean ; this, however, may 

 be a defect in the soil, as it is highly spoken of in the Eastern States. 



3. Monarch of the West; plant very strong and healthy, fruit large and hand- 

 some. I learn from Mr. William Parry that it is the largest and finest strawberry 

 he has ; foliage remarkably strong and vigorous, standing the past hot tnd dry sum- 

 mer without injury, when the Wilson and other sorts were nearly ruined. The fruit 

 is firm, delicious and handsome, selling at $1 per quart in Philadelphia, when the 

 Wilson is selling at 25 cents. 



4. Matilda; a seedling from Triomphe de Gand, a large, handsome, strawberry, 

 firm and quite productive. 



Mr. Gr. S. Tulles recommended it as a market berry, though deficient in flavor, 

 while Mr. Charles Downing, who has repeatedly visited the original plantation, speaks 

 very highly of it; and says that the Matilda (according to his taste) will class very 

 good or best: the berries sell about one-third higher than Wilson's, while there is' 

 only a little difference in the yield. 



5. And last, but not least, the Dr. Warder; if this berry will show during the 

 next six years as bright a record as it has ■ through the past, (and I have no doubt it 



