116 



for the Bidwell plants a year ago last spring, thinking that as he was the originator of 

 the variety I would have the Bidwell sure if I got the plants from him ; but to my sur- 

 prise there are four different varieties of berries growing on the same plants. I think I 

 can tell from the cuts what the Bidwell is ; and there were not any of what I took to be 

 the Bidwell as early as the Early Canada, though they were perhaps a little earlier than 

 the Wilson. 



Mr. Arnold. — I never like to speak of varieties that have only been planted one 

 year ; but the idea that has crossed my mind when I have passed by the Bidwell is that 

 it bids well for runners and nothing else. There is no fruit on it in comparison with the 

 others ; but the runners are immense. I think that New Dominion has hardly got its 

 due. A few hours before I came away from home I picked it with several other varie- 

 ties, and a more showy box of berries could not be seen, and no white ends as in the Sharp- 

 less. And as for cooking, it is one of the best berries I know. 



Mr. Bucke. — I do not think strawberries ought to be cooked at all. 



Mr. Allen. — (Goderich). — We have several large growers ; but they stick to the 

 old Wilson ; you cannot turn them from it. I noticed this year one of the growers left 

 one patch of the Wilson to ripen better than he usually does. It is a notorious fact that 

 the Wilson is pulled too soon ; and I do not wonder at the complaints in the city mar- 

 kets of the poor quality of the berry when it comes to the table. It is pulled before it is 

 ripe. They do not wait until it assumes that dark hue which is natural to the berry 

 when it is properly ripe. We grow the Crescent seedling and the Sharpless, and the 

 great point against the Sharpless is just what Mr. Arnold has stated. In every other 

 respect it is a fine berry. The Triomphe de Gand has been a great favorite with us, and 

 is still a favorite. We have one dealer who grows that and nothing else. He grows it 

 just to supply the local markets around there. It will not ship a great distance. The 

 Bidwell has been grown around there a little, but I have not heard anything of it. 



Mr. Beadle. — What was the result of allowing those Wilson's to get ripe 1 



Mr. Allen. — He told me the result was that he got more in the local market. 



Mr. President Dempsey. — If he sent girls out to pick the Wilson, how would he 

 manage to have only those picked which were perfectly ripe 1 



Mr. Allen. — Of course that would be a difficulty. He had to watch the bed. 



Mr. Edwards — (Belleville). — The Wilson is the berry I have made the most money 

 out of, and I have tried a great many. 



Mr. President Dempsey. — In this section of the country there are a great many 

 persons cultivating the Colonel Cheney. It is a very profitable berry if you have plenty 

 of soil and the soil is pretty rich ; but be very careful if you can to prevent wet weather 

 coming on at night during the time you are picking them. 



Mr. Beadle. — Don't you find the Colonel Cheney is very deficient in pollen ? 



Mr. President Dempsey. — Yes. 



Mr. Saunders. — I have been growing the Colonel Cheeney during the last three or 

 four years beside the Wilson and Sharpless, and I think on the whole it gives us better 

 crops than they did. 



Mr. Beadle. — But you have plenty of pollen from the Wilson. The Colonel 

 Cheney is almost a pistilate variety — there are some anthers on it— and would require 

 some other variety to fertilize it. 



Mr. Wright. — I have grown the Colonel Cheney ; but I always plant it between 

 the Triomphe de Gand and the Wilson's Albany, and then I have no trouble at all 

 in srowing it. 



FERTILIZERS FOR SMALL FRUITS. 



A discussion on the question, " What are the most desirable and economical fertil- 

 izers for small fruits," was then introduced by the reading of the following paper by Mr. 

 Bucke : — 



Gentlemen : Having been requested to read a paper on the most economic fertilizers 

 for smaU fruits, I may state that any manure is suitable for these plants that is adapted 



