174 MINNEAPOLIS STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



OLD FAVORITES AMONG STRAWBERRIES. 



C. A. SARGENT, RED WING. 



There are so many here that know more than I do about straw- 

 berries that it seems out of place for me to say anything' on this 

 subject, and I don't know as I can tell you anything new or that you 

 did not know before. But we sometimes profit by having things re- 

 peated and brought to our notice that we knew before. It is not 

 always what we know, but what we do that counts. 



Strawberries are one of the most delicious fruits that we have and 

 the more appreciated because they are the first to ripen after we 

 have been without fresh fruit so long. Among the old varieties the 

 Wilson is one of the oldest that I remember about. It has been one 

 of the old stand-bys, but is losing its vigor with most growers and 

 has become unprofitable. But I think it has been abused like other 

 varieties by not being particular enough in taking up plants to 

 transplant, sometimes taking plants from between the rows, thus 

 getting the weakest plants. I remember the first plants I set out I 

 took from an old bed and from between the rows, so as not to spoil 

 the old row, and I suppose this has often been done. No wonder 

 they run out. If we want to raise a g'ood cow we don't take the 

 poorest and weakest calf to raise it from and then become surprised 

 because she don't make a good cow. I believe if we are careful in 

 selecting plants the varieties will not run out nearly as soon. The 

 Wilson is a very firm berry, nice to handle, and I couldn't give it up 

 until after repeated failures. Last spring I sent and got fifty plants 

 from a man that claimed he had the Wilson with its old time 

 vigor. These plants grew very nicely, and this fall looked as though 

 they were going to meet my expectation. They surely made plenty 

 of plants, which has been the principal fault with that variety, and 

 I shall watch them next summer with a great deal of interest, and 

 if they do well shall think I have struck a bonanza. 



The Crescent is another of the old varieties which has been very 

 productive and are so now with some growers, but I have dis- 

 carded it. It is quite soft and with me gets small after a few pick- 

 ings. 



The Warfield, though not one of the oldest, has been raised quite 

 a while. It is the best strawberry I ever raised. If it were a stami- 

 nate, I would not want any of the other varieties that I have tried. 

 As one of my customers expressed it, it looks as though it had 

 been varnished, it is so bright and attractive looking. The quality 

 is as good as the looks; it has good size and holds it until the very 

 last. They are extra good plant makers and are liable to get too 

 thick if planted close. I think two feet is close enough to set them 

 in an average year. They have one fault of remaining green on the 

 under side after they have turned red on the upper side at the first 

 picking. 



Michael's Early is quite an old berry. Though I don't know as it 

 ever was an "old favorite;" it is a good fertilizer but rrot productive. 

 It is a good plant maker, and as one has expressed it, "is good to 

 raise plants to give away." 



