208 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



BEST THREE VARIETIES OF STRAWBERRIES 

 FOR HOME USE. 



MARTIN PENNING, SLEEPY EYE. 



In 1874, 1 planted the first strawberries. They were Crescent and 

 Charles Downing. I sold 312 quarts the second year; area about 

 one-quarter acre. In 1877, 1 planted Bubach, Jessie and Manchester; 

 they gave me large berries, but I was not satisfied in quarts. 



In 1880, I planted Crescent — one row; Wilson, the second; Warfield, 

 third row, and so on. They made a fine growth the first season. I 

 gave them a good covering of clean straw, the first winter, putting 

 it on about two inches thick, and my plants came out in the spring 

 in fine condition. I sold in 1881, 1204 quarts. The ground was about 

 one-third of an acre; rows four feet apart. I kept them for several 

 years, and I had no blight. Always gave them straw covering. I 

 had a good crop of berries, as long as I kept them. My customers 

 wanted the large berries and my Warfield being rather small for 

 several years, I planted all new kinds, as follows : Shuster's Gem, 

 first row; Bederwood, second; Haverland, third row; Michel's Early, 

 fourth; and Crescent, fifth. I planted in all about half an acre and 

 had a fine stand of plants in the fall. I then read of Thayer's way 

 for covering strawberries with marsh hay, and I did that, I gave 

 them a good covering of it, about half an inch thick, and afterwards 

 we got quite a heavy rain, which pressed the hay solid to the ground, 

 and the plants came out in rather poor condition. The covering 

 was too heavy and compact. Most of these varieties never amounted 

 to much; blight and drought was too much for them. 



I say, plant healthy Wilson, Warfield and Crescent and use straw 

 for covering. My land is partly sandy. 



Pres. Underwood: Now we can give a few minutes to this 

 particular feature of this subject as to the best three varieties 

 for home use. Perhaps, it has already been exhausted, and you 

 have nothing further to say. 



Mr. Wm. Lyon: There is a great strawberry section south 

 of my place, and pretty nearly all the strawberries that come 

 from this section are the Crescent and the Countess; they were 

 the only berries they could raise. I did not raise many ber- 

 ries, they were all root-killed and rusted; my land is too rich. 

 I interviewed a good many berry growers, and they only got 

 about half a crop. Those were about all the berries we got on 

 the Minneapolis market, except those that came in from out- 

 side the city. They told me they would not plant any more 

 new varieties; they would only plant the Crescent and the 

 Countess. I had about forty varieties, but they rusted so badly 

 I did not have any fruit. 



Pres. Underwood: Has any one else anything to suggest on 

 the three best varieties for home use? 



