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MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Samuel Cooper, Founder of American Race of Everbearing 



Strawberries. 



CHAS F. GARDNER, OSAGE, IOWA. 



We are sure the members of our society will be pleased to 

 see the portrait of this man, who is the founder of the American 

 race of fall bearing strawberries. He is now eighty years old 

 and is spending the winter in Florida (February 19, 1917). He 

 will be back home April 1. He had the misfortune to lose his 



wife, who died last June. 

 His daughter is with him 

 at Eau Gallie, Fla., tak- 

 ing care of him. He has 

 been more or less under 

 the doctor's care for over 

 a year, but now seems to 

 be improving. 



His first discovery was 

 in the autumn of 1898, 

 when he found growing 

 in the row of Bismarck 

 plants, set the previous 

 spring, a plant that had 

 made sixteen runner 

 plants, all of which had 

 either ripe or green fruit or blossoms on them. The old 

 plant was heavily laden with fruit. The first public exhibit of 

 this fruit was at Buffalo, N. Y., at the Pan-American Exposition. 

 He called his first variety "Pan-American." See Iowa State 

 Horticultural Report, Vol. 45, 1910, page 274. 



With this start he commenced to grow seedlings by crossing 

 the best varieties and making selections. In this way he pro- 

 duced the Cooper, a very valuable variety for crossing but not 

 an everbearer. The following named seedlings were all fall 

 bearers: Autumn, Onward, Forward, Advance, Superb, Peerless 

 and Productive. 



Twelve years ago or more several experienced horticultur- 

 ists took up the work by purchasing plants of Mr. Cooper and 

 making judicious crosses and selections, until now there are per- 

 haps 100 valuable varieties on hand which will be found worthy 

 of culture. 



All the varieties that I have heard of, or seen, which have 

 any value whatever for this latitude can be traced back to some 

 of Mr. Cooper's plants. We hope he may recover his health and 

 live many years yet, to enjoy the great benefits which are accru- 

 ing from his wonderful discoveries. 



Samuel Cooper, now in his 81st year. 



ripe or green fruit or 





