24 ANNUAL REPORT. 



The Secretary. Mr. Partridge here brings up an important 

 point that should be fixed in our minds; the necessity of extending 

 the pollen to the latest blossoms as well as giving it to the earlier 

 ones of the pistillates. Inattention to this is probably the 

 cause of so many small inferior berries from the late blossoms in 

 many cases. The idea of having tw^o staminate kinds to do it, an 

 early and a late one, is new and valuable. 



F. G. Gould. The best berry for the farmer is the best one 

 for everybody else. The question of profit is the main question. So 

 far as my knowledge goes, I see but little difierence in quality of 

 different sorts. Have been growing strawberries ten to fifteen 

 years. I got the Wilson, first, and on the whole they do the 

 best on my grounds. They fertilise themselves. The yield is 

 great, and the berries are large, and can be shipped to distant 

 points, and come out sound. I think it wrong to place Crescents 

 ahead of Wilsons. The first crop of Crescents may be heavier, but 

 after that inferior. 



Mr. Elliot. The Wilson is a shy grower, unless it has good 

 cultivation the first part of the season. The Crescent and Downers 

 or Countess are rank growers and get ready for a full crop the first 

 year. If growers on sandy soils will manure and cultivate well 

 they will have no trouble to make it bear a good crop. 



In reply to a question from Col. Stevens : I wish to correct my 

 record as to the identity of the Countess and the Downer's prolific. 

 I think they are the same. 



Mr. Gideon. For the farmer we want the best flavored berry that 

 is productive, and for this reason I hold that the Wilson is not the 

 one. It is profitable for the grower for market, the gardener; but 

 the Green Prolific is of a more delicious flavor and productive 

 if well fertilized. 



W. J. Abernethy. I have fifteen varieties. My soil is clay with 

 some sand, and fertile. I covered my Wilson's last fall with man- 

 ure. This spring raked it off, and now have as heavy a crop 

 as I ever saw anywhere of any variety. Crescents treated the same 

 way, and now bearing heavily, this being the third year. Charles 

 Downing appears not to be a free bearer. Perhaps it requires 

 more age. Duchess and Sharpless entire failures. Hart's 

 Seedling not successful. Some large berries, but stems short and 

 fruit down in the ground. Kentucky does well. The best for flavor 

 is the Cumberland Triumph though not a great bearer. Cham- 

 pion late and nice. Jersey Queen is late. I am suprised 

 prised to see how few varieties have good blossoms for fertili- 



