STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 37 



DISCUSSION. 



President Smith. You have heard the paper read by Mr. Pearce. 

 Discnssion would now be in order. It is a subject that should bring 

 out some discussion. 



Mr. A. W. Sias. Mr. President, Mr. Pearce speaks of planting the 

 Countess on sand}' soil, us I understood him. I believe that a great 

 many growers claim that the Countess is identical with Downer's Pro- 

 lific. I have known of Downer's Prolific, or the Coumess, to be grown 

 on clay soil, where it proved to be very fine. I think perhaps that it 

 stands next to the Crescent as to profitableness, but I would like to 

 hear from others. If the Countess is the same as Downer's it will 

 succeed on sandy soil. I would inquire of Mr. Pearce if he considers 

 them the same? 



Mr. Pearce. I have heretofore considered them identical but have 

 changed mv mind. After a careful comparison I think beyond doubt 

 there is a difference. The Countess seems to be peculiarly adapted to 

 sandy soil, although it also does well on high land and a clay soil. Mr. 

 Wui. Lyons had very good success with it on sandy soil and he thinks 

 there is nothing that equals the Countess. It is a very fine berry and 

 ought to be generally grown. It is very hardy and the vines are free 

 from rust, while the Downer is subject to rust; the Countess produces 

 large berries, while those of the Downer are smaller. 



Col. Stevens. Mr. President, I would like to inquire if anyone 

 knows how the Countess was introduced into this state? A few years 

 ago I was told that it was introduced by Chas. H. Clark, of this coun- 

 ty, who received some ten or twelve plants from France, subsequently, 

 or some years afterwards, Downer's Prolific was introduced; of course 

 you all know about that. In the opinion of many members of the 

 Society the Downer has been considered to be the same berry. I would 

 like to have Mr. Elliot, or some of these early horticulturists, ex- 

 plain the difference in these varieties, if any of them can do so. 



Mr. Pearce. Mr. Clark told me that he was in Washington and 

 while visiting the Agricultural bureau he came to the department of 

 strawberries, where he found many imported varieties. He saw one 

 variety that appeared to be very promising and asked the gentleman 

 in charge to send him a dozen plants. He afterwards received the 

 plants marked as the Countess, imported from France. 



Mr. J. S. Harris. Mr. President, I do not wi.sh to join in any dis- 

 cussion on this question, but T remember seeing the Downer's Prolific 

 some two years before Mr. Clark received the Countess, which I knew 



