EARLY HISTORY 25 



from such an eminent source, accompanied by the un- 

 qualified endorsement of the Massachusetts Horticultural 

 Society, — the center of authority in horticultural matters 

 at that time, — it was natural that much should be 

 expected of the new variety. This was the first experience 

 of the American public with the modest claims of an 

 originator; its first baptism with the fervid oratory that 

 heralds the introduction of a novelty. 



Unsatisfactory results with the Hovey. — These great 

 expectations w^ere realized only in part. The Hovey was 

 a failure as a commercial variety except in the vicinity 

 of Boston, where it was a prominent market sort until 

 1860, and in a few other places. Like most of the other 

 varieties of that period with pine blood, it required high 

 culture and was tender, and it did not make enough plants. 

 Part of the unsatisfactory results with the Hovey, during 

 the first few years after its introduction, were due to the 

 fact that it was pistillate variety. After the necessity 

 for planting it with a pollen-bearing variety became gen- 

 erally known, about 1846, it gained somewhat in favor, 

 but it did not displace Large Early Scarlet, Hudson's 

 Bay, Early Hudson and Crimson Cone in any large market 

 except Boston. After 1848 it was rarely quoted on the 

 market of any other city. 



Although the Hovey was a great disappointment as a 

 market variety, it quickly became the most popular sort 

 for the home garden, on account of its superiority in 

 size, attractiveness and quality. It was distinctly an 

 amateur variety. For years it captured most of the 

 prizes at the strawberry exhibitions, then so popular. 

 Apparently the Hovey passed out of cultivation about 

 1890, but possibly it may be found still in some of the 

 gardens near Boston. 



