THK CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



109 



anticipate a pleasant time in future 

 Seasons. 



Does the man who grows " only one 

 kind " rise here to explain that it is all 

 nonsense to fuss with these new vari- 

 eties, because there has never been 

 anything better than Wilson's Albany, 

 and never will be 1 " My dear sir, the 

 Wilson is a grand old berry, and be you 

 sure to stick to it. for it is money in 

 the pockets of those who cultivate the 

 improved varieties to have you peg 

 away at the public with the Wilson and 

 sour their teeth so they will want our 

 sweeter berries, instead of bringing our 

 prices down by going into the big fruit 

 yourself. And just remember too that 

 Wilson's Albany Seedling was " quite 

 new " once, and was no doubt objected 

 to then, in favor of othera." The fact 

 is there is a feeling abroad just now, 

 that whether new or old, the best berry 

 is good enough for us all, and hence the 

 many enquiries about Bidwell, Man- 

 chester and James Vick, which are to 

 the front at the present time. Bidwell 

 is the oldest, and its remarkable claims, 

 productiveness to exceed Wilson and 

 Crescent, size to equal the average 

 Sharpless, unusual firmness, and su- 

 perior quality, will probably be decided 

 for the average strawberry grower by 

 this year's crop. My carelessness in 

 allowing all my plants to form runners 

 during '81, instead of saving a few to 

 bear a full crop last season, is a source 

 to me of no little vexation, for I do not 

 like to plant it largely, or recommend it 

 without reserve, until I have seen it in 

 full fruiting. There is no doubt in my 

 mind that it is good, but how good is 

 what I want to know more about. 



Tiie good points that I have estab- 

 lished on my place are its vigor and 

 hardiness of plant, persistent and very 

 abundant setting of young fruit, and 

 the fine size, firmness and color of the 

 berries. The points that I want to be 

 iissured of arc its ylosdnesa and size 



towards the last ; and if these are 

 decided as I hope, I shall cheer for it as 

 the best market berry yet tested. On 

 my young potted plants, without mulch- 

 ing, the fruit got splashed so badly as 

 to spoil its appearance, and the berries 

 were small towards the last, hence my 

 hesitation on these points. If I may 

 guess about it I will say that on lich 

 loamy land I think that it will ])rove 

 an enormous bearer of first-class hand- 

 some market berries that will ship about 

 as well as Wilson ', but that on light 

 poor soil, and especially without run- 

 ners cut, it will run down in size 

 towards the last. I consider the quality 

 better than Wilson, but not as good as 

 Seneca Queen and some others. 



I suppose I would favor the Bidwell 

 more if it were not for the smack I had 

 of the Manchester. How those little 

 Manchesters — after coming in a mail 

 bag in October from near New York 

 City, standing on an exposed sandy 

 knoll all winter, with only the pro- 

 tection of a little soil around the crowns, 

 and then choking up so badly with 

 drifting sand in April as to need fre- 

 quent handling to prevent smother- 

 ing — finally stood up in early July and 

 produced the handsomest berries on my 

 place, is something I can't understand. 

 I know that such behavior does not 

 prove that their claims are sure to be 

 fully established when they are full 

 grown ; but I guess that I know enough 

 about Manchester to put it out tus fast 

 as I can get the plants, and I wish I 

 had " a good square acre " to bear this 

 year. The point I regard as doubtful 

 with this berry is fii-mness. The fruit 

 seems behind Bidwell in this respect ; 

 and it is pistillate too, which is a posi- 

 tive objection in the eyes of many. I 

 liked the quality better than Bidwell, 

 but quality, on such young plants, 

 cannot always be taken as a fair sample. 

 It is later than Bidwell, and difi*erent 

 growei-s are likely to fancy it more or 



