PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS CLUB. 0/9 



Blackberries. 



Wilson's Early berries. — Of medium size; the chief advantage 

 it possesses over its rivals is its earliness, ripening ten days earlier 

 than any of the other varieties. The Lawton is too veell known 

 to need any recommendation in its favor. 



Kittatinn}'. — We have failed to find any marked difference be- 

 tween this variety and the Lawton, except that it ripens quicker, 

 and can be used when it is black, the former requiring more time 

 to fit it for use. 



Strawberries. 



Of all the cultivated fruits there is none more difficult to make 

 a selection from. Some like a tart berry, others a very sweet 

 one. In selecting the following six varieties we think both will 

 be suited : Wilson and Green Prolific, both tart berries, very 

 hardy, and extremely productive; for flavor, Brooklyn Scarlet, 

 Agriculturist, Monitor, and Boston Pine. If we were going to 

 add another to the list it would be the Hooker, an old and well 

 known berry. It is said to be tender. We have not found it any 

 more so than many others in our collection of over eighty varieties. 



, Currants. 



Versailles, the best red currant in cultivation; berries full as 

 large as the cherry currant, but not so acid. White grape, the 

 best white currant for the table; it is sometimes called Imperial 

 Yellow, and when t^is latter variety is ordered from a nursery, 

 the white grape is sent instead; in fact there is no purely yellow 

 variety. The fruit of all the white currants when fully ripe turn 

 yellow. Black Naples is not a very popular variety. Its peculiar 

 smell has not gained it many friends in this country. For medi- 

 cinal purposes, and for jams and jellies it ought to be more exten- 

 sively grown. It generally brings a higher price in market than 

 any of the other varieties. 



Goosebennes. 

 Houghton, very productive but small ; the only thing in its 

 favor, is that it is free from mildew. Downing, a decided improve- 

 ment in American gooseberries ; these two are the best of all the 

 native varieties. The English kinds are very apt to mildew in 

 some situations, yet we have grown them for a number of years 

 and never have been troubled with it; if grown in sandy loam, 

 where there is good drainage, there will be no trouble from this 



