176 GARDEN AND FARM TOPICS. 



of full average size, wonderfully productive, of great 

 beauty of color and form, and excellent flavor; but its 

 distinctive value is in its ripening, extending from the 

 earliest to the latest season of the crop, the first berries 

 being ripe here about June 

 4th, and extending unto 

 July 4th. In some soils < 

 it is rather a weak grower. 



DOWNING. One of the 

 best of theolder sorts, com- 

 bining allthebest qualities, 

 being large, early, rich in 

 color and flavor, and abun- 

 dantly productive. 



MANCHESTER. A new 

 variety introduced in 1882. 

 It is a most abundant bear- 

 er, of good size and fair 

 flavor, and will likely prove a good market sort. 



GLOSSY CONE. Although this has been grown by the 

 raiser, Mr. Durand, for many years, it was issued first in 

 1881. In a test of fifty kinds in our grounds, I found it 

 the earliest of all, except Bidwell, very prolific, of good 

 size, fine flavor, and altogether has a combination of good 

 qualities rarely found in any early Strawberry. Its only 

 fault is, that it is rather a weak grower, and requires 

 a rich and rather heavy soil to develop its best qualities. 



I am often asked the number of Strawberry plants that 

 it is necessary to plant for the use of a private family. 

 The best answer to this is to state that, under ordinary 

 culture by the pot layer plant, one hundred plants will 

 give twenty-five quarts. The crop runs over a period of 

 from twelve to fifteen days, so that purchasers with this 

 knowledge will be the best judges of the number needed. 



