70 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



what we were told they did, in regard to constant tillage, so 

 that he didn't need water. All of this, to me, was one of the 

 grandest sights I had ever seen. I have seen a great many 

 strawberry beds ; I have seen a great many different straw- 

 berries, but never anything equalling Mr. Wooster's plantation 

 down on Hancock Point. 



Question : I would like to ask Mr. Wooster which variety 

 he grows gives the best results. 



Mr. Wooster: Sometimes I like one variety a little better 

 one year, and sometimes another. The list changes every year. 

 Sometimes a new one comes along in which I think there is an 

 improvement. I find, perhaps one in fifty, that is an acquisition. 

 I drop the poorest. It is a great disadvantage to have many 

 varieties to care for. About 95% of my ground is occupied by 

 five varieties. The rest I am experimenting with. The variety 

 must depend somewhat upon the soil. For the earliest varieties 

 I have kept, for a long time the Haviland. I have a seedling 

 that I think is earlier, but it takes years to demonstrate that 

 quality. There is another early variety that I shall plant next 

 year. That is the Clyde. It has its difficulties. It is one of 

 the poorest berries for wet weather I ever saw, but in dry 

 weather it is good. It is prone to over productiveness. My 

 greatest producer was Parker Earle. This is a late variety but 

 is very productive. On i i-io acres I gathered, approximately, 

 14,000 quarts. I commenced to pick on that bed the 14th of 

 July, and the last picking was August 15th — a month on that 

 one variety. 



I commenced to ship berries the 23rd of June. I commenced 

 with the Hawaii (one of my own seedlings), a few scattering 

 Clydes and Leavitts. I closed with Parker Earle. The Bubach 

 has been my leading variety. I have received more money from 

 that variety during the last three years, than from any other. 



