128 A B C OF STRAWBERRY CULTURE. 



no other is needed. I am myself, at present, planting only one 

 kind of tomato, and it seems now that I may never care to 

 plant another kind." 



I almost held my breath as I asked, " Why, friend Craw- 

 ford, you astonish me. Will you please tell me the name of 

 that one tomato that you put in place of all the long string of 

 tomatoes known to seedsmen and catalog-makers ? " 



What do you think he said ? He smiled just a little as he 

 replied, "The Ignotum." 



I did not at the time know whether he was aware that I 

 first gave it to the public, but he said he had heard it so stated. 



"Now, Bro. Root, I have something to tell you that will 

 greatly please and interest you. I do wish you could meet 

 friend lyittle (of Granton, Ont.), who gave us the great big 

 strawberry you hold in your hand, and he has given us almost 

 numberless other valuable strawberries. You will notice that 

 I have nur>:bered them in different places over my ground No. 

 4, No. 8, No. 75, etc. Well, friend L,. is a Canadian. Some 

 years ago he was very low with consumption, and his case was 

 pronounced by nearly all the physicians incurable. There was 

 nothing before him but to get ready to die. As he was a good 

 man, and a most devoted Christian, his friends could not bear 

 the thought of losing him, and his children could hardly give 

 him up. A son of his was interested in strawberries, and he 

 begged his father to stay outdoors and get interested in berry- 

 growing, suggesting that, if he should get as full of enthusi- 

 asm as some of them did, it might make him well." I began 

 at once to think of our good friend Mrs. Axtell.* " The father 

 very quietly assented, and placed himself as pupil under the 

 son. In a little time he became deeply interested in the matter 

 of perfecting new varieties. At present he has done more work 

 of this kind than perhaps any other man in the world ; and 

 this season," so our friend Crawford went on to say, " he has a 

 whole half-acre covered thickly with plants, and each plant is 



*See A B C of Bee Culture. 



