ANNUAL REPORT, 1932 S3 



mosaic but has shown some cane and spur blights. It ripens early ami produces 

 fairly well; the fruit is very large and of fairly good quality. It tends somewhat 

 to be an everbearer. It should have value for the home garden. 



Viking is vigorous and a good plant maker but suffered much from mosaic and 

 winterkilled badly, seriously reducing the yieUl. When it does not winterkill it 

 produces heavily of medium to large, firm berries of good quality in mid-season. 



Chief is vigorous, a good plant maker, and has shown no mosaic. Fruit medium 

 to large and of excellent quality. It is a good producer in mid-season, and seems 

 very promising. 



During the past season 41 varieties of strawberries were under observation. 

 The following seemed to have desirable characteristics: — 



Aberdeen is vigorous and a good plant maker. It is productive. The fruit 

 is medium to large in size, attractive, medium to dark red in color, ripens from 

 mid-season to late. It Is worthy of a trial for both commercial and home use. 



Bliss is one of the varieties originated at the New York Experiment Station. 

 It is vigorous and a good plant maker, but somewhat susceptible to leaf spot. It 

 ripens in late mid-season. The berries are large, attractive and of good quality. 



Bouquet, also from the New York Experiment Station, Is similar to Bliss but Is 

 earlier In season and seems to produce more heavily. 



Commonwealth is an old variety but still worthy of consideration as a late 

 variety which is its outstanding feature. It is moderately vigorous with light 

 green foliage. It Is fairly productive of large conic berries of fair quality. 



First Quality is another old variety which maintains Its popularity mainly 

 because of Its high quality. It Is a fairly good producer of medium-sized berries 

 in mid-season. It is susceptible to leaf spot. 



Howard 17 (Premier) Is too well known to need recommendation here. 



Howard Supreme (Howard 25) is a newly introduced variety which continues 

 to be one of the highest producers in the plantation. It is vigorous, dark green, 

 and an excellent plant maker. The fruit is medium to large, dark red with red 

 flesh and of good cjuality. 



Mastodon continues to be the outstanding everbearer In the plantation. It Is 

 a good plant maker and a goo 1 producer of medium to large berries. 



Steven's Late Champion is a good late strawberry but only fairly productive. 



The following varieties are of questionable value In Massachusetts for the 

 reasons given : 



Beacon - lacking In vigor anfl a poor producer. 



Dunlap - small size of fruit. ' 



Edmund Wilson - poor producer. 



Improved Heflin - lacking In vigor, fruit small and of mediocre quality. 



Town King - very poor in quality. 



May Beauty - lacking In vigor; not productive and of only fair quality. 



King Edward - excellent In quality and size, but lacking in productiveness; of 

 value only for the home garden. 



Marshall - the standard of quality but extremely unproductive. 



Some other varieties grown, but concerning which there Is yet insufficient 

 evidence to judge their true worth, are seven varieties from the New York Experi- 

 ment Station: Caledonia, Camden, Clermont, Culver, 4433, 4734, and 4813; also 

 the Jupiter and W^yona. 



Fruit Bud Formation in the Strawberry. (R. A. Van Meter.) This proj- 

 ect is concerned with the effect on fruit-bud formation of nitrogen applications 

 at various times during the latter part of the growing season. It was continued 



