190 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



Aug 



STRAWBERRIES. 



In the Vicinity of all our large towns, at least, the 

 cn'tivation of tlie strawberry is destined to be a most 

 iniporU'nl oranch of horticulture. Around this city, 

 the crop of the past season has been immense. The 

 iiamUez- of varieties grown, and grown in perfection, 

 hKB never tieen equalled here before, and perhaps 

 nevci oxceiieOi nnvwhere. At our June exhibition, 

 I'P'vVR'd* of Lweuly-five varieties were exhibited, in- 

 c'uaing r.i the best known sorts. 



Burr's JVew Une maintains its supremacy in fla- 

 vor, and IS beside a most abundant bearer — indeed, 

 we consider it, taking all together, the best straw- 

 berry. 



The Sivainstone Seedling is equal in flavor, and 

 quite as large, but is a poor bearer, and can not be 

 recommended for general cultivation. 



Burr's Columbus and Rival Hudson are both high- 

 ly productive and fair sized varieties, but somewhat 

 acid. On this account, however, they are not at all 

 objectional to many people. 



Burr's Scarlet Melting proves a most prolific 

 bearer. We saw a bed of th.s variety in Bisseel fe 

 Hooker's grounds, surpass ,ig in fruitfulness any we 

 have seen this season ; I jt the fruit is so tender that 

 it can not be cultivated for market. 



Burr's Old Seedling is a good, productive, stami- 

 nate sort. 



Honey's Seedling holds its place as the largest, 

 and the crops here this season, in all the gardens, 

 have been quite satisfactory — much better than they 

 have ever been before. The flavor is but middling. 



Boston Pine is exceedingly prolific, and of fine 

 size, but flavor poor. 



Black Prince has yielded most abundant crops of 

 large, fine looking fruit, but in all cases exceedingly 

 insipid. We see it stated to be the same thing at 

 Cincinnati. At the Buffalo exhibition we found the 

 specimens shown to be no better. We have hereto- 

 fore found it much better ; but it certainly can not 

 be relied upon in this respect. 



The Crimson Cone is a most abundant bearer every 

 year here, and in appearance one of the most beauti- 

 ful of all — of a regular conical, pine apple shape, and 

 rich, shining, crimson color ; distinguishable at a 

 glance, among all other sorts. The flavor is medium 

 — about the same as the Large Early Scarlet. We 

 consider this a valuable variety. 



British Queen is a most superb fruit, and the plant 



extremely rich and luxuriant in foliage : but the 

 yield is quite inconsiderable, and it deserves a place 

 only in the amateur's collection. 



Jenny's Seedling is very large, and the plant of a 

 vigorous and luxuriant habit. We have not seen 

 enough of it to speak decidedly of its bearing qual- 

 ities, but should think it will produce very moder- 

 ately, and the flavor is but medium, or hardly that. 



Princess Mice Maude has produced a good crop of 

 large, fine looking, but very insipid and worthless fruit. 



Deptford Pine the same. 



Protijif Hautbois is a large, conical, pale colored, 

 sweet and musky fruit that many people like, and an 

 immense bearer. The plant is quite distinct in its 

 appearance, and when in blossom, is highly orna- 

 mental. We consider that its distinct peculiarities 

 of growth, flavor, &c., added to its productiveness, 

 render it well worthy of cultivation. 



The Large Eariy Scarlet and the Red and 

 White Monthly Alpines are unfailing good bearers, 

 and the latter especially fine flavored. There is no 

 other variety we would recommend in preference to 

 the Large Early Scarlet, as a staminate to fertilize 

 the pistillate varieties, as it not only possesses an 

 abundance of pollen, but is itself an excellent fruit. 



The Bishop's Orange is also a good bearer, and a 

 good fruit. 



We give these brief notes, made from a careful 

 examination of the fruits in various plantations. 

 The attention that has been given the strawberry 

 culture here for a few years past, by several zealous 

 and well informed cultivators, has not only awakened 

 the community to the importance of the subject, but 

 has really given them such information — such exam- 

 ples — as can not fail to convince them that to raise, 

 strawberries with success, requires but the plainest 

 and simplest course of management. There is no 

 difficulty now in selecting varieties that, with good 

 soil and good culture, will yield an ample return. 



Good soil is a soil made deep by trenching or plow- 

 ing. It should be at least a foot and a half deep, and 

 so enriched with manures as to be in as good condi- 

 tion as a vegetable garden ought to be. Good cut- . 

 ture consists in keeping the plants free from weeds 

 and runners, and the ground mellow about tlie plants. 

 Showery if cathcr during this and next month, will be* 

 a good time for planting. The best way is in rows 

 three feet apart, and the plants a foot apart in the 

 rows. The preceding notes will be some guide to 

 the inexperienced, in making selections. For a small 

 collection, giving a reasonable variety, we can not 

 do wrong, we think, in pointing out the following : 

 Staminatef — Large Early Scarlet, Boston Pine, 

 Burr's Seedling, Swainstone Seedling. Pistillates 

 — Burr's New Pine, Ilovey's Seedling, Crimson 

 Cone, Rival Hudson, Black Prince. And in addition 

 to these, the Prolijic Hauthois and the Jitpines ; both 

 having perfect flowers, and not mixing with other 

 varieties. For a very small collerlion, the two first 

 of each staminate and pistillate. The Alpines we 

 would cultivate, if none else, on account of their 

 bearing so long and possessing such delicious flavor. 

 But, few will agree with us, on arrount of their 

 small size. 



A correspondent writes us : "I have made up my 

 mind this season, from my own observation and ex- 

 perience, that Burr's JVew Pine Early Scarlet, and 

 Hovey's Seedling, are the throe varieties for those 

 who wish to cultivate but three sorts." 



