THE CURRANT. 163 



tempted to dig up and throw away everything 

 except the wonderful novelty pressed upon his 

 attention. There is one quiet, effective way of 

 meeting all this heralding and laudation, and that 

 is to make trial beds. For instance, I have put 

 out as many as seventy kinds at nearly the same 

 time, and grown them under precisely the same 

 conditions. Some of the much- vaunted new- 

 comers were found to be old varieties re-named ; 

 others, although sold at high prices and asserted 

 to be prodigies, were seen to be comparatively 

 worthless when growing by the side of good old 

 standard sorts; the majority never rose above 

 mediocrity under ordinary treatment ; but now and 

 then one, like the Sharpless, fulfilled the promises 

 made for it. 



In my next chapter I shall venture to recom- 

 mend those varieties which my own experience 

 and observation have shown to be best adapted 

 to various soils and localities, and shall also seek 

 to prove that proper cultivation has more to do 

 with success than even the selection of favored 

 kinds. 



Nor would I seek to dissuade the proprietor 

 of the Home Acre from testing the many novelties 

 offered. He will be sure to get a fair return in 

 strawberries, and to his interest in his garden will 

 add the pleasure and anticipation which accompany 



