Strawberries. 5 



early called to it from our position as Chairman of the Fruit Committee of 

 the Massachusetts Horticultural Society ; and we tested it year after year, 

 both in the society's rooms and on Col. Wilder's grounds. This is one of 

 several valuable seedlings that we have seen while visiting our friend, and, 

 we think, perhaps the most valuable. The location of the vines producing 

 fruit was not favorable, being among and under the shade of fruit-trees ; and 

 yet the results have been very gratifying. The plant is strong and vigor- 

 ous, full enough so, standing the heat and cold without injur}' ; leaves well 

 developed ; the flower-stalks strong ; the fruit of large size, sometimes very 

 large ; in color, bright glossy crimson-scarlet ; the form is nearly or quite 

 as good as the La Constante ; the flesh is rather firm, nearly white, with an 

 excellent sprightly flavor, with a trace of the flavor of the Wood Strawberr}'. 

 Time of ripening, between the Hovey and the La Constante. It resembles 

 the latter variety somewhat in foliage, but makes runners much more freely 

 than either of its parents, and the plants are more vigorous. The form of 

 the berry cannot be surpassed even by the La Constante, and must always 

 command the very highest price when offered for sale. Few varieties, if 

 any, will surpass it in flavor ; and, if it shall prove equally good on other 

 soils and in other locations, it will soon take its place at the head of the 

 long list of varieties of this fruit, both for home-use and market-purposes. 



We have compared this fruit with sorts such as Hovey's Seedling, Ju- 

 cunda, Triomphe de Gand, and others that stand as well : and we much 

 prefer " The President Wilder ; " for this is the name given by the Horticul- 

 tural Society to this remarkable fruit. It is said that there is a new foreign 

 variety that will soon be sent to us that will bear the same name ; so that 

 it will become very important, to those who would secure the true sort, that 

 they should procure them of the publishers of " The Journal of Horticul- 

 ture," to whom the whole stock of the American " President Wilder " has 

 been sold. Whatever this variety may prove in the hands of others, and in 

 other soils than that in which it originated, one thing is sure, — that there it 

 surpasses all others ; and the description we have given is none too strong, 

 nor do we think the description given in the September number of this 

 Journal any too highly colored. AVe shall watch this strawberry with great 

 interest ; for we believe it is destined to displace many of the sorts now 

 extensively cultivated. yames F. C. Hyde. 



