Notes and Gleanings. 103 



Messrs. J. E. Tilton & Co. 



Gentlemen, — I have carefully watched the President Wilder Strawberry this 

 season, and am better pleased with it than ever. I have seen the fruit grown 

 on Col. Wilder's place, and that raised by the person who is propagating the 

 plants for you, and I feel that all I have ever said of it will prove true. It is a 

 valuable variety. Yours truly, James F. C. Hyde. 



Boston, July 15, 1869. 



The Best Varieties of Strawberries. — No new variety of unquestion- 

 able excellence has been introduced during the season just past, except the Pres- 

 ident Wilder ; but the general experience confirms the opinions previously held 

 as to the leading varieties. Among the earliest sorts, nothing has yet been found 

 to supersede the Jenny Lind ; though only moderately productive, it is of good 

 form, fine color, and pleasant, sprightly flavor. Brighton Pine is also a favorite 

 with many as an early variety. One of the best cultivators near Boston re- 

 marked, that, if profit is sought, there is more money in the Wilson than in any 

 other, or in <z// others. Next to Wilson for productiveness comes the Lady of 

 the Lake ; but, while the Wilson has an excess of harsh acid, this is deficient 

 in flavor. Triomphe de Gand holds its place as a berry combining large size 

 and fine quality, although it is well known to be of bad shape ; and Hovey's 

 Seedling has not lost the hold on public favor which it has maintained for so 

 many years. Jucunda has been found to succeed best when grown in hills, fine 

 crops having been produced by this method ; and we think it has grown in estima- 

 tion. Enormous specimens of Agriculturist have been exhibited at the shows of 

 the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, by Capt. J. B. Moore of Concord. Those 

 we have named comprise all which experience has shown to be worthy of gen- 

 eral cultivation in this vicinity. We do not mean to say that no others possess 

 any merit : there are many which may be adapted to peculiar tastes or particu- 

 lar soils, or have some other characteristic which may keep them in cultivation 

 to a limited extent ; but, of the hundreds of varieties that have been raised 

 since Hovey's Seedling, the greater part have already fallen into oblivion ; and 

 the same fate will soon overtake most of the remainder. And here we must 

 say a word in condemnation of the too common practice of pushing into market 

 new fruits, which, by dint of persistent puffing, achieve a transient popularity, but 

 which, being soon found to possess no special merit, are soon forgotten. No 

 doubt, hundreds of new fruits entirely unworthy of cultivation will be puflfed 

 into notoriety this year and next year and every year, until buyers learn to exam- 

 ine carefully the claims of every new aspirant for favor. We wish that more of 

 the originators of new fruits would imitate the example of Mr. W. J. Underwood 

 of Belmont, who has raised a seedling strawberry, which, after four years' trial, 

 he finds to possess great excellence ; but, not being sure of its superiority, he 

 will subject it to further tests, when, if found a decided improvement, it will be 

 sent out, but otherwise it will be thrown away without hesitation, and all the 

 time and labor spent on it will be sacrificed rather than impose on the commu- 

 nity a fruit which is no advance on those previously in cultivation. 



We shall hereafter give descriptions, with engravings, of the most promising 

 new varieties. 



