190 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



la the opinion of your comniittoe the following points should be em- 

 braced in a perfect strawberry : 1st. Productiveness. 2d. Large fruit. 

 3d. Vigorous plants. 4th. High flavor. 5th. Firm and juicy flesh. 6th. 

 Bright color. 7th. Regular and symmetrical form. 8th. Calyx easily 

 separated. 9th. Fruit borne on long foot-stalks. It is not maintained 

 that any strawberry has yet been produced combining all these qualities in 

 a high degree ; but it is well to keep a high ideal before the mind. Your 

 committee tliink it expedient to make their selections from varieties gene- 

 rally known, and such as can be procured of any respectable nurseryman, 

 leaving the consideration of new varieties for some other occasion. It is, 

 therefore, very probable that a better selection might be made by em- 

 bracing some of the recently produced seedlings. Your committee accord- 

 ingly recommend, provisionally, the following kinds: 



1. Wilson's Albany. Its primary good qualities are productiveness, size, 

 and firm, juicy flesh. It is, however, too acid for the taste of many. 



2. Longworth's Prolific. Early, large, and of excellent flavor; only 

 moderately productive ; sometimes running too much to leaf. 



3. Hooker's Seedling. Good size ; of a rich, sweet flavor ; moderately 

 productive (some* say very productive.) 



4. McAvoy's Superior. Productive, large, and of excellent flavor; ber- 

 ries often defective in form. 



5. Hovey's Seedling. This variety is too well known to need any de- 

 scription. Its only defect is dryness and want of high flavor. 



6. Burns' New Prize. Of exquisite flavor ; medium size ; only mode- 

 rately productive ; plants want vigor and hardiness. 



In presenting these, we have endeavored to state briefly their main points 

 of excellence, and also their defects. On behalf of the committee. 



G. W. HUNTSMEN, Chairman. 



Wm. R. Prince followed the reading of the report with a severe denun- 

 ciation of nearly all the sorts recommended, particularly the Wilson Seed- 

 ling, which he called by a great many hard names. His lengthy remarks 

 were listened to with attention, and some of them with profit ; and a very 

 animated discussion followed, of which we can only give the briefest 

 synopsis. 



Dr. Crowell. — I moved the adoption of this report because it so exactly 

 corresponds with my views. This selection was made for garden culture, 

 and not in fields for market. There is an objection to the Wilson Seed- 

 ling, yet I think it the best ever introduced for family use. 



Wm. Richardson, of Albany, who made a large and very handsome ex- 

 hibition of the Wilson Seedling, replied to Mr. Prince's objections to this 

 variety, by showing the immense productiveness, by the stalks or berries 

 of one plant, or stools from it, enough to make a quart of berries. He 

 also replied to the objection to the color, by showing the berries just as 

 he picks them from two acres — two rows are set three feet apart, and cul- 

 tivated by a horse and cultivator, similar to corn or potatoes. The pro- 

 duction will be not less than 200 bushels per acre. 



