proceedings of the fariviers' club. 95 



Patriot Orphans' Home. 



Dr. J). P. Holton read a paper upon the subject of an experimental farm 

 and home for patriot orphans. One feature of Dr. Holton's project is to 

 make application to the State Legislature to establish orphans' homes on 

 the experimental farms — homes whose scope and spirit, harmonizing' with 

 philanlliropic deeds, may be developed in modes of reward, rather than 

 those of alms-giving, thus testifying a grateful appreciation of the defend- 

 ers of our nation, and thus rearing a monument to their memory; also, 

 through the scientific and practical knowledge thus imparted to their 

 orphans greatly increasing the resources and wealth of the country. 



Effects of Marl. 



Dr. Trimble showed some stalks of the dwarf marrow-fat pea, grown on 

 marl in Nevv Jersey, eight and a half feet long. 



The Strawberry Question. 



The miscellaneous hour having expired, the chairman called up the regu- 

 lar questions, one of which being strawberries, elicited an animated debate, 

 principal]}' on the part of Wm. R. Prince, of Flushing, who is the great 

 opponent of all sour strawberries like the Wilson's seedling, and a strong 

 stickler for pistillates, and those of the Pine family that are comparatively 

 sweet. 



Mr. Prince. — The greatest production of strawberries is in Ann Arundel 

 county, Md., where there are six hundred and eighty acres, in plots of from 

 two to one hundred and twenty acres; two men each having that quantity, 

 and sending twelve liundred quarts a da}-- to market, and realizing $10,000 

 a year. He said that two men near Cincinnati grow five thousand or six 

 thousand bushels a year. We want no more sour seedlings, such as all 

 are of the variety Virginiaym. The seedlings of the Pine variety are all 

 sweet. I exhibited the other day, at Tlie Agriculturist office, seventy selet-t 

 sorts, and I have two hundred and lift}'- sorts on my catalogue, so that we 

 do not need any more new seedlings, unless from the Pine variety, of supe- 

 rior size, form, beauty and flavor, to any now known. Four of my new 

 seedlings are superior, and I have sixt3'-seven good ones. At the Brook- 

 lyn show, the other day, a prize of $10 was given for an old sort, exhibited 

 as a new seedling, and the Bartlett and Boston Pine are one and the same 

 thing. 



We want a committee on strawberries capable of acute discrimination. 



All North American varieties are defective in female organs, and all South 



American are defective in male organs. The name of strawberry originated 



»with cliildren, who strung the berries upon straws and brought them into 



the city for sale. 



NEW VARIETIES OF STRAWBERRIES. 



Solon Robinson. — Here is a specimeii of a strawberry that I obtained 

 from Toledo, Ohio, under the name of Chilian. It is an excellent sort, not 

 quite so large as the Wilson, nor quite as productive, not as sour, highly 

 perfumed and good flavor. 



Wm. R. Prince. — I know this sort, and it is wrongly named, It is one 



