258 



!N"ew Yoek at the Woeld's Columbian Exposition. 



interesting and valuable object lesson, as showing the difference in the 

 character of the varieties, some being strong and vigorous in their 

 habits of growth, while others were only medium in these points, and 

 still others weakly and entirely unprofitable for cultivation. The fruit 

 developed on many of the plants showed the characteristics of both 

 plant and fruit, so that they could be studied together. These plants 

 were so arranged that the crosses finely illustrated the parent plants. 

 Dr. Collier, director of the ISTew York Experiment Station, from which 

 a large collection of these plants were sent, speaks of the manner in 

 which the crossing was done, and also gives a description of seedlings 

 which will be of interest to fruit growers as showing the defects which 

 led to the discarding of the varieties mentioned as not profitable for 

 propagation or cultivation. He says : " The seedling strawberry plants 

 from tliis station, exhibited as potted plants, are from crosses made by 

 covering pistillate plants with something to exclude foreign pollen 

 while the plants were in blossom. Pollen from the desired male parent 

 was then applied to the open blossoms and the plant again covered till 

 the fruit ripened. The seed was sown in flats and the plants were 

 transplanted when of sufficient size. The work of crossing is still con- 

 tinued, but plants from later crosses than those above named have not 

 yet fruited. All varieties exhibited at Chicago have fruited the second 

 season. From 3T5_to 400 of these seedlings have been discarded this 

 season, and about fifty have been retained for further testing. If from 

 these fifty varieties we develop something worthy of extensive culture, 

 though it be but one variety, we shall feel much gratified." 



The parentage of the station's seedhngs, exhibited at Chicago, is as 

 follows : Crescent X Lennig's White produced Nos. 77, 343, 246 ; 

 Crescent X Dawley White produced ISTos. 95, 291 ; Crescent X Sharp- 

 less produced Nos. 278, 120, 127, 142, 143, 271, 272, 277 ; Crescent X 

 Old Ironclad produced ISTo. 227 ; Daisy X Lennig's White produced 

 JSTo. 285 ; Johnson's Late X Dawley White produced No. 255 ; John- 

 son's Late X Lennig's White produced Nos. 171, 181, 190, 258, 262, 

 256, 267 ; Johnson's Late X Sharpless produced Nos. 198, 208, 212, 

 294 ; Lida X Lennig's White produced Nos. 146, 293. 



The following description of these varieties are taken from the sta- 

 tion field notes for 1892 and 1893 : 



No. 77, Station. — Crescent X Lennig's 

 White: Fruit medium to large and of 

 good quality, but too soft to ship well. 

 Plants productive. Discarded 1893. 



No. 95, Station.— Crescent X Dawley: 

 P. Fruit medium to large, varying in 

 shape from conical to coxcombed — of 

 very good quality. Plants vigorous and 

 productive. To be tested for a late berry. 



No. 130, Station.— Crescent X Sharp- 

 less: S. Fruit medium early, size me- 

 dium to large,, color good, somewhat 

 acid, good quality, productive. Test for 

 market. 



■No. 137, Station.— Crescent X Sharp- 

 less: S. Fruit medium size, very good 

 quality, dark color, deficient in foliase 

 Discarded 1893. 



No. 143, Station.— Crescent X Sharp- 

 less: P. Fruit medium to large, fair qual- 

 ity, good color, deficient in foliage. Dis- 

 carded 1893. 



No. 143, Station.— Crescent X Sharp- 

 less: P. Fruit variable, medium to large, 

 productive, poor quality, soft, deficient 

 in foliage. Discarded 1898. 



No. 146, Station.— Lida X Lennig's 

 White: S. A late berry, medium size, 

 white flesh, very good quality, not pro- 

 ductive. To be tested for amateur use. 



No. 171, Station.— Johnson's Late X 

 Lennig's White: P. A late berry, medium 

 size, good quality, soft, resembling the 

 mother plant in foliage and type of Iruit. 

 Discarded 1893. 



No. 181, Station.— Johnson's Late X 



