260 



New York at thb World's Columbian Exposition. 



Parker Earle, Iowa Beauty, Lady Rusk, 

 Swindle, Lovett, Long John, Jewel, 

 Leader, Southard, Crawford, Accomac, 

 Great Pacific, Stayman's No. 1, Auburn, 

 Muskingum, Middlefield, Mystic, Windsor 

 Chief, Gillespie, Miami, Eclipse, Beebe, 

 Beauty, Phillips' No. 1, Dayton, Cloud, 

 Sadie, Saunders, Woolverton, Edgar 



Queen, Mrs. Cleveland, California, 

 Edwards' Favorite, Warfleld, Shuster's 

 Gem, Morning View, Gen. Putnam, 

 Waldron, Wilson, Standard, Manchester, 

 Anna Forrest, Farnsworth, Hermit, 

 Enhance, Jucunda Imp., No. 305 Station, 

 Oliver, Manchester, Townsend's No. 3, 

 Cameronian, Oregon, Walton, Mark. 



The strawberry exhibit enabled horticulturists to see the choice 

 varieties of plants brought together at one point, and also the fruits of 

 the same varieties, and was thus a study having a great deal of interest. 

 One exhibit was made by L. J. Farmer, of Pulaski, IST. Y., con- 

 eisting of sixty-seven varieties, which were received in perfect order, a 

 fact that was very surprising, when it is remembered that in so large 

 a variety there were some that were not regarded as having good 

 shipping qualities. The manner in which the fruit was shipped was 

 different from anything ever before attempted. Crates were made 

 with pasteboard partitions two inches square by two and one-fourth 

 iuches deep, in the bottom of which was placed white glazed cotton 

 wadding, and one berry was placed in each compartment. The crates 

 were shipped to exhibitors, who filled them and forwarded to the expo- 

 sition. It has been thought that ventilation is a very important feature 

 in successful shipment of berries, but in this instance the crates were 

 made tight, the fruit was placed in these closed partitions, and was 

 tept as much as possible from the air. After shipping this fruit, in 

 some instances a thousand miles, it was placed on plates and held, in 

 many cases, for eight days after being received or ten days from the 

 time of picking. Some new questions arise as the result of the work 

 in these experiments. It may be asked whether these delicate fruits 

 cannot be transported very much longer distances than has heretofoj-e 

 1)6611 supposed possible, and whether ventilation is essential for success- 

 ful transport. The use of cotton or some other, possibly cheaper, 

 material, will be brought into use as furnishing means for the absorp- 

 tion of moisture, thus enabling the fruit to stand up or keep for a 

 longer period. 



The berries did not seem to decay, but rather dried, when on exhibi- 

 tion. The outer cells of the strawberry are very delicate, and when 

 massed together become slightly bruised, thus allowing the escape of 

 the juice of the fruit, after which decay will follow within a very few 

 hours. The cotton lining seemed to absorb the moisture which naturally 

 is given off from fruit even when not bruised. The cells closed, hence 

 the fruit dried rather than decayed, which is the explanation of tlie 

 remarkable length of time which many of these varieties were ke])t. 

 In this manner of shipping there does not seem to be so much differ- 

 ence in the keeping qualities of the different varieties. Of the sixty- 

 seven varieties received from Mr. Farmer, at the end of six days tlie 

 entire number were showing well upon the plates. On the seventh day 

 a few varieties had become discolored and were removed. Such vari- 

 eties as Downing, Cumberland and Sharpless, considered soft and not 

 well adapted to shipping and holding, were among the many other soft 

 varieties that held well up to the seventh day. On the ninth day from 



