E.W.TOWNSEND, SALISBURY, MARYLAND 
(reser errs nt 
Progressive (Everbearer). 
The New Race of Strawberries 
There has probably been more said and more curiosity raised over the fall-bearing 
strawberries than any other new fruit that has ever been introduced. They are the 20th 
Century wonder, no doubt. That they do bear fruit almost continuously from May until 
December is a sure fact. That some of ‘the varieties are our very best spring croppers 
is a sure fact, and that notwithstanding the spring crop they do continue to bear all sum- 
mer and fall without any more attention than the ordinary common strawberry. That 
the yare more hardy than other varieties is a fact; and that they will stand a good 
frost and then continue to blossom and fruit, even until the snow flies, is a fact. And 
no wonder they are a wonder. I was among the first plant growers to secure plants of 
this wonderful new race of berries, getting my stock from Mr. Cooper direct. I have seen 
the beginning of the new race but I do not expect to see the ending, as I feel sure that 
they have come to stay and will eventually take the place of all others in time. [ feel 
very sure that in a short time there will not be any varieties grown that do not 
have the fall-bearing blood in it. There is being a great improvement going on each 
season, with this new race. They are in the hands of all kinds of experimenters and 
are being crossed and recrossed with all the best leading standard varieties and marked 
improvements are being made. For the past seven years strawberries have been as com- 
mon with us as potatoes. There is hardly a day that they are not on the table fresh from 
the fields, from May 10th to December. My fields have become the show grounds for 
the surrounding country. The folks flock to our fields almost daily with their baskets 
to be filled with the delicious fruit. The telephone is kept busy by parties ordering their 
berries to be sent to their homes. There is a ready sale every day they are in fruit. Anda 
it is a fact that the more berries one eats the more he wants, so it is impossible to fill 
the demand. You say, is the demand as good for the berries in summer and fall as it is 
in springtime? I answer, yes. And that it will be the summer fruit that will not have 
to take a back seat and not the fall-bearing strawberry. I do not expect to live long 
enough to see the demand supplied for fall-bearing strawberries, And I am a vounge man 
and feel very much like living on. Now, it is a fact that not all the varieties of fall- 
bearing strawberries that have been introduced have been profitable to cultivate. I 
have had many of them on trial that I discarded after one trial. You will be told by manv 
plant growers, no doubt, that they are all good, all sure croppers and all productive 
fruiters in the fall. I say not. There is only a few varieties to date that are good 
ones; that are good plant makers and sure fall croppers the first season. The two 
best varieties to date are the King Autumn and Progressive. Both are good plant makers 
and will bear a good crop of fruit the first year set. There are several varieties that are 
sure to bear fruit in the summer and fall months, but they do not make but few runner 
plants and only produce a small amount of fruit in the fall months [ give the true 
description of each variety as near as it is possible. ; > 
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