E. W. TOWNSEND, Strawberry Specialist 



King of the Autumn 



ABOUT THE 20TH CENTURY WONDER BERRY 



Dear Customers: — If it were possible to take you over my fields of ever-bearing strawberries 

 today instead of writing another page about them, it would give me much more pleasure. 



Although I seldom tire of talking about them, and I tell you I do a great deal of talk- 

 ing about them in the course of a year, I feel sure that I have written and dictated at least ten 

 thousand letters about the wonderful fall-bearing strawberries. I was surprised to find the past 

 season that so many people had never heard of the wonderful little creatures before. Hundreds 

 of people from every direction would write me like this: "Is it a fact this ever-bearing straw- 

 berry, that bears from May until November, or is it a fraud?" Dear people, it is a pleasure tome 

 to answer these kind little letters about my favorite hobby, and tell them, yes, indeed, it is a fact. 

 They do bear fruit from May until November, or in other words from earliest in season until 

 hard freezes set in in the fall. And to be able to explain to them how they may be able to have 

 these berries growing in their own garden almost the entire season; and what is the most 

 pleasing, that thej* can have these fine berries the first season the plants are set. Plants set in 

 early spring continue to fruit all summer and fall, giving you all the best strawberries you ever 

 eat. While you are giving them their cultivation, keeping them growing they are paying you tor 

 every ounce of labor you give them. 



One sad fact about the introduction of the ever-bearing strawberries was that they had a 

 bad beginning. (But hence the old adage, a bad beginning for a good ending, and I think it 

 strikes this case right on the head.) The first varieties to be introduced as ever bearers was a 

 failure. The first came from seed from the old country. Planted in a box in the spring, they 

 would bear a few small berries about the size of peas. The next to be offered was a sport from 

 the old Bismarck and the father of the ever-bearers of today. All the good, better and best have 

 come from this sport, found growing by Mr. Samuel Cooper of New York state. The first named 

 was Pan-American, and was a great curiosity, and indeed was a great variety, if we had never 

 found anything better. Then came the Autumn, and so on. But at last came the genuine 

 article; out of the hard work done by Mr. Cooper came the Superb, one of our leaders today; ana 

 from the hands of Mr. Rockhill came the Progressive, which is claimed by many to be the best 

 of them all. 



The Americus came in for about third best, according to popularity. And still hundreds of 

 good ones are being tried out by many experienced hands, including Stand Pat, King 01 tne 

 Autumn, November, etc., many not yet given a name. 



If my customers will leave it with me I will select the variety that will suit their particular 

 locality best, and make them smile for six months. No more trouble to grow these berries than 

 the old sorts; not so much, for you're eating ripe red berries all the time you are at work, ana 

 you can't make trouble while you are eating God's best fruit. Someone had said, Ihe J-.ora 

 might have made a better berry, but he didn't." 



I sold these plants the past season for $5.0 per 100, $40.00 per 1000. This season I offer 

 them at $1.00 per 100, $8.00 per 1000; 50 plants for 75c, 25 plants for 50c, 12 for 30c. Add 20c per 

 hundred and they will be sent by parcel post registered. 



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