Dr. J. R. Magness (left) Branch Chief (retired) Fruit and Nut Crops Research Branch and 

 Dr. G. M. Darrow (right) Chief Horticulturist (retired) in charge of small fruit breeding and 

 cultural research, evaluating the new Darrow variety, May 1974. 



WT 



F. ALLEN COIVIPANY is hon- 

 ored to dedicate its 90th year as a 

 strawberry nursery to Dr. George M. 

 Darrow and the strawberry program 

 that he initiated and guided for so 

 many years. Dr. Darrow is the "Father 

 of the American Strawberry Industry," 

 having started the U.S. Department of 

 AgricuUure strawberry breeding pro- 

 gram in 1920 that developed so many 

 of the best varieties we have today. He 

 entered USD A service in 1911 and re- 

 tired March 31, 1957, devoting 41 of 



those 46 years to the study and im- 

 provement of the strawberry. 



George McMillan Darrow was born 

 February 2, 1889 in Springfield, Ver- 

 mont. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts 

 degree in 1910 from Middlebury Col- 

 lege and his Master of Arts degree 

 from Cornell University in 1911. He 

 earned his Doctor of Philosophy degree 

 at Johns Hopkins University in 1927 

 with his work on the physiology of the 

 strawberry. 



Dr. Darrow's interest in the straw- 



8 



