BIG JOE 
Adaptation. Catskill should be grown 
as the main midseason berry in all the 
northern territory where Premier is the 
best early berry, and farther south where 
Dorsett and Fairfax surpass Premier. As 
far south as North Carolina Catskill will 
produce tremendous crops and yield large 
returns for the grower. We feel safe in 
saying that regardless of previous trials 
growers will be safe in planting this va- 
riety. Price list, page 35. 
They Grab after Catskill 
York Co., Pa. October 28th, 1937. I want to send 
a word of appreciation for the Catskill. For size, color 
and ready-selling qualities they are the berries. For 
myself I like the Fairfax best but my customers grab 
after Catskill. I shall give you an order later for more 
plants.— Mr. R. V. Dey. 
Catskill Better Than Color Plates and Claims 
Van Buren Co., Mich. Feb. 8th, 1937. The Catskill 
plants I got of you were wonderful, averaging fifteen 
inches high in a dry year and many were much larger, 
and every plant seemingly determined to put to shame 
the most extravagant claims, and color plates in the 
catalogs. Dorsett, Fairfax and Catskill brought five 
and six cents a quart more than Premier, Blakemore, 
and other old varieties; I tried out eighteen varieties, 
and am dropping them all but these three. — Mr. E. D. 
Scott. 
High Yields in Wisconsin with Catskill 
Mr. H. H. Harris of Wisconsin writes in Wisconsin 
Horticulture for July-August 1937 as follows: "The 
Catskill was surely a wonderfully productive berry 
again this year. Mr. Victor Orchard says he is going 
to set an acre next year. They seem to carry well. 
They have rather a tough stem to pick and are inclined 
to pull off some of the unripe fruit. The heavy loaded 
stems are often a foot tall and fall over in the paths. 
They look nice in the crate. A test row of Catskill 84 
feet long produced 85 quarts, or at the rate of 664 
crates per acre. This was the highest of five varieties 
in the test." 
For years Big Joe has been the leading 
midseason variety in many areas and has 
been a great money maker. In sections or 
under conditions where Big Joe is at its 
best, it is very fine, bearing a heavy crop 
of large, very pretty, fine quality berries 
which usually bring top prices. There are 
some conditions which do not suit Big Joe 
and when grown under those conditions it 
is apt to be disappointing. In areas where 
late frosts come at blossoming time, Big 
Joe will have the crop cut severely and 
those that do survive will make knotty 
berries with hard, green tips. Until Cat- 
skill was introduced Big Joe in spite of 
some weaknesses was the best all around 
midseason variety we had. Big Joe is good 
enough so that growers who have been 
planting it with good results are entirely 
justified in continuing it as their main mid- 
season variety while trying out some of the 
Catskill. Price list, page 35. 
Popular in Minnesota 
We again quote from Wisconsin Horticulture, Octo- 
ber 1937. "Catskill seems to be more popular from 
preliminary tests. Mr. J. D. Winter, editor of the 
Minnesota Fruit Grower, writes that the Catskill has 
shown a great deal of promise in Minnesota. The 
berry is large and unusually bright and attractive, and 
cooks well. It seems to be a good shipping berry, better 
than Premier and Beaver." 
A dish of very attractive Catskill Berries 
25 
