GEM 
Best with us for Many Years 
With a good start, Gem will make more plants and a better bed than 
Mastodon; the individual plants, however, are smaller except when 
grown in the hill system or in very thin rows. With us Gem has always 
been the best and most productive everbearing variety until Super- 
fection. It may still be the best in many areas. Berries are medium size, 
fairly even in shape, bright color which darkens very little and of good 
but tart quality. With sugar added Gem berries make delicious eating 
in late summer and fall. One of the best things about Gem is the per- 
sistence with which it makes berries on new runner plants — much 
better than either Mastodon or Streamliner in this respect. Gem is not 
very good as a spring cropper but for fall berries we rate it above both 
Mastodon and Streamliner. Even with Superfection available Gem 
should be tried wherever everbearers are grown. Like other ever- 
bearers, Gem is best suited for the middle and northern states, but has 
been considered the best of all everbearers for southern gardens. Price 
list, page 31. 
MASTODON 
Old Reliable — *lke jdeade* jo* ye&U 
Best Spring Cropper of all the Everbearers 
Mastodon was the first widely accepted everbearer. It is still more 
widely planted than any other everbearer except possibly Gem. 
Mastodon usually makes a very rugged plant growth with larger, 
stronger individual plants than Gem and will probably survive and 
grow under adverse conditions where Gem would fail. Of course, ever- 
bearers should not be grown under adverse conditions. At best it is hard 
enough to get satisfactory growth and yield. We believe the main 
reason why Mastodon has retained its popularity for so long is that it 
makes a good spring crop even if it fails as an everbearer. It is a fairly 
good midseason variety which has considerable red stele resistance. 
Mastodon berries are not quite as good in quality as Gem and some- 
what less attractive in appearance because they are darker and more 
irregular in shape. They have a tendency to ripen unevenly with the 
underside green after the top has become fully red. Where well grown 
under good everbearing conditions, Mastodon has given lots of plea- 
sure as a everbearing variety and frequently has proved to be a 
satisfactory cash crop. 
Where Mastodon has done well 
we advise its continuance, at the 
same time trying out a few of the 
other leading everbearing varieties, 
Gem, Streamliner and SUPERFEC- 
TION. Price list, page 31. 
SI E our Bargain Page 29 
COLLECTIONS 
Family Garden - - Everbearing 
