W. F. ALLEN'S PLANT AND SEED CATALOGUE. 



'DESCRIPTIONS OF LEADING VARIETIES OF 



STRAWBERRIES. 



THE CHESAPEAKE. 



Chesapeake. — On page 27 of niy 1903 cata- 

 logue, I made an offer of $100.00 in gold for 

 the best twelve strawberry plants sent me on or 

 before May 1st of that year, of any new variety 

 not yet introduced, and $50.00 for the second 

 best dozen. In responce to this there were 

 received about 100 new varieties, and it is fair 

 to say that there were more good ones in this 

 list than I ever saw in a similar collection. 

 The season of 1904 was excessively dry, so 

 much so, in fact, that green berries were dried 

 up on the vines half grown. One party from 

 near Baltimore came to my place to look at the 

 different varieties, and to test the matter we 



struck a match in the 

 row and it burned for 

 several feet. In , the 

 face of such conditions 

 as this, it was impossi- 

 ble to make a just and 

 fair distribution of the 

 prizes, and the same 

 had to be postponed un- 

 til the fruiting season 

 nf 1905. I will say, 

 however, that if the 

 prizes had been given 

 out in 1904, in spite of 

 the unfavorable condi- 

 tions the Chesapeake 

 would have taken first 

 prize unquestionably ; 

 but with such an exces- 

 sive drouth, I did not 

 feel that justice could 

 be done, aud for that 

 reason and no other, the 

 decision was postponed. 

 In 1905 the conditions 

 were all favorable to all 

 varieties and the Chesa- 

 peake, I am pleased 'to 

 say, was still ahead. 

 This variety is as late 

 as the Gandy, more pro- 

 ductive on lighter soils 

 and equal to it in size; 

 its shipping quality 

 far excels that popular 

 standard variety; in 

 eating quality the Ches- 

 apeake ranks among the 

 best equaling such va- 

 rieties as Wm. Eelt, 

 Brunette and others of 

 that class. Therefore, 

 we have attained in the 

 Chesapeake two of the strongest points to a 

 larger degree than has ever baen attained in 

 any other variety — quality and firmness. The 

 plant is a strong, upright grower with thick, 

 leathery and very dark green foliage, leaves 

 almost round and entirely free from rust. The 

 stems or fruit stalks are upright and unusually 

 strong, holding almost the entire crop from the 

 ground. I believe as soon as plants enough 

 can be propagated of this variety to supply the 

 demand, it will be one of the most popular late 

 varieties ever sent out. The stock of plants at 

 present is very limited and we can only offer 

 it this season in small quantities, at a rather 



