Rayner Brothers, Salisbury, Maryland 



Early Varieties of Strawberries 



P • £ Was originated by the United States Department of Agri- 



F a.irrd,X culture and was introduced last season. We have not fruited 

 this variety but visited the Government Field Station near Washington, 

 last spring, during their fruiting season, as we wished to see for ourselves 

 just what they really were before offering them to our customers. We 

 found them to be even better than we had expected and we feel sure 

 Fairfax will be a leader in the very near future. 



Its parentage is uncertain but believed to be a cross of Royal Sover- 

 eign and Premier (Howard 17) seedling No. 613. Has been tested by the 

 government and others for several years in different localities and has 

 always stood out from the rest, especially in quality which is equalled by 

 no other variety with the possible exception of Dorsett. To appreciate 

 this it must be eaten as it is impossible to describe this flavor. Fairfax 

 is believed to have obtained this exceptional quality from the old Endish 

 variety, Royal Sovereign, which was said to be a berry ''Fit for a King." 



The first point that caught our attention, in both Fairfax and Dorsett, was their 

 dark green, healthy foliage, which is essential for a profitable variety, showing less 

 leaf spot than even Premier. 



Fairfax produces more runners than Premier, but is however, a moderate runner 

 producer and does not need thinning, except possibly, in very rich soil, but will make 

 enough runner plants to give a very good fruiting bed in most any soil. 



The flower stalks are strong and upstanding, holding the fruit up off the ground 

 even to the late ripening berries. The blossoms are large and are among the most 

 abundant pollen producers, thus guaranteeing a good set of berries under most trying 

 weather conditions. Although they start blooming before Premier they seem to b? 

 as frost resisting, for they have never as yet (since 1926) shown any frost damage. 

 The berries ripen with Premier and have a very long fruiting season, producing as 

 large berries at the end as at the beginning of the season, thus producing a larger 

 percentage of good berries than can be expected from the older varieties. This is 

 another important advantage, as you are assured top prices for the entire crop. 



Fairfax berries are very firm, as firm or firmer than any commercial berry grown 

 in the East with a much tougher skin than Premier and will stand shipment to distant 

 markets, arriving in the best of condition. When berries are picked at the proper time 

 they are very attractive, bright red, have a light green cap and prominent yellow seed, 

 turning dark red as they become over -ripe, but still retaining their firmness and flavor. 



Generally the shape remains very regular throughout the whole season and is one 

 of the most uniform in this respect of any variety. In size they average very large, 

 quite a lot larger than Premier or Blakemore, being fully as large as Chesapeake and 

 seem to resemble this variety. 



We have received quite a number of inquiries for this variety and as our supply 

 is somewhat limited, we urge you to order early and we will reserve them for you, thus 

 avoiding disappointment. See front cover for illustration. 



RED GOLD. Introduced by the Gardner Nursery Co., of Iowa, and highly recom- 

 mended by them. Ripens early, fair producer of medium to large berries having a 

 somewhat oval shape. Its fine quality is its greatest recommendation. Red Gold is 

 a free plant maker, foliage disease resistant. Makes an excellent fruiting bed. We 

 would advise those of you who desire real quality to give them a trial. 



HOWARD 17. Believed by Horticultur- MISSIONARY. An old dependable va- 



ists to be the same as Premier. Was in- riety, largely grown in Florida and other 



troduced by a Mr. Howard a few years southern states. Will do well in almost 



after Premier and from our own experience any type of soil and does especially well in 



we have found them to be the same in the lighter types. Is a favorite with the 



every way. For full description see Pre- juice men. Will probably be replaced by 



mier description. Blakemore in the near future. 



