Descriptive Price-Lisi of Choice Straivhei^ry Plants. 5 



Michel's Early {Continued). 



April 24th.— Sales were at ^ f.>r six-gallon case Scarlets; $.5 to S6 for Crystals and Crescents; S6 to 

 ?^.oO for Michel's Early, the latter a new, fancy, large variety introduced from Arkansas, which matures 

 two weeks earlier than other varieties. 



April 2>iTH.— Arkansas herries generally in good condition, selling at ?4 to i*4.o0 for Scarlets. S.5 to 

 So.oO for Crescents and ?*i..TO to ST for Michels Early. 



We refer you to the above plain facts in evidence of the high reputation of the Michel's Early as a 

 good market berry. 



j^=- Last .vear I again c-anie in possession of some Sr. Louis market reports, of which the following 

 are fair .samples: 



Arkansas berries generally in good order, and sold at S2.50 to S:B..50 per six-gallon case lor Scarlets, 

 and mainly at S4 to S4.50 for other kinds; some fancy Michel's Early brought more. Tennes.see stock fail' 

 a!ul sold for ^^ to SI per six-gallon case, and Mississippi berries S2.50 to ?4 per case. 



The receipt.s of Michel's Earl.v variety, shipped by the Michel's Early Strawberry Plant Co.. which 

 are arriving in good order, sold to-da.v at S^5..50 per six-gallon case. 



In answer to an inquiry as to the merits of Michel's Early, directed to a commission house that has 

 been handling the fruit. I have the following: 



.•^T. LoL'is, May 81, 1890.— W. F. Allen. Jr.. Salisbury. Md.. Drar Sir: We have handled the Michel's 

 Early strawberry extensively this season, and from our judgment it merits all that has been claimed 

 for it. Respectfully, W. J. Templeton & Co. 



I hear favorable reports of Michel's Earlj' from every source where it is known, and my personal 

 experience with it is as follows: Having great confidence in this new early berry, I sent the originator 

 a large order for plants last spring (1890), which cost me considerable money. But had procured a few 

 plants during summer of 1889. and when they came every root and the leaves were black as soot. How- 

 ever, the buds showed life, and, little expecting them to live, they were planted, with a loss of only two 

 plants. They made some growth last fall, but no runners. The foliage kept green all the winter, and, 

 owing to the unusually warm weather, they commenced to blossom the first of .January, and by the last 

 of January they were full of blossoms and kept blooming continually until spring opened. The blossoms 

 that were brought out by our warm weather were all killed, of course, but. notwithstanding the great 

 amount of blossoms that were killed, they bore a fair crop of berries of good size and superior quality, 

 the flavor being almost the same as that of the wild strawberry, so much admired. And what is of great 

 importance, it proved to be the earliest ot all, commencing to ripen here in Maryland on May 5th, not- 

 withstanding it was growing in an exposed place sloping to the north. One man who saw it in fruit on 

 iny place gave me his order for ;^,(>X) plants, to be delivered in April, 1891. I beMeve that all growers who 

 try this popular variety will be many times repaid. It seems to accommodate itself to any locality 

 where strawberries are grown. 



In conclusion will .say that I am in possession of the largest stock of true Michel's Early east of the 

 Mississippi river, and those who give me their orders, either direct or through my agents, will be sure of 

 getting first-class plants in first-class condition and true to name. 



More Praise for MICHEL'S EARLY. 



Mr. Bauer, au extensive grower of Arkansas, speaks of it in the Penimsula Horticulturist as follows : 

 "So far as profits were concerned, the season just passed was almost a failure. The extremely mild 

 winter was broken the last of February by a sudden severe, cold wave, which killed all fruit buds and 

 nlossoms that were in full bloom. In setting the .second crop, Michel's Earl.v was phenomenal, coming 

 so quickly that we consider it impossible for any other sort to come any earlier. It is the most vigorous 

 grower of over forty sorts; it has a very perfect blossom, the best of all pollenizers; it ripens extremely 

 early, in fact the earliest of all. We repeat, we think it not possible for any strawberry to ripen any 

 earlier. Its fruit is very large, averaging larger than Bubach No. 5 or Sharpless: it** color is very 

 distinct, being a deep pink blended with orange; this, coupled with its large size and early ripening, 

 causes it to bring such high prices: its flavor is of the very best. That old favorite. Crescent, which 

 was always our .standby, is being replaced here altogether by Michel's Early. Our people are by no 

 means alone in their enthusiasm over Michel's Early, but it has reached our neighboring stales, and 

 whole neighborhoods are planting it by the 20,000 to 100.000 lots, and they do it safely, too. One makes 

 no mistake by planting it." 



