PREMIER 



Since it was introduced in 1915 Premier has practically replaced all other early berries except 

 in the South and far West. A sure indication of the value of Premier is the number of early varieties 

 that are compared with it. Premier is recognized as the one early variety a new variety has to 

 surpass in order to become established. We stated last year that Fairfax and Dorsett outclassed 

 Premier as an early berry for home gardens or for shipping, just as completely as Premier outclassed 

 the others when it was first introduced. This is still true where Fairfax and Dorsett are grown 

 under favorable conditions. However the year 1934 provided an abundance of the one set of 

 conditions where Premier outranks Fairfax and Dorsett. Those conditions are, hard frosts or a 

 succession of hard frosts and freezes during the blossoming fruit setting period. Under these con- 

 ditions Premier was far more productive, so we would say that where Premier is grown in what 

 might be termal "frost pockets," where late frosts and freezes are the rule rather than the exception, 

 and where the market calls for just berries regardless of average size, appearance, firmness and 

 quality, Fairfax and Dorsett will probably not replace Premier to any great extent. 



Vigor and Health of Plant Growth 



Premier not only does well over a ■wide range 

 of territory by producing fairly vigorous but 

 very healthy plant growth on nearly all soil 

 types. In freedom from disease Premier ranks 

 with the best. It is slightly less vigorous than 

 Fairfax and Dorsett. It has been suggested that 

 the wide adaptability of Premier is apparently 

 related to its rather limited production of runner 

 plants. Improvements in yield and grade of Pre- 

 mier berries from proper spacing of plants (see 

 page 15) will probably not be as marked with 

 Premier as with free running varieties like Dor- 

 sett, Blakemore, Catskill, Bellmar. or even Fair- 

 fax, although no doubt some attention to spacing 

 will pay well even with Premier. 



Size and Productiveness 



Year after year under all conditions Premier 

 is probably the most productive variety ever 

 Introduced. Under favorable conditions Dorsett 

 and Fairfax, as well as Catskill and Aberdeen, 

 will equal or surpass Premier in total quarts 

 per acre. With Premier, so many berries are 

 set that in a dry season, especially where hard 

 frosts have not reduced the set, the average size 

 toward the last end of the crop run down much 

 faster than Fairfax or Dorsett. 



Color and Appearance 



Premier berries are a medium red in color, 

 getting quite dark as they get riper. They have 

 a medium size green cap which generally stays 

 green throughout the season. They are very 



handsome in appearance, and show up well in 

 the package. 



Firmness 



Premier berries are moderately firm. They will 

 hold up for local market and shipping consider- 

 able distances by truck. They go down very 

 quickly when shipped under ice. They are not 

 as firm as Blakemore, Bellmar, Missionary, or 

 Klondyke. Fairfax and Dorsett are both much 

 firmer and in home garden or commercial plant- 

 ing will stand up in a fruiting season that is 

 very wet or very hot much better than Premier. 



Quality 



Compared with the older varieties they rank 

 up well in quality, William Belt and Chesapeake 

 being only slightly better. Fairfax and Dorsett 

 are much better in quality than Preinier, out- 

 ranking all other introduced varieties in this 

 respect except possibly Narcissa. 



Resistance to Frost Injury 



Here is where Premier stands supreme. Not 

 since 1915 when it was first introduced has Pre- 

 mier failed to give at least a fair crop regardless 

 of frosts or freezes. Premier seems to be practi- 

 cally frostproof and on this account alone it will 

 continue to be grown in many sections for a long 

 time. Probably not in fifty years has there been 

 a year like 1934 which would give Premier a 

 chance to prove that in resisting late frosts and 

 freezes, if in no other way. Premier is superior to 

 Fairfax and Dorsett. Price list, page 33. 



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