16 



W. F. Allen's Plant and Seed Catalogue, Salisbury, Md. 



EXCELSIOR.— There is not a strawberry 

 earlier than Excelsior in 

 cultivation. The berries are medium to medium 

 large in size and very productive, and one of 

 the best shipping berries. I have grown this in 

 a large field that would average over 5\000 

 quarts to the acre. This has been a very popu- 

 lar standard sort for quite a number of years 

 the country over, and it is probably as largely 

 grown now for market as any of the extra early 

 varieties. After giving it half a chance it will 

 take care of itself and bring splendid returns. 

 It is too sour to suit the taste of the average 

 person and has therefore never become popular 

 for the home garden. As a first early shipping 

 berry, however, it has few equals. Our demand 

 for the plants of this variety has been large for 

 years. It is the best of the old standard extra 

 early market sorts. 



FENDALL- This berry was received from 

 the originator, Charles E. 

 Fendall, of Baltimore Co.. Md., spring of 1908, 

 and I have not yet had the opportunity of see- 

 ing it in fruit. The plants have made an excep- 

 tional fine growth with strong, healthy foliage 

 which has made ample beds of vigorous, large 

 plants. Mr. Fendall describes it as follows: 

 "The plant is strong and vigorous, clean and 

 healthy, growing at least two inches higher than 

 any other variety I have in my garden. The 

 foliage is a beautiful light green, easily distin- 

 guished from other varieties, and has not yet 

 shown the slightest weakness in any respect. 

 The berries are as huge, if not larger, than any 

 other variety, and unlike most huge varieties, 

 in that they are of delicious flavor. In length 

 of season it is certainly remarkable. In lOOo 

 I picked berries from it on the 2,~>th of May 

 and the last on the 4th of July. In 1!)0t» it 

 yielded at the rate of 115, SOO quarts per acre. 

 It throws out a great many runners, which root 

 splendidly in a very short time ; in fact, the 

 roots of this variety excel anything I have ever 

 seen in the strowberry line. The berries are 

 perfect beauties, rich in color, smooth and 

 glossy, with long stems and very large cap. 

 The plant and fruit are bound to command at- 

 tention wherever seen. More than fifty gentle- 

 men have visited my garden during the season 

 and all express their greatest astonishment at 

 the wonderful productiveness, size and flavor of 

 this wonderful berry." 



Scgblsio: 



OAKS EARLY. 



Originated in Somerset Co., 

 Md., by William Tull. It was 

 found growing wild by the side of an oak stump Id 

 Mr. Tull's field. The strong, vigorous growth of the 

 plant attracted his attention. The plant was left 

 standing and cultivated, except a part of them which 

 were dug up and planted. Those that remained 

 ripened an unusual large crop of excellent berries, 

 con in.: in with Mitchell's Early and Hoffman. It hai 

 fruited here twice. I find it nearly as early 

 as the Excelsior, equally as productive, and 

 firm enough for a good shipping berry. It 

 makes lots of good, strong, vigorous plants, 

 not large, but very hardy, and a persistent 

 grower. This should prove a valuable va- 

 riety where extra early berries are wanted 

 for long shipment. In a letter from Mr. A. 

 H. Walker, Mardela Springs. Md., Septem- 

 ber 21st. he says: "The Oak's Early were 

 very nice and stood the late frost remark- 

 ably well. I found it to be the nicest of 

 th" varieties I bought of you. all things con- 

 sidered." 



MAMMOTH BEAUTY- 1 n troduced 

 b y Charles 

 Pratt and claimed to be one of the most 

 profitable berries in Western Massachusetts. 

 It is a pistillate variety, and the foliage 

 very much resembles the old Flaverland, but 

 is claimed lo be much better. A grower In 

 Western Massachusetts, who recommended 

 this variety, does not grow plants for sale, 

 and has no interest whatever in booming It. 

 I have only fruited Ibis in a small way and 

 find it very satisfactory. I haven't a large 

 stock of plants, but enough to go around In 

 a small way for trial, and I strongly recom- 

 mend it for that purpose. I have no doubt 

 many of our customers would find this an 

 exceedingly valuable addition to their list. 



THEY BEAT PEDIGREE 

 PLANTS. 



•£ Knox Co., Tenn., Jan. 23, 1908. 



X W. F. Allen. Salisbury. Md. 



$z Dear Sir— Strawberry plants bought 



a of you last year did fine. With me 



^ your plants beat the pedigree plants, 



»$► with ordinarv field culture. 



* Yours truly, WILL MASTERSON. 



