FRUIT AND GARDEN NOTES 



:TICAL HORTICULTUKISrs 



HK .Lpp_.renlly light fruit-crop here 

 and in many other sections, the 

 trouble we still have with diseases 

 ;.nd insects, and especially the poor 

 quality of a great deal of the fruit 

 produced and put on the market, are 

 convincing proofs that we cannot yet 

 dispense with further thought, study 

 nd effort, or the help and advice of all prac- 

 tical men that are willing to give such help and 

 advice to their less skilled brethren. The hints 

 found in the following contributions will be 

 because of their highly practical nature. 



STRAWBERRV-NOTES BY THE ORIGINATOR OF 

 PARKER EARLE. 



Our Strawberry-season, which has been the most un- 

 favorable ever known here, will practically be over in 

 another week. It opened on April 20, with Michel Early 

 variety, and will close by May 31, with Parker Earle. 

 These are the only two varieties on my grounds that have 

 been worth picking this season. It has rained almost 

 continually during the whole season — no ordinary rains, 

 but regular torrents, with occasional wind and hail-storms. 



helpful. 



Michel Early, though not productive enough to be very 

 profitable, is certainly the best extra-early berry I have 

 yet found. Wh^-n Parker Earle is better known, it 

 will become one of the most popular varieties in exist- 

 ence. It must be grown on light, warm, well-drained 

 soil to do its best. The growing plants alone attract ad- 

 miration, but when blooming and fruiting they become 

 simply wonderful. Those who see them for the first 

 ime, never seem to tire of admiring and praising 

 them. Shipments made from Denison, Texas, to Chi- 

 cago, Illinois, over 1,000 miles, and requiring more than 

 50 hours time, arrived in line condition, so that there can 

 no longer be any question about Parker Earle's keep- 

 ing and carrying qualities. — James Nimon, Texas. 



WHY NOT IMPROVE THE QUINCE ? 



Quince-culture has never received the special attention 

 that it should, but some experiments have been made to- 

 ward an improvement of the fruit in different directions. 

 I am confident we obtain from it a table-fruit as good as 

 any we now have for cooking. Last fall I found on a 

 young bush some extraordinary samples, two of which 

 were water-cored. These were rich, delicious and ten- 

 der eaten from the har.d. They were not entirely free from 



Growers here will market less than one-fourth of a crop. 

 Under these conditions it is impossible to make anything 

 like a fair comparison of the merits of the different varie- 

 ties. Many that have usually made fine crops under or- 

 dinary conditions, have this season been entire failures. 



the fibrous quality of the quince, but suggested great 

 possibilities in the fruit. 



The ordinary method of propagating the quince is by 

 suckers and by cuttings. I suggest that there be a gen- 

 eral move in the way of seedlings. We need now above 



