42 



THE EDITOR'S OLTLOOK. 



in reading and study relating to the business, and 

 the plans for the next year can be thoroughly 

 digested. 



^r^c^r ^ 1 ATE HAVE little admiration for 



TESTING yXJ 



OF I 'ARIETIES. the ordinary testing of varie- 



ties and we have several times 

 stated our objections to it. It is a cheap, unsatis- 

 factory and often trivial labor, and in most cases it 

 does not rise to the dignity of experimentation. 

 Yet there is no reason why testing of varieties should 

 not form a useful part of experiment station work. 

 But it must be more thoroughly done than hereto- 

 fore, and the experimenter must look beyond the 

 mere behavior of plants under his eyes. The best 

 instructions which have yet come from the stations 

 for the testing of varieties are those contained in a 

 recent Ohio bulletin upon strawberries, by W. J. 

 Green. These remarks are so pertinent and ex- 

 press our own convictions so fully that we transcribe 

 them /;/ extcnso. The remarks upon the essentials 

 of a good variety are particularly valuable, and 

 they are applicable, with slight modifications, to 

 other fruits than the strawberry. 



" The greatest change [in testing of varieties] that has 

 been made was to enlarge the field of observations by 

 making use of the experience of specialists in other 

 parts of the state. This has been done by sending out 

 plants of new sorts for trial, by correspondence, and by 

 personal visits to fruit growers. None of these plants 

 have been carried out very thoroughly for want of means 

 and because it was thought best to make a preliminary 

 trial of each before extended operations were begun. 

 Enough has now been done to warrant the conclusion 

 that unless the parties to whom plants are sent for trial 

 can be visited frequently, and at least once during the 

 fruiting season, but little can be expected in the way of 

 reports from plants so sent. 



' ' There are numerous reasons whv the plan of sending 

 out plants indiscriminately for testing is not feasible, 

 but the main cause is the inability of those who are 

 qualified to do the work to find the necessary time, even 

 if paid for doing it. In view of this fact, the sending out 

 of plants will be discontinued, except to those who are 

 found to be willing and able to make satisfactory re- 

 ports, or to those to whom a visit can be made at the 

 proper season. It is believed that the work might be 

 profitably extended in this direction, and at the same 

 time the amount done at the station reduced. 



' ' Experience shows that to reduce the number of varie- 

 ties to the lowest limit, to increase the size of the plats, 

 and to multiply tests, is the direction in which to work. 

 These changes have been made, or are being made, as 

 fast as possible. To more sharply define the limits of 

 each experiment, or trial of varieties, will be the aim ; 

 i. e., varieties will be so tested as to determine one or 

 two special characteristics, such as comparing for earli- 



ness, lateness, productiveness, etc., and to bring these 

 points out prominently, rather than to study all equally 

 closely. A thorough comparison of early varieties, and 

 of the productiveness of several leading varieties is now 

 in progress. It is hoped that with the strawberry, at 

 least, variety testing, as commonly understood, may be 

 largely discontinued, and no harm done to the interests 

 represented. New varieties, not yet offered for sale, 

 will be tested as heretofore. 



"Essentials of a Good Variety. — There is no 

 proper conception on the part of many originators of 

 what is demanded, or should be demanded in a new 

 variety. It is idle to expect all of the virtues of a 

 strawberry in one variety, but to be of any value a 

 variety must have some marked characteristics. It may 

 not be early, late, vigorous, productive, large, firm and 

 of high quality. It may lack some of these attributes 

 and yet have value, if the qualities that it does possess 

 are well marked, and those that are lacking are not such 

 as would be required to fit it for general cultivation. 



" It will be found that varieties which have failed to 

 become favorites either have no pronounced character- 

 istics, or have been wanting in qualities required to fit 

 them for general cultivation. It is commonly believed 

 that a variety may do well in one locality and yet fail in 

 another, and vice versa. There is some truth in this, 

 but much error also. It is true that varieties vary more 

 or less on different soils, but it is also true that the most 

 variable sorts are the least valuable. In fact, if a variety 

 varies greatly on different soils it may be set down as 

 unreliable. Sooner or later it will fail, even where it 

 seems to be most at home. To believe that because a 

 variety exhibits a defect in one locality it may not in 

 another, is almost always a fatal error. If a variety lacks 

 vigor, is susceptible to disease, is tender when in bloom, 

 or is unproductive, there is no ground for hope that 

 even under favorable conditions it will become popular, 

 and remain so. Some such have been favorites in cer- 

 tain localities for a time, but sooner or later have been 

 discarded. To hope to find varieties suited to certain 

 sections only is a delusion. The only varieties that 

 stand the test in particular sections are those that suc- 

 ceed over wide areas. 



"The qualities that strawberry growers desire in a 

 variety are, first of all, vigor, health, hardiness and 

 productiveness. None of these attributes can be sacri- 

 ficed, except in a limited degree. Aside from these 

 qualities others are required, but not the same in all 

 cases. One grower places productiveness first, another 

 firmness, another size and beauty, while in certain cases 

 quality is ranked first. Given a healthy, vigorous plant, 

 then whatever other qualities a variety possesses must 

 be very marked, so as to fit it to meet certain require- 

 ments as well, or better, than any other variety. If 

 originators and growers will cease trying to find varie- 

 ties that are suited to particular soils, and send out those 

 only that succeed over wide areas, and the wider the 

 better, and that have one or more marked character- 

 istics, much annoyance and useless labor will be saved." 



