Ridgeway, B. (Male.) 
MEDIUM EARLY TO LATE. Bisexual. The 
Ridgeway is large, rich, blood red, rouivj as a cherry 
and almost as snnoth; the seeds are embedded in the 
flesh just enough to make a smooth surface, a combi- 
nation certainly that makes it a handsome berry, and 
its beauty is not affected when cut open, as the interior 
is just as fine as the exterior. The meat is a pure scar- 
let, with an oblong ring around the heart that is almost 
white. ' If the berry is cut in two lengthwise, this white 
ring is oblong, but if cut crosswise, it is perfectly 
round. The calyx is small and droops over the berry, 
remaining green for several days after being picked. 
Ridgeway does not depend on its beauty and quality 
alone for popularity; its productiveness also helps to 
make it famous. The foliage is a tall grower, with 
dark green leaves that are so waxy they fairly glisten; 
the runners are extra large and grow long before form- 
ing nodes for their new plants, and if allowed to grow 
at will they take root about fifteen inches from the 
mother plar.t. For this reason it is well to set the 
plants about three feet apart in the row, allow each one 
to make four runners, and each of these can make two 
plants, which make eight from each mother plant; 
layering these along the row in two lines will form a 
complete double hedge row, with the plants about ten 
inches apart. This allows plenty of room for them to 
stool and get ready for heavy work at fruiting time. 
Make the soil rich with manure; fifty bushels of un- 
leached wood ashes to the acre will add much to the 
firmness. Both manure and ashes should be thoroughly 
incorporated with the soil before plants are set. Cultivate 
until late in the fall, as they will pay big for all the 
extra expense of labor and fertilizers. 
When packing do not crowd them; they make a 
most beautiful appearance when packed with stems 
down and always are a favorite with the fancy trade, 
which wants the best and is determined to have it, no 
matter what the price may be. 
This makes the ninth year we have had the Ridge- 
way under our method of selection, and our strain of 
plants is making friends wherever tested. 
PVERY berry grower should set his standard high; 
^ then never rest until it is realized. 'Twill pay big. 
Aroma, B. (Male.) 
LATE. Bisexual. One of the very best late var- 
ieties. The berries are very large and blood-red to 
center; it has a rich, aromatic flavor peculiar to itself. 
The flesh is solid and very smooth; it seems to absorb 
the juice, preventing it from running when cut open. 
The outside also is very firm, thus making it an ideal 
shipper. Part of the calyx droops over the berry and 
part curls back towards the stem. It has yellow 
seeds, which are very prominent and glossy. Its pro- 
ductiveness, firmness and rich flavor have made it one 
of the most popular varieties among commercial grow- 
ers, and it is the leading late berry in many localities. 
As a pollenizer for late pistillates it has no superior, as 
the bloom starts to open medium early and continues 
until quite late. The foliage is a smooth deep green, 
with spreading habit, giving the svin a good chance to 
beat upon the crowns; its leaves are quite long and free 
from all fungus effect. It is a sight wort h seeing at 
fruiting time, as the bright, clean foliage, drooping 
over the big load of dark red berries, makes a shiny 
streak across the field which never appears common- 
place to the lover of the beautiful in nature. 
Set the plants thirty inches apart in the row and lay er 
the runners so they will form a narrow matted row; 
this will give better results than any other system we 
have tried; but do not allow them to mat thickly; let 
each row get about one foot wide, with six or eight in- 
ches of space between the plants. Do not omit mulch- 
ing, as their fruit grows close to the ground. Pack 
the berries with stem end down, letting only the bright 
tips show. 
This is the fourteenth year of selection and restric- 
tion, and it is now good enough for anybody. From 
the flattering reports received from all parts of the 
country we are convinced that it will succeed every- 
where. 
I SET twelve rows of Thoroughbred Haverlands and 
* six of Bismarcks, using the latter for fertilizers. 
These rows are just about four rods long and there are 
eighteen of them — not a very large patch. But this 
season we picked more than 1,000 quarts from it. The 
conditions were most unfavorable, and under the cir- 
cumstances I think this an exceptional yield," writes 
B. Grffilths of Estherville, Iowa. 
46 
