1865.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
Gl9 
the pear with Uio variety wliich will not do 
well if worked directly upon the quince. In 
this way the early fruiting, and other benefits 
resultin? from dwarfing are scc-ured. 
Notes on Strawberries. 
As wo go to press at too earlj* a day to allow 
of any extended account of the fruit shown at 
our Strawberry Exhibition on June 8th and 
15tli, we give notes of our observations upon 
berries in the gardens and those which have 
from time to time been brought to the oflice. 
Tlie present has generally been a favorable sea- 
son for strawberries, and though the quantities 
in market have been large, good fruit has 
brought a good price. These notes are made 
upon berries in the immediate vicinity of New 
York, and the opinions given may not agree 
with the experience of those living in distant 
localities; but it must be borne in mind that 
those varieties which are successful in some 
parts of the West, and elsewhere, may bo worth- 
less here, and vice versa. 
Agriculturist.— S\Kc\mcns of this have been 
sent by several cultivators, and it bids fair to 
fulfil the hopes entertained of it as being one 
of the most remarkable berries in cultivation. 
The vines on Mr. Judd's grounds, though they 
were urged to make all the runners possible, 
are something wonderful in the way of fruitful- 
ness, and seem to contradict the statement that 
a plant cannot make runners and still bear 
good crops of fruit. Some inquiries have been 
made as to the sexual character of this variety. 
Every blossom we have examined has been 
perfect ; still, a close observer, whose accuracy 
we cannot doubt, states that some of the late 
blossoms are pistillate only, but that all become 
fertilized. Tliis favorable opinion of the "Agri- 
culturist" is not drawn solely from plants in Mr. 
Judil's grounds, but from seeing it elsewhere, 
and in ditferent soils, and from the reports of 
those who have had it in cultivation long 
enough to fruit it. There was one point re- 
specting this variety upon which we had strong 
doubts. It was known what the plant would 
do with high cultivation and with good but not 
e.\cessive care, but we feared that like many 
other sorts it would, when subjected to the in- 
different treatment of inexperienced cultivators, 
degenerate and prove a disappointment. This 
doubt is now removed, as we have seen it grow 
in very poor soil and almost covered with 
weeds, yet it produced an amount of fruit that 
in any other variety, under good cultivation, 
would be considered large. "While we do not 
advocate poor culture for the strawberry, or 
for any tbiug else, it is gratifying to know that 
the " Agriculturist " is a variety that will do 
well under such treatment as it will be likely 
to get at the hands of the people generally, and 
that it does not need especial petting. 
Lcnnig's TV7i2(c.— Altogether the best of the 
white berries, fine, large, and a great bearer. 
Monstrous JIautbois.— This is a remarkably 
robust variety of Hautbois, and has all the pecu- 
liar characteristics of that class. It is a great 
bearer, and we are informed that the fruit is of 
good quality. We have only seen it with the 
unripe fruit, and regard it as a striking variety 
and promising well. 
/A/.— Quite a new sort. Young plants are 
very vigorous, and make a good show of fruit. 
Boiener's Prolific— This comparatively old 
sort is increasing in estimation with cultivators. 
It bears well, even under neglect, is very early, 
of good size and showy, but it is very acid. 
Buffalo. — This has been by some considered 
identical with Russell's Prolific, but upon see- 
ing the plants side by side, we cannot think 
them the same. Like the Russell, it is a strong 
plant and a great bearer, but it has much 
stronger fruit stalks and holds up its fruit better 
than that variety. Its resemblance to McAvoy's 
Superior, (we have not compared the two plants,) 
is still greater than to the Russell, and if not 
identical to that variety, it is, as f;ir as the fruit is 
concerned, a distinction without a difference. 
Triomplie de Qand. — This variety has done 
much better this year than last. Its large size 
and firmness make it an excellent market vari- 
ety, but to our taste, and we are not alone in this 
respect, its peculiar flavor is not agreeable. 
Burr's New Pine. — An old variety, but one 
which, in point of flavor, is hard to excel. Mr. 
Knox puts this as one of the best three, and 
considering his large experience, this is a high 
praise. It is usually considered a moderate 
bearer, but as we have seen it this year it had 
suflicient fruit to satisfy any one. Berry of only 
medium size, of good shape and color. 
French's Seedling. — This variety, which has 
for some time been a popular one in the Phila- 
delphia markets, proves well here. It is a very 
vigorous grower, and good bearei'. Size and 
shape good, color bright scarlet, and of very fair 
flavor. These qualities together with its 
earliuess make it a good market varietj'. Flow- 
ers hermaphrodite. Said to be an accidental 
seedling found in a meadow. 
Fillmore. — This is one of Mr. Knox's favorites, 
but it does poorly on Long Island. It is pistil- 
late, of good size, but there it is indifiereut in 
quality and productiveness. 
Marguerite.— Ijurge and showy to the ej'C, 
but watery and worthless to the taste. 
Austin. — Some veiy honest people think this 
a good fruit, and we are sorry not to be able to 
agree with them. It bears largely, but the fruit 
is soft and of very inferior quality. 
Bonte de St. Julien. — A great bearer, and a 
good family fruit, sweet and too soft to market. 
Le Baron. — Soft and flavorless. 
Hooker. — This is said to be a rather local ber- 
ry. In the extensive collection of Mr. Cavanagh, 
Brooklyn, it is a good bearer. Fruit of good size 
and among the best for quality. 
Ladies' Pine. — A small to medium berry, very 
pale, fair bearer, and very sweet and rich. 
Jucunda. — As we have seen it, large and poor, 
but has an excellent reputation at the AVest. 
Jenny Lind. — Early and very firm, but not 
productive here. 
RuaaeVa Prolific:. — This is well named " pro- 
lific." It maintains its reputation as one of the 
best and most productive of the iiistillates. 
Sometimes hollow at the core and not very firm. 
Belle Bordelaise. — This is a variety of the 
Hautbois with a most peculiar flavor, remindiug 
one of a Black-cap Raspbeny. 
Fillhaaket. — This was probably named by the 
rule of contraries. It would puzzle one to fill 
a small basket from a large bed as it grows here. 
Progress. — A large and productive fruit, but 
lacking in flavor, and no progress toward per- 
fection that can be discovered. 
Cutter. — Good bearer, good size and flavor, 
rather acid, bright color, and has all the qualities 
desirable in a market fruit, except firmness. 
Scarlet Magnate. — A very vigorous vine, but 
only fair bearer. Fruit soft and also quite acid. 
Monitor. — Large size and prolific bearer, and 
a showy market fruit. Quality fair. 
Oreen Prolific. — Tins is one of the parents of 
the Agriculturist, and like that is a strong grower 
and great bearer, but is rather soft and acid. 
Crimson Favorite. — A very vigorous vine, but 
a poor bearer. The fruit is large and of excel- 
lent quality. 
Gen. Grant.— Tins is a new seedling by Jlr. 
Burgess of which we have only seen a few ber- 
ries, and from these we should consider it a 
fruit of much promise. 
Brooklyn Scarlet. — A very fiiir plant, good 
bearer, and handsome and excellent fruit. 
Col. Ellsworth. — Large in size and indifl'erent 
in quality, but a very showy fruit. 
Barms' Sei'dUng. — This is another new .va- 
riety. It is a large berr}', abundant bearer, 
but the fruit lacks character. 
Eeins' Seedling. — Another novelty, and a seed- 
ling of the Wilson, upon which it is an im- 
provement, being large, of good shape, and 
spirited flavor. 
Useful Things in the Garden. 
A number of garden implements have been 
illustrated in the Agriculturist this year, but 
the catalogue of them is not yet complete. In 
the choice of implements, whether for hand or 
hoi-se power, it is a matter of importance to se- 
lect those which will do the work thoroughly 
with the least expenditure of force, and if a few 
ounces can be saved in the weight, or the amount 
of resistance to be overcome, in a hand imple- 
ment for the garden, it is a great gain. A cor- 
respondent, "J. M.," of Montgomery Co., Pa., 
sends us a drawing and description of an im- 
plement wliich he considers superior to any 
other for garden uses. It is not new, but is sold 
in our stores as a hoe-fork, or potato-hook; still, 
as it may be new to many readers, we give an 
illustration of it which will need but little ex- 
planation. The curved teeth are about 5 inches 
long, and filed to a sharp point. They are made 
with 4 and 5 teeth. 
It is used by some 
of our best garden- 
ers in place of 
the common hoe, 
to which they con- 
sider it as much 
superior as the 
spading fork is 
to the ordinary 
spade. By its 
use the soil is 
worked deeper 
than can be done 
with the common 
hoe, and it leaves 
noE FORK. tiie surface in that 
finelj' crumbled condition so favorable to 
growth. Our correspondent says : " in using 
it, merely drag it down the rows and if those 
who try it do not find it will do more work 
than any other description of weeder their ex- 
perience will be different from mine." 
One who has tried the "Adams Patent 
Weeding Hoe," described in the May Agricul- 
turiM, page 149, recommends it highly as a great 
labor-saving implement particularly on smooth 
ground. With it the ground between rows of 
onions, carrots, beets, etc., can be thoroughly 
cultivated close to the plants, more rapidly 
than four or five men could operate with com- 
mon hoes. At this rate the weeder would pay 
its cost in a very short time. 
