1867.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
691 
Notes on Strawberries. 
The season has, on the whole, been a success- 
ful one for the strawberry grower, though in 
some places, as in southern New Jersey, the 
heavy rains, which came j ust as the fruit was ripe, 
caused considerable loss. A very fine exhibi- 
tion was held by the American Institute, in New 
York, on June 25th and 26tb, and another by 
Mr. Knox, at Pittsburgh, on the 26th and 27th of 
the same month. We attended both of these 
exhibitions, and give such notes on varieties 
as we gleaned from these and other sources. 
Metcalf's Early. — This variety originated 
in Michigan. In a bas- 
ket note last month, we 
quoted Mr. "Williams and 
Mr. Doty for its earli- 
ness. We have since 
seen Mr. Parry, of Cin- 
naminson, and others, 
who do not give a very 
favorable account of its 
earliness, productiveness, 
or good quality. Figure 
1 gives the shape of the 
berry, which is of a light scarlet color. 
RippoWam. — A variety that has been before 
the public a few years, but has not been exten- 
sively cultivated. It originated with Mr. J. W. 
Faulkner, Stamford, Conn. The engraving, 
S'ig- 2, gives one of the exhibition berries. We 
have not seen it in bearing, but at several shows 
very large fruit has been exhibited. It has a 
remarkable tendency to assume the flattened, 
coxcomb shape, which tells strongly against its 
good qualities, which are a firm flesh and a very 
_. 2. — RIPPOWAM. 
agreeable flavor. Growers of this variety differ 
in their accounts of its productiveness. 
Stinger's Seedling. — This berry originated 
With Mr. W. H. Stinger, of Gray's Ferry, Pa. 
We give a figure of 
' it, (fig. 3,) but from 
\ ' A/' w the fact that we 
have never seen the 
fruit in good condi- 
tion, do not care to 
say much about it. 
There are very few 
berries upon which 
it is fair to pass 
judgment after they 
Pig. 3.-9Tiunger'8. have !j een picked 
forty-eight hours. We can only say that some 
of our Philadelphia friends, in whose opin- 
ion we place confidence, think well of it. 
Seto Boyden. — Mr. Scth Boyden, well known 
as the originator of the Agriculturist, exhibited 
at the late show of the American Institute his 
seedling No. 30, which, we understand, is to 
bear his name. Mr. B. stated that the exhibi- 
tion was at least ten days too late to allow him 
to show his berry in perfection. As exhibited, 
the berry was of great oromise, reminding one 
of the "Agricul- 
turist," but of 
better color and 
more regular 
shape, (fig. 4.) 
Weshallbeglad 
if this proves to 
be a valuable 
variety, and one 
worthy to bear 
the name of one 
who has done 
so much for 
strawberry cul- 
ture as has Mr. 
Seth Boyden, of 
Fig. 4.— seth boyden. Newark, N. J. 
Romeyn's Seedling. — This is a chance 
seedling raised from 
mixed seed of the 
Triomphe de Gand, 
Austin, and Wilson, 
grown together. The 
plants shown at the 
late exhibition were 
apparently very pro- 
ductive, though but a 
small portion of the 
fruit was ripe. It has 
a surface much like 
that of Triomphe de 
Gand, and its shape 
is shown in figure 5. 
Chas. Downing.— Mr. J. S. Downer, of Elk- 
ton, Kentucky, with whom originated the well 
known Down- 
er's Prolific, 
has sent to the 
East a berry of 
remarkable ex- 
cellence, and 
which has been 
named for our 
distinguish e d 
horticulturist, 
Chas.Downing 
Figure 6 gives 
an average ber- 
ry, but not one 
of the largest. 
Both Mr. Car- 
penter and Mr 
Fi°:. 6.— chas. downing. 
Downing have grown it, and 
speak in high terms of its productiveness and 
other good qualities. It is certainly a berry of 
remarkably high character, as to flavor, and we 
expect a great deal from its present promise. 
Ida. — We figure this va- 
riety, (fig. 7,) because so 
much has been said of it- 
It is reported as produc- 
tive, but as a fruit we do 
not consider it as good as 
the Wilson. The specimens 
we have seen are quite in- 
Fig. 7.— IDA. different. It is pistillate. 
Jucunda. — Very fine specimens of this vari- 
ety were shown at the exhibition of the Amer- 
ican Institute, and from all that we can learn, 
it is growing rapidly in favor. Mr. Knox's farm, 
at Pittsburgh, is the headquarters of this variety, 
where it is also known as " 700." The show of 
this fruit upon his grounds was this year some- 
thing wonderful to see. To say that the crop 
was large, would not express it— it was immense. 
We never before saw berries run so uniformly 
large. __ The fruit is of fine color, and that it car- 
Fig. 8. — jucunda. 
ries well is shown by the fact that it is sold in 
the 'New York markets, after a long journey 
from Pittsburgh. The day we were at Mr. 
Knox's farm, he shipped a hundred bushels of 
this variety to New York, a similar quantity to 
Philadelphia, besides supplying the home mar- 
ket. We figure a good sized berry of regular 
shape,'(fig- 8,) but it would have been easy to se- 
lect a larger, if no regard were had to fomi. 
Abraham Lincoln. —A variety with this 
name was shown at the Exhibition of the Amer- 
ican Institute. As far as the fruit is concerned, 
it is not easy to see how it differs from Jucunda. 
Lucida Perfecta. — This is a foreign sort 
that is attracting some attention. The fruit is 
medium size, (fig. 9), round, 
of a bright salmon color. 
For sweetness and richness 
of flavor it is scarcely sur- 
passsed by any variety. The 
foliage has a very robust ap- 
pearance, and is of a deep 
green. From what we have 
seen of it, it does not ap- 
pear to bear well enough for 
a market berry, but it is certainly a sort 
worthy the attention of amateur cultivators. 
Fillmore. — This is a variety about which 
there is much difference of opinion. On the 
strong soil of Mr. Knox it proves itself a valua- 
ble sort, being there a good bearer, early, and of 
excellent quality. The fruit is of good size, and 
its firmness allows it to carry well to market. 
It has the disadvantage of being pistillate. 
Goliath, (Kittle y«).— An old variety which 
the American Pomological Society placed upon 
Fig. 9. 
Fig. 10.— GOLIATH. 
their " Rejected List " some ten years ago, and 
the cultivation of which is generally abandoned. 
Tel Mr. Knox funis it to his account to grow 
H, and thinks more highly of it than of many 
newer sorts. Size and shape shown in fig. 10. 
