160 
September, 1890, 
ORCH PiRD 
GARDE N 
Seasonabls Suggestions. 
September is an excellent time for setting 
out strawberry plants as the conditions are 
then generally favorable. Cool, moist weath- 
er enables the plants to make a speedy re- 
covery from the shock of transplanting and 
considerable growth before freezing weath- 
er sets in. It is not always possible, how- 
ever. for the grower to obtain plants in large 
quantities at this season of the year, whilst 
they are yet running and making their 
increase, and hence nurserymen are very 
loath to disturb their beds, and. as a rule, 
decline to dig and sell plants at wholesale 
prices. by the thousand, before October. We 
like fall planting of strawberries, however, 
even if not set imtil October, except for the 
far North where winter sets in early, as the 
plants become established before winter, 
and the only extra trouble is that of cover- 
ing them for protection, which may be done 
at odd times through the early winter. 
Pot grown plants may still be set with 
the promise of considerable fruit next June 
if the plants are good ones and well-rooted. 
They should be put on rich soil and kept 
growing right along until freezing weather; 
constant culture and repeated applications 
of weak liquid manure will accomplish this. 
Cut off all runners as they appear. 
Cuttings of currants and gooseberries 
should be made early. The wood of these 
ripen early as may be seen by the leaves, 
winch only await the action of frost to drop 
off. Do not wait for frost, but when the 
leaves turn dull and faded make the cut- 
tings and strip the leaves off. Cuttings 
planted in fall do far better than when kept 
over and planted in spring. We have re- 
peatedly noticed the greatest possible differ- 
ence in growth between those planted in 
fall and spring, the former far ahead, al- 
though the latter had been buried and well 
callused during winter. The earlier in fall 
they are put out the better, and when the 
ground is frozen in winter the rows should 
be covered like strawberry plants to prevent 
them heaving out with the frost; long, 
strawy stable manure is the best for this 
purpose. When, however, it is not conven- 
ient to plant in fall, the cuttings should be 
tied in bundles of convenient size, with the 
butts all one way, and buried on some high 
knoll where water will not stand; or they 
may In- packed in soil in boxes and wintered 
in the cellar. In the spring plant them out 
as early as possible. 
Cultivation in the berry patch should now 
cease, except among the strawberries, that 
the canes may ripen fully before winter. If 
properly attended to during summer the 
ground will be clean but any r large weeds 
still left here and there may be jjulied by 
hand to prevent their going to seed. Do 
not attempt to transplant young plants too 
early; wait until they are dormant. There 
is nothing to be gained by moving them 
until then. 
Every grower should do more or less of 
his planting in the fall. We believe in fall 
planting for all but blackcap raspberries, 
which do better in the spring. Plants put 
out in fall will really start to grow earlier 
than one can generally get his ground 
ploughed and fitted, and if, as is often 
the case, the spring should be backward, 
the plants are likely to be badly started be- 
fore they can be gotten out. In the fall the 
plants are dormant and may be handled 
without injury, there is leisure to do the 
work properly and well, and a piece of work 
is well out of the way which it often both- 
ers one to find time to do early in the spring. 
These advantages have all been stated be- 
fore. but people do not always take readily 
to new ways without urging, even though 
it be for their own good. 
Those desirous of increasing their planta- 
tions of blackcap raspberries should go over 
the patch and layer the tips of the canes 
that have not struck root in the soil. The 
tip ends indicate their readiness to emit 
roots by swelling and changing color. With 
a trowel layer them in the soil, which must 
be mellow, and secure in position by plac- 
ing a stone or clod of earth upon them. 
This must be done early in the month. 
It is always better to set out some straw- 
berry plants for family use even late in fall 
than to neglect it altogether in spring. 
Report on New Strawberries. 
The past season has been a peculiar one. 
The winter was unusually mild, and was 
followed by a cool and very wet spring, and 
frequent rains throughout the month of 
June. Strawberries were large, but hardly 
up to the standard in quality, color and 
firmness; especially when grown in thick 
matted rows. Plants must not be crowded 
if the fruit is to be high-colored and firm. 
Parker Earle. — The berries are quite 
long, often slightly flattened, and tapering 
from the center to the ends. The color is a 
bright, glossy red, the texture firm, and the 
quality good. The trusses are large and 
spreading, the blossoms bisexual, and the 
plants dark green, strong, stocky, and per- 
fectly healthy. What I have seen of the 
Parker Earle corroborates my former opin- 
ion that it is an acquisition. 
Lady Rusk. — I should say that firmness 
is its prominent characteristic, and this was 
claimed for it by its introducer. It is also 
an excellent grower and a good bearer, but 
in size, beauty and quality' of fruit it did 
not come up to my expectations this time. 
Mrs. Cleveland. — I have fruited it twice. 
The plant is large and vigorous, perfectly 
healthy, a good bearer, and makes a long 
season. The fruit is large, and uneven on 
the surface at first, but not misshapen. It is 
of good quality, but rather light in color, 
being only orange-scarlet under favorable 
conditions, and not darker than salmon in 
the thick matted row. It does not seem re- 
markable for firmness, but the same is true 
of many other varieties this year. It may 
prove to be a good shipper in a dryer season. 
Yale. — Received from the introducer last 
spring. The plants are making a very vig- 
orous growth, and not a spot of rust can 
be found upon any of them as yet. I allowed 
a few to bear, and the fruit is large, round, 
of a dark glossy red in color, and the seeds 
are on the surface. The flesh is dark, firm, 
and of good flavor. 
Michel’s Early, or Osceola.— This is a 
healthy vigorous grower, of the Crescent 
style ; it sends out a great number of run- 
ners, and has a perfect blossom. It is very 
early, four days ahead of any other kind on 
my grounds, of medium size, and of the 
very best flavor, but only moderately pro- 
ductive here, as is quite often the case with 
southern berries when transplanted in the 
North. 
Crawford. — All things considered this 
was the finest variety on my place this year. 
The plant is faultless, large, healthy, vigor- 
ous and productive, with a splendid bi-sex- 
ual blossom, making it an excellent ferti- 
lizer for the pistillate sorts, several of which 
are now so popular. The fruit is very large, 
of good form, bright, glossy red, solid flesh, 
and firm skin, with seeds protecting the sur- 
face. It is one of the very best to bear 
handling and carrying, and on this account 
of great value to those who ship their fruit. 
The flavor is delicious, being both sweet and 
sprightly. It was the finest berry exhibited 
at the Montgomery County exhibition this 
year, and also at our own. 
Eureka. — F. C. Miller places this at the 
head of the list, and says that it is the most 
productive of all; and T. T. Lyon, John Lit- 
tle and others are enthusiastic in its praise. 
In view of such testimony and from such 
sources I feel somewhat reluctant to ac- 
knowledge that I was disappointed in it. 
The plant is so large, and such a healthy 
vigorous grower that I expected an immense 
crop, but it did not prove remarkably pro- 
ductive with me. The berries that ripened 
first were large, but too uneven on the sur- 
face and too light colored to look well. As 
the season advanced the fruit improved in 
shape but diminished in size, and at no time 
was it a berry that I could greatly admire. 
Miami. — This fruited here the present sea- 
son under very favorable circumstances. It 
produced a good crop, the berries were of 
good quality, and many of them w ere large, 
but of a dark, dull, unattractive color, and 
with tough stems, making them hard to 
pick. The plants were very much exhaust- 
ed at the close of the bearing season. 
Viola. — The plants of this variety are 
very large, with deeply penetrating roots, 
but only moderately productive. The fruit 
also is large, but too light-colored and not 
superior in quality. 
Bubach. — This is the popular large berry 
that succeeds everywhere, and pleases most 
people. Beginners are charmed with its 
