November, 1891. 
AND 
183 
ORCHARD 
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Two Fine Chestnuts. 
The finest chestnuts we have yet seen, 
grown in this country, are the Paragon and 
the Ridgley. The former we have growing 
in our test grounds here and it has proved 
an early and abundant bearer. The nuts are 
large, three or more in a burr and in quality 
it is very good, much better than either the 
Spanish or Japanese chestnuts. It was for- 
merly introduced under the name of Great 
American, but changed later to Paragon. 
It seems now settled that it is of foreign 
origin, a Mr. Shaffer of Philadelphia, Pa., 
having planled an Euro- 
pean nut from which the 
original tree of this varie- 
iv came. 
Samples of the Ridgley 
chestnut were received 
by us recently from a 
friend in Delaware. They 
were very fine and ap- 
proached closely in size 
those of the Paragon. In 
quality, however, they 
are not so good, although 
an excellent chestnut. 
We find that this also has 
borne another name be- 
ing known to many as 
Dupont but the correct 
name is Ridgley, and it 
is a Delaware seedling 
from a foreign nut. 
last of October, properly ripened in the 
house, it is refreshing for dessert use. — J. 
L. Budd. 
Parker Earle Strawberry. 
Decidedly one of the best of the newer 
strawberries is Parker Earle. From all 
quarters there seems to be nothing but praise 
for it. At its home in Texas it is said to be 
remarkable for its ability to withstand heat 
and drought and to flourish and bear well 
on light dry soils. Mr. Matthew Crawford 
of Ohio, well known for his experience in 
which, unfortunately, is not always the 
case with varieties named for good men. 
The accompanying illustration is an excel- 
lent likeness of the berry, and that of the 
plant shows its productiveness and size. 
The Japan Golden 
Russet Pear. 
Your beautiful cut of 
this interesting pear re- 
vives a question I have 
often raised. We now 
and then receive a hardy 
tree or shrub from Japan, 
that is hardy in the prai- 
rie states. But, so far as 
I know, all of them are 
introduced plants 
the continent. As an in 
stance Rosa Rugosa first 
came to us from Japan, 
but later we have found 
that it has run into many 
forms, with some nearly 
double varieties, in its 
ancient home in central 
Asia. Again, we received 
the hardy Hydrangea 
from Japan but it is now known that it is 
native to north central Asia and Mongolia. 
Beyond doubt the same is true of what 
you call the Japan G Aden Russet pear. 
Recently I sent the identical fruit to Dr. 
Hoskins as received from Mongolia. The 
tree thrives with us w ith a luxuriauce never 
reached by anything truly indigenous to Ja- 
pan. It fruits at an early age very full 
and I believe in the southern half of Iowa 
will give much satisfaction, at least for 
amateur growing. As ripened in our hot, 
dry climate it is handsome, unique, and 
really good for culinary use. Indeed the 
Pl.ANT AND BKRRY OK THE 1 ’aRKER EARLE STRAWBERRY 
strawberry growing, declares it by far the 
most productive variety on his place the 
past season. Editor Carman, who has tested 
it thoroughly on his grounds, gives it lavisli 
praise in his Rural New Yorker Here it 
has proved to be a good grower and an 
abundant bearer; it does not make runners 
very rapidly but the plant is robust and the 
foliage bright and clear. The berries are 
large, conical in shape with a short neck, 
none misshapen, of a glossy, high crimson 
color; flesh slightly reddish, moderately 
firm, and in quality very good. It seems 
likely to.prove worthy of the name it bears, 
Covering Strawberries. 
It is beyond question essential for best 
results that strawberry plants should be 
covered during winter and early spring. 
The object in so covering is not so much to 
protect the plants from freezing weather as 
to shade them from the sun and so prevent 
the alternate freezing 
and thawing which usual- 
ly takes place when the 
sun’s rays become strong, 
and by which the plants, 
if not protected, are heav- 
ed or drawn out of the 
soil, and the bud exposed 
to fieezing weather, 
which is usually fatal. 
Hence so many unpro- 
ductive strawberry 
“patches,” the blame for 
which is often laid tooth- 
er causes and not to the 
true one — lack of winter 
protection. There need 
be no haste, however, in 
applying the covering. 
In December, when the 
ground is frozen and wag- 
ons can be driven over 
the beds without sinking 
in the soil, it is time 
enough. The best mater- 
ial to use is strawy stable 
manure but there are oth- 
er excellent ones. Salt 
hay, evergreen boughs, 
refuse cornstalks, straw, 
etc., all make a good 
covering. The material 
should be put on lightly, 
so as to form a porous 
covering, and for this 
reason we do not find for- 
est leaves so satisfactory 
as some other materials, 
for they are apt, after 
havingbeen exposed some 
time, to pack down close- 
ly upon the plants and 
btcome a dense mat. 
Common-sense will dic- 
tate the extent to which covering should be 
put on when its object is understood. When 
the season has sufficiently advanced in 
spring and all danger of heaving out by frost 
has passed, the covering may be removed 
from the plautsand will come into good ser- 
vice later for mulching the soil about them. 
Spraying Gooseberries for Mildew. 
The New York Experiment Station at 
Geneva seems to have been very successful 
in its treatment of foreign gooseberry plants 
for the prevention of mildew which, as is 
well known to fruitgrowers, is the great 
