354: 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[September, 
Calyx medium ; color, a fine scarlet lake, with shiny 
Surface; flesh white, moderately firm; quality ex¬ 
cellent. Plant vigorous, productive, the fruit run¬ 
ning large to the end. Regarded by Messrs. Gibson 
& Bennet as the largest and finest berry ever tested 
in their vicinity. The fruit brought Mr. Felton 40 
Cts. a quart last spriug, and, cultivated side by side 
With the Sharpless, gave a much larger yield. 
THE “SATIN GLOSS” STRAWBERRY. 
Satin €3los*. —A seedling of the Lady 
Finger. Fruit medium to large, and in shape some¬ 
what like its parent; calyx very large; color, 
bright, glossy vermilion, coloring evenly all over; 
?ery regular in size and shape ; flesh firm, which, 
With its immense calyx, makes it an excellent ship¬ 
ping berry. Plant exceedingly prolific, continuing 
long in fruit, and holding its size to the end of the 
Season. Messrs. G. & B. say that this is the most 
Strikingly beautiful fruit of any that they have seen. 
Strawberry Culture—Fall Planting. 
In setting out strawberry plants in autumn—that 
Ss, ordinary layer plants taken up from the bed in 
Which they have taken root—nothing is gained in 
point of time over spring planting, so far as hasten¬ 
ing the crop is concerned. A field or bed set in 
April or May, 1881, will bear a full crop in June, 
1882. If the same plants were set in September or 
October, 1880, they would give a crop no sooner. 
We say “ crop,” as in either case a few berries may 
be borne, but none can be depended upon. While 
the crop is gained no sooner by planting six months 
Or more earlier, there is, except in cold localities 
Where autumn is short and winter long, much to be 
gained otherwise by fall planting. The soil is still 
Warm and mellow, work is not so driving as in 
spring, and there is not the fear that a drouth may 
£Ut off or injure the plants before they become well 
established. Those engaged in growing strawber¬ 
ries on a large scale plant at both seasons, but the 
practice of fall planting is gaining favor. The 
plants set in autumn have a chance, as gardeners 
Say, to “get hold of the soil,” their period of pro¬ 
bation being past, they start and grow right on as 
Soon as spring opens. Any apprehended danger 
from winter thaws and freezing is avoided by the 
fiiulch, which all of the plants should have for the 
best results. Those who would have a crop of 
Strawberries next year can do so by setting out 
Sl pot-grown plants.” These, as has been explained, 
are plants from runners which, instead of striking 
their roots in the soil of the bed, have a small pot 
Of rich earth placed under them, in which they 
take root. These pot-grown plants may be taken 
Up and set out in August or September, without 
deceiving the least check, and will next spring give 
a fair or full crop, according to the strength of the 
plants and time of striking and setting. All the 
dealers in plants now furnish those that are pot- 
grown, at a price that can barely cover the cost of 
the extra labor required to produce them. How 
far apart? is one of the frequent questions. In 
field culture the rows should be far enough apart 
to allow the cultivator to run between them, 
knd this will depend somewhat upon the imple¬ 
ment used, three feet being usual, with the plants 
a foot apart in the rows. In garden culture, rows 
two feet apart and a foot between the plants is 
most common. Other frequent questions are about 
manure and fertilizers. Large crops of large ber¬ 
ries can only be picked by those who have been 
liberal to the plants. “No manure, no cabbages,” 
is better understood and acted upon than “ no ma¬ 
nure, no strawberries.” We can give no rules for 
the amount of manure. One successful grower 
upon being asked how much he used, replied : “All 
I can get.” If about to set a strawberry patch, we 
should prepare it as the same soil would require for 
early cabbages, and then put on a little more ma¬ 
nure. Wood ashes do wonders on strawberries in 
the way of making fine, vigorous plants, and guano, 
if a moderate dressing is given after the fruit is set, 
will tell at picking time. There is nothing about 
strawberry culture that should deter whoever has 
the land from having the fruit in abundance. There 
is no reason why every farmer’s family should not 
have strawberries, and of the best, and in abund¬ 
ance—yes, three times a day, and no one afraid to 
pass the saucer the second time. The notion that 
strawberries can be set only in the spring, has done 
more than anything else to prevent their general 
culture. Every one knows how difficult it is upon 
the farm to get odd jobs done in the spring. This 
odd job of the strawberry bed can be better done 
now, this very month, than at any other time. A 
few bushels from the abundant crop of wheat may 
well be set aside to pay for the plants. Let them 
by all means be bought and set this month! 
Currant Culture—“Fay’s Prolific.” 
Of all the small fruits, the currant is the one that 
the farmer is most likely to cultivate. Like the 
quince among tree fruits, if put 
anywhere, and let alone, it is 
quite sure to produce some¬ 
thing, and we oftener see both 
(the currant and the quince) 
struggling under neglect than 
in the enjoyment of proper care 
and culture. Cultivated as a 
market fruit, the currant is 
evidently profitable, as those 
who have cultivated them for 
many years quietly add to the 
extent of their plantations. The 
experience of our correspond¬ 
ent, “ W. C.,” given elsewhere, 
bears directly upon this point. 
Unlike the strawberry, raspber¬ 
ry, etc., the currant does not 
demand promptness in picking ; 
a day or two of delay will not 
ruin the crop, and when sent 
to market, if not sold the first 
day, it need not be closed out 
at a sacrifice, but will appear 
bright and fresh the next day. 
In view of these qualities, and 
the fact that the fruit is always 
sure of a sale, we wonder that 
there is so little interest mani¬ 
fested in the currant. New va¬ 
rieties of the strawberry and of 
the raspberry are brought for¬ 
ward every year, but who has 
anything to say about a new 
currant? Those of us who kept 
the run of fruits thirty or more 
years ago, can recollect that the 
Cherry and the Versailles cur¬ 
rant were as well recognized as 
distinct as are the Concord and 
Delaware grapes. Now our 
pomologists fail to distinguish 
the two. We have no doubt 
that what may now be received 
from the nurseries as the 
Cherry and the Versailles are 
one and the same; but this does not, to our 
mind, disprove that there were formerly two well- 
marked varieties known by these names. As the 
case now stands, the small currants are known as 
“White” and “Red Dutch;” the large red are 
called “ Cherry,” as that is a better market name, 
though they are what we formerly knew as “Ver¬ 
sailles,” and the large white is called “ White 
Grape.” So far as the market goes, these have 
been the varieties for many years past. In this 
state of affairs, we were much pleased to receive 
from Geo. S. Josselyn, Fredonia, N. T., specimens 
of a new variety of currant called “ Fay’s Prolific,” 
which appeared to have so many desirable qualities 
that we inquired as to its history. The variety was 
produced by Mr. Lincoln Fay, of Portland, Chau¬ 
tauqua Co., N. Y., who has experimented with 
seedling currants during the past thirty years. He 
has raised thousands of seedlings, but this is the 
only one that he regards as a marked improvement 
over the old kinds. The specimens sent us indi¬ 
cated wonderful productiveness, but this is the 
quality which appeared to us of less importance 
than did others, as any currant, under high cultiva¬ 
tion, will bear an astonishing crop. In giving an 
engraving of this new variety, we did r.ot select a 
specimen to show its great bearing qualities, but 
with a view to give the size and character of the 
fruit. The individual berries are of the largest size, 
the bunches are long, and the fruit holds out of 
good size from the top to the bottom of the cluster. 
The bunch has a long stem— i. e., there is a long 
space of naked stem between the uppermost berry 
and the attachment to the bush. While this may 
not appear to be of importance, it makes a vast 
difference in the picking, as it allows the fruit to 
be handled without crushing the upper berries, and 
admits of rapid work. As to the qualities which 
cannot be shown in an engraving, we may say that 
the color is good and the flavor most excellent. It 
has not the intense acidity of some kinds, but is 
1 rich and full, and the flesh tender throughout. The 
fruit came by express from Buffalo, in excellent 
order, and on the fifth day after it was shipped was 
in good eating condition. Being opposed to 
double-headed names, we wrote to Mr. Josselyn, 
who had informed us of his intention of placing the 
