AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
259 
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STRAWBERRIES-CHAPTER II. 
WHAT CONSTITUTES A GOOD VARIETY. 
Having gone over the whole ground of Straw¬ 
berry culture, and there being nothing to do in 
out-door operations this month, save the Winter 
protection of the plants, which has already been 
described, we will close this series of chapters for 
the present season, with a few hints to those who 
may hereafter bring to notice new varieties. 
We think there is a necessity for some criterion 
by which to judge of the comparative value of 
new Seedling varieties. It is not sufficient to say 
that a strawberry is very productive, or very 
large, or of excellent quality. We wish to know 
how many points of excellence it possesses. Why 
is it that Hovey’s Seedling has maintained its 
predominance over almost every variety for twen¬ 
ty years 1 Simply because it possesses so many 
points of excellence. We will name seven which 
compose our beau-ideal of a Strawberry. 
1. Vigor. —Plants that will attain a good size 
nder ordinary treatment, or that will throw out 
i number of new plants. The Crimson Cone is 
a good example. If kept clear of runners it will 
make a large stool. If suffered to run it will soon 
ill abroad space, one plant will cover thickly more 
<han a square yard. Some single specimens have 
sufficient vigor to produce in one season, a hund¬ 
red new plants 
2. Hardiness. —This includes the quality of re¬ 
sisting the Winter’s frost, and the Summer’s sun. 
Some kinds are injured by the severe cold, others 
are scorched by the heat of Summer. Many of 
t he European varieties of much merit are entire¬ 
ly worthless when exposed to our hot sun. This 
■s the case with the Fill-Basket, Myatt’s Pine 
Seedling and the British Queen. (See illustra¬ 
tions on page 84 April No.) Plants can be pro¬ 
tected in Winter, by covering, but they can not 
lie shielded from the sun’srays. 
3. Productiveness. —This is a sine qua non. 
Those who plant strawberries want fruit. Under 
this head we wish to know what quantity of fruit 
has been produced from a square yard under a 
specified mode of culture. If the plants are her¬ 
maphrodite oi perfect, we wish to know what 
proportion of the blossoms will produce fruit. 
4. Good Size. —This refers to uniformly large 
and regularly formed berries. Hovey’s Seedling 
may be taken as a standard of comparison. 
5. Good Quality. —Solid, rich and juicy, are the 
components of quality. Here also Hovey’s may 
be referred to as a standard. 
6. Beautiful Color. —The color should be bright 
scarlet, or crimson, and permanent. When straw¬ 
berries are raised for market the color is a matter 
of much importance. Some berries, although 
bright and beautiful when first picked, loose their 
color after being exposed a few hours, and become 
dull and stale looking. This was the objection to 
Hovey’s Seedling, when first introduced in the 
New-York Market. The Large Early Scarlet and 
the Crimson Cone owe much of their popularity 
to the fact that they retain their bright color for a 
long time. 
7. A reflexed Calyx. —By this we- meari the qual¬ 
ity of having the hull bent back from the fruit. 
This may not seem to be a matter of much im¬ 
portance, but where there are many to hull it is a 
consideration. In some kinds the calyx adheres 
so closely to the fruit, that it can not be removed 
without mutilating the berry. 
Wt do not know of any variety comprising fully 
all these ooints of excellence. But we think it 
possible that they may all be realized yet; and 
even if they should not, it is well to have an ideal 
before us, that we may combine and select with 
••eierenee to '* 
Comparing Hovey’s with our ideal we find it 
fails in quality and color. The fruit is somewhat 
dry and not very high flavored. The color is 
good when first picked, but it soon becomes dull. If 
it had the color of the Early Scarlet it would be the 
most desirable market fruit of any yet introduced. 
Longworth’s Prolific is a little defective as re¬ 
gards hardiness. The leaves are liable to be 
burnt by the sun, especially if the plants are old 
and the weather dry and hot. On this account it 
succeeds best when the bed is renewed every 
year. The calyx adheres too closely to the ber¬ 
ries, especially in the small sized ones. 
Burr’s New Pine was much thought of for a 
time. Its great excellence consisted in its fine 
aromatic flavor. It was deficient in vigor and 
deficient in size, and only moderately productive. 
CONVENTION OE FRUIT¬ 
GROWERS. 
Leaf Blight and Cracking of Pears—Pears on 
Quince Stocks—Best Form and Age of Trees for 
Planting — Raspberries — Blackberries—Vote on 
Merits of several Varieties of Fruits, fye. 
The Western New-York Fruit-Growers’ Asso¬ 
ciation held their autumnal meeting at Rochester, 
Sept. 18 and 19, at which was a good attendance 
and a fine display of fruit. J. J. Thomas, of Union 
Springs, occupied the chair, and the discussions 
throughout were of an interesting character. The 
causes of the leaf-blight, and cracking of the pear, 
was the first subject which claimed attention, but 
after a lengthy discussion, the subject was left 
with a recommendation to plant varieties not lia¬ 
ble to these diseases, and a committee was ap¬ 
pointed for further investigation, to report at the 
next meeting. 
Another question of much interest was, “wheth¬ 
er the pear on quince could be profitably cultivat¬ 
ed on a large scale for market purposes.” This 
called out a free expression of opinion from those 
who have given much attention to the cultivation 
of this fruit, and the opinion seemed to obtain, 
that with a proper selection and planting, good 
tillage, and judicious management, they might be 
a profitable market crop. It was recommended 
to plant them in rows, near together, and work 
like corn. 
The form of the tree best suited for a standard 
pear was next discussed, and the prevailing sen¬ 
timent appeared to be that the Pyramid is the 
best form, allowing the trees to branch near the 
ground. On the question “ what age is best for 
planting apple and pear trees from Nurseries to 
orchards to insure success,” there was but one 
prevailing sentiment, and that in favor of planting 
small trees, two years from the bud for pear, cherry 
and plum, and three years at most for the apple. 
The smaller fruits claimed some attention, and 
among raspberries Brinkle’s Orange was recom¬ 
mended, together with the Hudson River Ant¬ 
werp. Of blackberries, the New Rochelle was 
highly praised. It should be allowed to fully ripen 
before picking. A resolution was unanimously 
adopted to call this fruit (sometimes termed the 
Lawton) the New Rochelle Blackberry. 
A list of apples, pears and peaches, for market¬ 
ing, was balloted for, and resulted in the follow¬ 
ing preferences,—those first named having the 
highest vote : 
Applts —R. I. Greening, Baldwin, Roxbury Rus¬ 
set, Red Astrachan, King of Tompkins Co., Tol- 
inan Sweet, Northern Spy and Esopus Spitzenburg. 
Pears —Bartlett, Louise Bonne, Duchesse d’An- 
gouleme. White Doyenne (1), Easter Beurre, 
Lawrence, Seckel, Vicar of Winkfield and Flem¬ 
ish Beauty. 
Peaches —Crawford’s Early. Crawford’s Late, 
Old Mixon free-stone, and Early York. 
GRAPE CULTURE-NO. XL 
BY WILLIAM CHORLTON. 
Most of our labors for the present season are 
now finished, and according to good or bad man¬ 
agement, or injurious effects of the wet and cold 
Summer, so have been the results. In conse¬ 
quence of this latter drawback, the wood of all 
out-door grape-vines, and also that in most cold 
graperies, has not thoroughly ripened, which ren¬ 
ders it necessary to assist by artificial means to 
make up the deficiency. This, in out-door cul¬ 
ture, may be done by removing the superfluous 
shoots, thus allowing the sun to act upon the 
branches, and further centralize or ripen the 
juices, thus reducing the quantity of aqueous mat¬ 
ter contained in the vine. Do not, however, in¬ 
jure the leaves on the remaining branches, as 
respiration would be checked, and the object in¬ 
tended to be gained prevented. It is advisable to 
follow up the same course with late crops ander 
glass, and, in addition, to deviate a trifle from 
general practice by keeping the house a little 
warmer than usual. This may be accomplished 
by keeping the lower ventilators closed, by which 
a higher temperature will be maintained near the 
bottom of the house. A free circulation, quite 
sufficient for all purposes, may be admitted by the 
upper openings. A genial and dry atmosphere 
will thus be secured, which will enable the vines, 
to complete the ripening process without check, 
and if the house be entirely closed at night when 
there is danger of frost, the leaves will be kept in 
a growing state for a longer time. Never let a 
grape vine leaf be injured by extreme cold before 
it is mature, if it is possible to avoid it. So long 
as it remains green, it is doing seryice to the vine 
In a healthy plant of any kind, when nature has 
accomplished her purpose she will cast off the 
useless parts, and any interference in this partic 
ular leads to injurious effects. Where new plant 
ings are intended, the early part of this month is 
the best time for making preparations, as the 
needful operations can now be executed much 
better while the ground is in good working order, 
and not saturated with water. For the vineyard, 
drain if necessary, plow a deep furrow, and follow 
with the subsoil plow; or when only of srnal. 
extent, trench two spits deep. Nothing will bt 
lost by the extra labor. If the soil be not natu¬ 
rally very fertile, add a good dressing of barn-yard 
manure, or an abundance of rotten leaves. In the 
August number mention is made of the good ef¬ 
fects of swamp muck, by Mr. John Ellis, of Fox 
Meadow, which I would fully indorse, when prop- 
perly applied, and the use of which he well under¬ 
stands. Choose the large tussocks and the fibrous 
upper surface of the muck swamp, throw these 
into a heap, and as the work proceeds mix 
a portion of powdered lime, say one barrel to each 
twelve cart loads ; let it remain through the Win¬ 
ter, and afterwards, cart or wheel it over the 
piece to be planted. Dig or plow it in, and you 
have one of the best auxiliaries either for the 
grapery border or outside culture. 
Those who only wish to plant a few hardy 
vines, and have their land in a good state for the 
purpose, may do so at the commencement of this 
month. It is not advisable to defer it later in the 
season. The best choice of plants is generally to 
be obtained in the nurseries at this time, which is 
an object. If removed early enough, and the 
roots are kept moist until they are again planted, 
they will be in a good condition for a vigorous 
start in the Spring. 
The wood in the forcing house ought now to 
be thoroughly ripened, with no leaves remain¬ 
ing, which is a seasonable time to prune. After 
