NOTES FROM THE RURAL GROUNDS. The value of size in a strawberry is altogether over- it to be, and one not hitherto stated in so far as we 
Annual Strawberry Report, 1895. 
Remarks Explanatory and Otherwise. 
The strawberry season opened at the Rural Grounds 
this year about June 1, and closed July 3. The season 
was unusually dry and hot. June 1, 2 and 3 were the 
hottest days recorded in many years, and the 1st was a 
record breaker. On June 7, 17 and 18, there were de¬ 
cided white frosts. On June 5, there was enough 
estimated. It is a temporary fad of the market that 
is already losing its grip, as the Keiffer pear is i*e- 
jected by those who know it, in favor of the little, 
modest Seckel, the Bose, Anjou, Sheldon or Buffum. 
It is hard to educate the market, but it does get edu¬ 
cated in time. It learns, finally, that the large size 
and pretty red cheek of a Clairgeau or Keiffer or Le 
Conte, mean low quality. It is capable of learning 
that the homely mottled color of the Timbrell is a 
have seen, that Timbrell, Brandywine and Parker 
Earle, do their very best the second year. This, it is 
true may be said, perhaps, of all kinds, but not to the 
same degree. While at their best the second year, 
they seem neai-ly worthless the third. The plants seem 
to exhaust themselves by overbearing the second year. 
RANDOM NOTES. 
Marshall. —Does not thrive here. June 14. Bran¬ 
dywine just coming in ; Timbrell now ripening freely. 
rain to insure a crop of 
early berries. About June 
14, while the intermediates 
were in the height of their 
season, the weather was 
hot and dry, and the later 
varieties were injured. 
The first rain occurred 
June 25. 
Not to count our own 
seedlings—we are testing 
about 100 varieties this 
year—many of which were 
spring-set, to be reported 
upon next year. So few' 
of these are superior—we 
might say equal—to older 
kinds, that the work of 
going over them every few 
days, eating a berry or so 
from each, and making the 
necessary notes, has been a 
tedious, unsatisfactory 
task. It is a fact that the 
writer of these notes, 
though exceedingly fond of 
strawberries, becomes so 
sickened of them from this 
almost daily sampling, that 
he never cares to eat them 
when served upon the table 
with sugar, or sugar and 
cream. 
While making these 
notes is a dreaded and un¬ 
satisfactory job, we hope 
that they may serve to 
guard our readers against 
most of the kinds under 
consideration, and induce 
them to try, in a small 
way, the several which 
seem to be of more or less 
promise. 
After years of this unin¬ 
teresting, puttering trial 
and inquiry, it seems to us 
that the subject is nar¬ 
rowed down to an endeavor 
to get a variety or varieties 
that shall have the firmness 
and productiveness of the 
Crescent, Captain Jack or 
Wilson; of the very best 
Hersey. 
Mele. 
Annie Lawrie. 
Barnett. 
Victor Hugo. 
Cyclone. 
Williams. 
Glen Mary. 
Chair’s Early. 
Shuckless. 
H. W. Beecher. Marston. 
SOME OF THE NEWER STRAWBERRIES. Fig. 152. 
Satisfaction, 
June 15. Largest quanti¬ 
ties from Greenville, Iler- 
sey and Glen Mary. Cy¬ 
clone is yielding a great 
number of small berries. 
June 18. Parker Earle 
(runners transplanted last 
year) is now the most pro¬ 
lific of our collection. 
June 17. Iowa Beauty is 
now in its prime. It is not 
a heavy yielder, and is re¬ 
markable chiefly for its 
quality. June 18. Brandy¬ 
wine seems to be at the 
height of its season. June 
24. The following are still 
in bearing : Parker Earle, 
Brandywine, II. W. Beecher, 
Nan, Victor Hugo, Green¬ 
ville, Ridgeway, Iowa 
Beauty, Plow City, Wool- 
verton, Thompson’s 06, 
Tennessee Prolific, Mar¬ 
ston, Thompson’s 54, 
Equinox, Blonde, Eleanor, 
Annie Lawrie, Edith, Cy¬ 
clone, Glen Mary,Williams, 
Hay’s Prolific, Shuckless, 
Staple’s No. 1, Leviathan, 
Chair’s Early, Regina, 
Truitt 38 and Timbrell. 
June 24. The most berries 
are now borne by Timbrell, 
Chair’s,Shuckless,Equinox, 
Brandywine, Satisfaction, 
Glen Mary, Victor Hugo 
and Regina. Mary, which 
originated with Mr. II. II. 
Alley, of Hilton, N. J., and 
was introduced by J. T. 
Lovett, is, as elsewhere 
stated, a magnificent berry 
as to size where it succeeds. 
It is, probably, on the aver¬ 
age, the largest berry in 
existence; but it is sour, 
and has little of the straw¬ 
berry aroma. 
On June 25, the most 
ripe berries were found 
upon Timbrell. Parker 
Earle was still in bearing, 
but the berries were 
quality, and that shall suc¬ 
ceed over as wide an extent of country as does the 
Wilson. Failing in this, these local trials of varieties 
may serve to reveal new kinds that locally have just 
those merits. For example, the Downing in certain 
parts of Long Island, is far and away ahead of any 
other variety in size, productiveness and quality—that 
is, all three. So, too, the Sharpless here and there is 
unequaled by any of the many seedlings raised from 
it. And the same may be said of the old Boyden, Ju- 
cunda, Triomphe de Gand, Great American and others 
of Durand’s seedlings. Any new introduction should 
be at once condemned if sour or of low quality, no 
matter what its other merits. 
trademark of the best quality, and that Timbrells 
once eaten, Timbrells are wanted again. Who that 
will eat first a Timbrell, a Brandywine, a Downing, a 
Cumberland, a Parker Earle, and then a Mary, which, 
we believe, in congenial soil, to be the largest variety 
in cultivation, and for the largest the shapeliest, 
would choose the last ? 
While those who buy their berries of the markets 
are, in a measure, dependent upon just what is offered 
the day of purchase, there seems no reason why those 
who raise their own berries, should discriminate in 
favor of size merely, regardless of quality. 
We wish to state to our readers a fact, as we believe 
blighted by drought. 
June 30. The following are the latest varieties in 
our present collection : Victor Hugo, Regina, Equinox, 
Shuckless, Parker Earle, Edith, Marston and Tennes¬ 
see Prolific. 
NEW VARIETIES, SPRING SET. 
The following new varieties were set the past 
spring : Big Unnamed (B.), from G. H. & J. H. Hale ; 
Giant (B.), from same ; No. 8 (B.); No. 12 (B.), only 
five plants lived ; No. 25 (B.), small plants ; No. 2 and 
No. 1; Hall, from 1). Baird & Son, Manalapan, N. J.; 
Hudson (P.), from J. H. Lindsley, White House Sta- 
(C<mtinued on paye 490.) 
