1 
AND 
[Kntered  according  to  Act  of  Congroas,  in  tl^  year  137t5.  by  tlio  Runil  Publishing  Coinpany,  m  the  offloe  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress  at  Waahinfcton.j 
NEW  VARIETIES  OF  STRAWBERRIES. 
'riii'.UK  is  comparatively  little  doing  in  the  way 
of  new  v.'irictioB  of  Btrawboirioa.  and  jicrhapfl  for 
tho  very  good  reason  that  there  in  little  to  cn- 
coiinigo  tho  cxiierinicnter  in  attcinpling  l«  pro- 
(lm!c  anything  lietter  than  those  wo  already  poH* 
Hess.  Tt  will  certainly  bo  dilticnlt  to  produce  a 
variety  larger  than  either  tbeTnompho  do  Gaud, 
Agric'illnrist,  or  Seth  .Hoyden,  and  at  tho  HaniO 
time  retain  in  tho  now  productioii  the  morita  of 
these  old  and  nouo-too-good  aorta.  It  has  been 
tried  ill  many  a  thouaand  aoedlinga,  and  still  tho 
old  favoiitoa  hold  their  own  with  remarkable 
tenacity  amid  thoir  numerouB  competing  rivals. 
Among  those  which  aro  classed  as  second  in 
size  tlie  Wilsou’rf  Albany  atili  holds  ita  own  as 
one  of  the  moat  productive  aorta,  while  the 
Charles  Downing,  which  is  fully  eijual  to  it  in 
size,  ranks  among  tho  first  in  hrlghl-neas,  firm¬ 
ness  and  flavor,  Of  courHe  wo  would  not  wish 
to  slight  or  overlook  the  Champion,  which  is  of 
very  largo  aizc  when  grown  in  a  congonial  soil, 
nor  the  Green  Prolifio,  Downer’s  rrolifle,  Ken¬ 
tucky,  Col.  Choncy,  and  otlier  well-known  sorts 
for  there  arc  locahtica  aiul 
soils  where  soiuo  one  of  N 
thc.so  may  succeed  better  u  1 
than  others ;  hence  their  /  ? 
local  valiio  and  correspond-  (  \  \ 
ing  iiopularity.  But  the  /w 
“perfect  strawberry"  for  j  ^ 
general  cultivation  through-  V  ^ 
out  tho  whole  country  still  j  ^ 
belongs  to  the  future,  if  wo  I 
are  to  lieliovo  all  that  is  said  ' 
of  the  numerous  varieties  al- 
ready  iutrodueifd  and  widely 
dissominatfsl.  I’orhaps  this  | 
statement  might  bo  modi- 
fled  by  saying  that  every  I 
new  vai'lely  when  first  in- 
troducod  possossed  all  the  I 
properties  of  a  •“  perfect 
strawberry,"  but  lost  a  imm- 
ber  of  them  soon  after  being 
disseminated.  At  least  this 
ajipcara  to  bo  the  case,  if 
wc  are  to  believe  what  is  - 
said  of  thorn  before  and  af-  \ 
ter  (listributiou.  V 
At  the  £.>111111111011  of  the 
New  York  Horticultural  So- 
ciety  hekl  in  this  city  at 
Gilmore’s  Garden,  June  14 
— 1  ID  15,  wc  expected  to  see  ^ 
some  excellent  strawberries, 
and  while  tho  few  sorts 
shown  were  first -rate,  the 
number  was  anything  but 
creditable  to  om- fniit  grow¬ 
ers  ui  the  vicinity  of  this 
great  metropolis.  Only  one  ^ 
new  variety  was  presented 
for  the  consideration  of  the 
judges,  and  as  tliey  awarded 
it  the  premium  ollered  for 
the  “best  now  seedling 
never  beforo  exhibited,"  we 
give  the  accompuuyuig  il- 
lustratiou  of  a  duster  and 
leaf  of  this  new  prize  berry. 
It  resembles  the  Wilson  in  -y  ' 
size  and  form,  but  is  of  a 
bright  scarlet  color,  instead 
of  crimson.  Tlie  flesh  is 
moderately  fii-m,  colored 
throughout,  sub  -  acid  not 
of  a  rich,  but  agreeable  fla¬ 
vor.  Seed  slightly  sunken 
in  a  shallow  but  rather  wide  cavity.  The  fruit- 
stalks  aro  strong  and  long  enough  to  keep  tho 
berries  well  up  from  tho  ground.  Leaves  very 
largo,  of  good  sulistance,  and  of  a  deoji,  rich, 
glossy,  green  color.  This  new  sort  may  become 
the  rival  of  the  Wilson.  It  was  raised  by  Wm. 
II.  Bmionss,  tho  well-known  florist,  of  Long 
Island. 
Since  writing  the  above,  we  have  been  m- 
formed  that  on  llie  second  day  of  the  Exhibition 
a  largo  nninhor  of  new  varieties  of  merit  wore 
shown,  but  too  late  for  competition. 
SEEDLING 
CURRANTS 
RIES. 
GOOSEBER- 
TitEKE  is  a  much  bettor  chance  of  producing 
now  varieties  of  these  fruits  than  of  strawberries, 
inasiiuicli  as  less  attention  has  boon  ]niid  to  the 
production  of  new  sorts  and  tlicrc  arc  fewer  in 
to  tho  ground  beforo  cold  weather  sets  in.  Tho 
host  method  of  preserving  is  to  crush  tlie  ripened 
licrrios  and  then  mix  the  seods  and  pulp  with 
sand,  just  enough  to  absorb  tho  juice  of  tlie 
fruit  and  to  permit  of  a  separation  of  tho  seed 
will  bo  suftioient. 
Now,  this  mixture  of  sand  and  seed  may  be 
sown  in  the  frdi  if  tlie  soil  of  whieli  the  seed  bed 
ifl  made  is  of  a  llglit,  poi'ou.s  nature,  tbo  surface 
of  which  will  not  become  so  hard  and  compact 
during  tho  winter  and  nmler  the  pressure  of 
spring  rains  tliat  the  yoting  seedliiigH  cannot 
break  t.hroiigli.  A  light  to[)-drc.sBliig  of  sand  or 
leaf-mold  will  prevent  this,  however,  if  one  takes 
the  trouble  te  apply  it.  But  it  is  riglit  Juiro  ttiat 
we  may  mention  a  seoond  eau.se  for  freipient 
failure  in  iittlemplH  to  raise  seedling  currants 
aiul  gooseberries. 
'The  seeds  of  those  fruits  germinate  at  a  very 
eiiUivatioii.  There  is  really  no  more  dilliculty  in  j  low  temperature,  a  few  degrees  above  zero  being 
raising  seodllngs  of  this  berry  tlian  of  our  most 
common  vegetable  or  grain,  If  one  knows  just 
how  to  do  It  and  pays  [iropm-  alleiition  to  the 
prestirvation  and  sowing  of  the  seed. 
Fir.it,  the  seed  should  not  be  permitted  to  be- 
oomo  thoroughly  dried  after  being  separated 
from  the  pulp,  altliongh  a  few  days  or  weeks  of 
dryuig  will  not  materially  injure  it  if  committed 
sufficient  to  excite  the  germs  into  active  growth, 
consequently  a  thaw  in  winter  of  enough  dura¬ 
tion  to  warm  tho  surface  of  tho  seed  bod  to  tho 
depth  at  which  tho  seods  are  placed  will  start  the 
seeds.  Tho  next  cold  snap,  however,  will  kill  tho 
young  sprouts,  and  in  spring  neither  seeds  nor 
plants  can  be  found.  To  avoid  failure  through 
the  latter  cause  with  seed  sown  in  fall,*  it  is  al¬ 
ways  best  to  cover  tlio  .seed  botl  with  evergreen 
boughs,  or  some  other  material  which  will  ef¬ 
fectually  shade  it  and  prevent  thawing  until 
warm,  growing  weather  in  spring.  But  the 
safer  way  is  to  put  the  seed  and  sand  after  mix¬ 
ing  in  a  box,  and  then  bury  it  on  the  norlh  side 
of  Homo  buildiiig  or  otber  sliady  jiIacG,  leaving  it 
Uierc  until  spring ;  then  Isko  out  and  sow  as  early 
as  the  ground  wifi  iiermit.  If  sown  eai’ly  mid 
covered  very  lightly,  say  not  over  half  an  inch, 
tho  plants  will  soon  appear  and  make  a  vigorous 
growtJi  before  warm  weather  sots  in.  Tho  en¬ 
suing  fall  the  seedlings  may  bo  lifted,  heeled 
in  during  winter,  then  planted  out  in  spring, 
giving  oaeh  snllioient  Voom  to  reach  a  fruiting 
size  anti  age  without  crowding. 
1  Those  who  havo  tlicso  fruits  in  cultivation 
should  mako  soleclions  of  tho  largttst  specimens 
this  season,  save  the  seeds  tlicrefrom,  and  en¬ 
deavor  to  raise  new  and  superior  sorts,  for  It  is 
only  by  such  experiments  that  wo  can  expect  to 
inaku  any  considerable  progress  hi  hortieulture. 
OTHER  SMALL  FRUITS. 
The  seeds  of  raapboxTies,  blackberries,  huckk- 
berrioH  and  other  small  fruits  may  be  treated  in 
tlie  same  manner  as  tho  above,  and  as  it  is  very 
little  trouble  to  raise  scodlings,  and  tliero  is  al¬ 
ways  a  chance  of  producing  something  new  and 
valuable  in  this  way,  we 
think  sucli  experiments  aro 
worth  all  they  cost.  If  ev¬ 
ery  one  possessing  the  fa¬ 
cilities  for  raising  now  seed¬ 
lings  used  them,  our  jirog- 
ress  would  be  far  more  rapid 
and  pronounced  than  it  is 
under  the  jireseut  almost 
general  neglect  to  make  ex¬ 
periments  in  this  direction. 
- - - 
SEEDLING  CHERRIES. 
T  HAVE  some  4.000  new 
chei-rics  mostly  in  fruit  tliis 
year,  but  a  groat  many  of 
them  not  for  tlio  Ih'st  time. 
Many  yoax’S  ago,  xvlien  I 
became  acquainted  with  the 
cultivated  cherries,  1  was 
astonislicd  at  tho  meager 
list  tliat  had  jiroved  hardy 
in  tho  Northwest  and  tho 
inferior  quality  of  the  few 
that  wei’e  hardy,  and  I  de¬ 
termined  to  at  least  try  to 
remedy  this,  or  do  for  the 
hardy  clasHes  of  cherries 
what  Prof.  Kiutland  had 
done  for  the  sweet,  or  ten¬ 
der  varieties.  1  commenced 
saving  and  planting  seeds  of 
those  varieties  which  had 
withstood  our  rigorous  cli¬ 
mate.  Out  of  many  thou- 
Baiids  of  seedlings  grown, 
I  selected  each  year  a  few 
of  those  that  in  my  judg¬ 
ment  had  the  appearance  of 
giving  good  fruit  —  and  an 
expert  can  judge  to  a  great 
extent  whether  or  not  a  cer¬ 
tain  seedling  will  produce 
poor  fiTxit  or  not.  These 
selections  wero  planted  in 
orchard;  they  were  good, 
hardy  slocks  at  least ;  so  as 
to  mako  a  pay-iny  oroliard, 
a  bud  or  graft  of  each  was 
inserted  in  some  of  our 
most  valuable  xnarket  cher¬ 
ries  and  BO  trained  as  to 
leave  one  or  two  branches 
3VEW  SEEI33L.I1VO  @TIl..A^WIiER,IlY  -  IVA.TXJIIA.X4  SIZE. 
of  the  Seedling  to  fruit. 
NEW  YORK  CITY,  .lUNE  21,  1876. 
(  IMIICJE  SI3C  cents. 
(  iS•^.«5  FElt  YEAR. 
VOL.  X.K.VIir,  No.  2fi.  1 
WHOLE  No.  1.37S.  1 
