Vol XLI. No. 1704. 
NEW YORK, SEPT. 23, 1882. 
PBIOE FIVE CENTS, 
$2,00 FEB YEAB, 
[Entered according to Act of Congress, In the year 1882, by the Rural New-Yorker, In the office of the librarian of Congress at Washington.] 
ijorticu Itura l. 
THE JAMES VICK STRAWBERRY. 
The strawberry seems destined to out-do all 
other fruits in productiveness as well as in 
delicacy of flavor, fragrance and beauty. It 
is becoming more of a favorite year by year, 
bushels being now consumed where quarts 
used to be thought enough. Hot only in this 
country but in England, France and other 
climes where it is inferior in quality to those 
grown here, is the strawberry receiving more 
attention, and every effort is being made to 
bring it to perfection. 
When W, C. Barry, late president of the 
Nurserymen’s Association, was sho vn the 
sketch of a plant of the James Vick from life, 
he asked, “ Do you think people will believe 
the plants bore so many berries ?” No, I do 
not think they will, for they are not used to 
such a sight. I doubt if I could have believed 
it had I not seen the fruit on the plants. But 
remember that the plant did not expend its 
strength in runners, and was not crowded, 
though it grew be¬ 
tween rows of 
grape - vines that 
must have en¬ 
croached on it. The 
plant shown in the 
engraving.Fig. 310 
now presented to 
the public for the 
first time, measur¬ 
ed 18 inches across, 
the fruit covering 
a circle of about 
that size. At Clif¬ 
ton, N. Y., the 
James Vick wt s 
seen by the party 
of Rochester horti¬ 
culturists, in thick¬ 
ly-matted rows 
from which plants 
had been ruthless¬ 
ly dug for new 
beds, yet it was 
from this view of 
it that they formed 
their opinion of its 
great promise. 
Aside from its 
marvelous produc¬ 
tiveness, the Jas, 
Vick has peculiar 
features. The qual¬ 
ity is fine. 
Secretary Rey¬ 
nolds considers it 
mingles sprightli¬ 
ness with sweetness 
in a happy combi¬ 
nation. The color 
is “ bright scarlet^ 
turning to crim¬ 
son; surface glaz¬ 
ed; seeds on surface.” [I quote this last sen¬ 
tence from W. C. Barry] The form is conical, 
inclined to roundness ; no flat or coxcomb- 
shaped—no white tips or sides. Secretary 
Reynolds remarked that the size was uni¬ 
formly large. The plant is exceedingly 
vigorous and large-rooted: foliage dark glossy 
green. It eudures the drouth, hot suns and 
severe Winters the best of the well-tested sorts 
with us Your veteran correspondent, Mr. 
Peter B, Mead, wrote me: “I am of opinion 
that it will prove very productive. I do not 
hesitate to place it among the very promising 
kinds. It bears drouth remarkably well,” 
basing his opinion ou plants set last Spring. 
Marshall P. Wilder writes: “ You will be glad 
o learn that Benj. G, Smith, of Cambridge, 
has done famously with the James Vick.” 
Mr. Wilder telegraphed for $5 worth of plants 
at once. I hear good reports of it also from 
Missouri, Canada, and elsewhere. 
Many of the leading pomologists of Roches¬ 
ter have seen the James Vick in full bearing. 
It has received praise enough to spoil it if it 
were human. Mr. W. C. Barry says it is the 
most promising of all the new varieties that 
he has tested. Others report that they have 
seen nothiD g to equal it. One thing is certain — 
it has not been a pampered child, brought up 
on sweetmeats. I have given it t he roughest 
field culture, without manure or fertilizers of 
any kind, believing this to be the true way to 
learn its value, and those who saw lb here saw 
it growing among the weeds. Its ability to 
stand on the vines a week or ten days after 
ripening without rotting or becomi g soft 
will be appreciated. Chas. A. Green. 
[Mr. Green has sent plants to the Rural 
Grounds to be tested. We much hope to be 
able fully to support the above estimate of 
the Jame6 Vick.— Eds ] 
- - - 
STRAWBERRIES IN MICHIGAN. 
Hart’s Minnesota is a variety received 
Lennig’s White is hopelessly unproductive. 
Burgess seems to lie just upon the line of 
demarkation between the valuable and the 
unprofitable. 
Black Defiance, under good cultivation, 
is one of the most desirable of amateur va¬ 
rieties. It certainly should not be laid 
aside. 
Wilding was sent out by A. N. Jones, of 
Leroy, N. Y., and seems just desirable enough 
to be regretfully laid aside. 
Michigan, one of the earlier seedlings of B. 
Hathaway (originator of the Bid well), lacks 
in firmness, as well as in color, although vig¬ 
orous and productive. 
Downer's Prolific, so long popular with 
many, is giving way to newer sorts. 
Miner’s (Great) Prolific, although not of 
high quality, is taking a prominent place as a. 
large, showy, productive, and profitable mar¬ 
ket berry. 
Wilson’s Albany, together with all the 
foregoing ripened here this season, on the 21st 
of June, 10 days later than Wilson’s of the 
previous year. 
Little’s No. 14 came to us last year, from 
John Little, of Ontario. The plant is hardy 
THE JAMES VICK STRAWBERRY. —Fig. 310 . 
last year, without a history; but supposed 
upon the mere evidence of its name to have 
originated in Minnesota. It gives some indi¬ 
cations of failure from the heat of the sun, 
even during the eool, moist weather of the 
past season. It seems lacking in vigor, 
and also in productiveness. Fruit large, 
roundish, often irregular, or cocks-combedi 
dark, rich crimsou or scarlet. In flavor, acid. 
If sufficiently productive, may be a desirable 
market berry. 
Early Hudson, Monarch of the West 
and Victoria, (Goldeu Queen), ripened with 
the foregoing; as did also Cowing, which we 
still regard as one of the very finest of large 
berries, on light soils, for family use; and for 
markets which are not too distant. 
and moderately vigorous, producing a very 
dark, rich looking and excellent berry; but 
not, so far, quite productive enough. 
Triple Crown is vigorous, tall and upright 
and bears very profusely. The fruit is of 
medium size; dark, dull crimson; firm in tex¬ 
ture and mild in flavor. On rich, strong 
soils it will doubtless be found very produc¬ 
tive. Not attractive in appearance. 
Kinney’s No 10 hails from Massachusetts, 
The foliage has suffered slightly in the sun 
even this season. Ic is vigorous and produc¬ 
tive. Fruit of medium size; bright crimson; 
rather acid. A market berry if sufficiently 
productive. 
Glassy -Cone, a seedling of Durand, of 
New Jersey, is only moderately vigorous; of 
medium size; rich color; mild flavor, and, so 
far. lacks productiveness. 
Louilla came to us from J. T. Lovett, of N. 
J. last season, without a history. The plant is 
vigorous and bears heavily. Fruit large to 
very large, roundish, or flattened conicRl; 
dark, rich crime in, juicy; pleasant, sprightly, 
subacid. More than usually promising for 
market. 
Hooker, New Jersey Scarlet, Russell’s Ad¬ 
vance, Shirts, Seneca Queen, Starr, Crescent, 
Cumberland Triumph and Green Prolific, 
together with the preceding five varieties, all 
ripened here this season, on the 22d of June. 
Pioneer, a seedling of Durand, N, J., is a 
hardy vigorous and productive variety; only 
moderately firm; juicy, mild; a fine dessert 
fruit, which may prove productive enough 
for market. 
Memphis Late comes from E. P. Roe, 
without a history; but with the reputation of 
extreme lateness, which it fails to sustain here. 
The plant fails, under a hot sun, and lacks 
vigor, as well as productiveness. Fruit rather 
under-sized, scarlet, firm, juicy, mild, sub¬ 
acid, rich. Strictly a dessert fruit. 
Endicott is hardy, vigorous and produc¬ 
tive. Fruit large, dull in color; mild, pleas¬ 
ant. Its value 
'will depend upon 
its productiveness. 
Garden. — A 
seedling of Mon¬ 
arch of the West, 
originating in 
Babylon, N. Y. 
fails in the sun; 
and affords little 
promises of value. 
Barnes’s Mam¬ 
moth also comes 
to us lacking a 
history. It proves 
hardy and moder- 
ately vigorous; 
but bears only 
moderately. Fruit 
medium to large— 
dark and rich in 
color, firm in tex- 
ture, mild in 
flavor; of little 
apparent value 
from deficient pro 
duetiveness. 
Iowa Prolific, 
Cinderella, Boy- 
dens No. 30, Scar¬ 
let Globe, Seedling 
Eliza, Star of the 
West, and Hud- 
on’s No. 10., are 
older varieties 
ripening with the 
preceding five, 
on June 23d. 
Arnold’s Pride, 
-■ is another seed¬ 
ling, received last 
year, for trial 
from that wel]_ 
known and successful originator, of new 
varieties, Rev. Chas. Arnold, of Paris, Onta¬ 
rio. The plant is one of the most vigorous. 
I know; and is, moreover, enormously pro¬ 
ductive. Fruit very large, irregularly coni¬ 
cal, inclining to cockscomb: dull crimson to 
scarlet, with a very large 9emi double calyx; 
flesh firm, moderately juicy, very mild and 
pleasant in flavor. From this season’s fruit- 
ng, I regard this as the most promising 
market berry I have yet seen. Ripe 
June 24. T. T. Lyon. 
--- 
TRIALS OF GARDE V PEAS AT HOUGH¬ 
TON FARM. 
Rural readers may be interested in com¬ 
paring with the record of Trials of Garden 
nn 
