good as any. Wood ashes are also excellent; 
either of these can be applied with safety. 
The chief objection to the former is the seeds 
that abound iu it. Were it not for these 
strawberry growing would lose half its terrors. 
We think the time of the application of any 
manure has Us effect in a greater or lessdegree 
on the growth of the plant or the development 
of the fruit. We do not know to what extent 
this may apply, and it will require a good deal 
of experiment and careful observation to de¬ 
termine. W T e incline to the opinion, however, 
that any manure Dot needed to secure a strong 
and vigorous growth of plaut, is best applied 
when the plant is dormant; then the fertiliz¬ 
ing material becomes soluble; is carried down 
and stored in immediate proximity to tbe roots 
to be taken up and appropriated by the plant 
in developing and maturing a crop of fruit 
when awakened to life in the spring. The ac¬ 
tion and bene tits of special fertilizers on the 
Strawberry are subjects on which little iB yet 
positively Uuown, and afford a good field for 
careful investigation. We urge our readers 
to make trials of these alongside of stable ma¬ 
nure for comparison, and carefully note the 
results. The great advantage in the use of 
special concentrated manures, such as guano, 
phosphate, ashes, etc., is their freedom from 
seeds of any kind, and ease of application. 
Tools, Etc. 
The Ilexamer and similar pronged hoes are 
the best implements we have e7er found for 
working among the plants. O wing to their 
narrow tines they can be thrust down close to 
the plants at random without injury, loosen¬ 
ing and pulverizing the ground thoroughly. 
Two tines of a broken potato fork, with a 
short handle, make a capital one-handed tool 
for weeding purposes and laying in the young 
plants. Such broken implements, instead of 
being thrown away, may thus be utilized. 
The Best Varieties. 
Here again opinions will differ. No one 
berry will suit all individual tastes, any more 
than one berry will succeed equally well in every 
locality and soil. 
The Duncan and Duouess, of the older and 
well tested standard &orts, are of fair size and 
quality, very early and quite productive. 
Downer's Prolific is also early and im¬ 
mensely productive, but not large enough to suit 
the popular demand, especially when allowed to 
run at will, but a dish of. them well ripened, 
with a little sugar, is good enough even with¬ 
out cream. We used to thiuk, before tbe 
advent of its offspring, the Charles Downing, 
that if confined to one variety it would be this. 
The Charles Downing would be our choice 
now, however, as it is a berry of very good 
quality and large size, whiehis maintained to a 
great degree to the close of the season. The 
plant is vigorous and productive and succeeds 
generally over a large portion of the country. 
Boyden's 30 is in some sections, as it cer- 
taiuly is here, very highly prized for its fine 
size, beauty and sweetness; though in other 
places after two or three pickings the berries 
run small and deformed. Nevertheless many 
good cultivators regard it as their best. 
Crescent Seedling, though not an old 
sort has been before the public long enough to 
enable us to judge fairly of its merits. It is 
a pistillate variety of vigorous growth and 
very productive. The fruit, which is at first 
of medium size, runs small at the close. The 
quality is rather acid, though less so than that of 
the Wilson, which is, singularly enough, the 
standard of a great many people, aud where 
quautity instead of quality is the object, it will 
be found in certain sections to answer remark¬ 
ably well. 
Monarch of the West has also attained a 
good reputation over a wide extent of country. 
It is a large, handsome light-colored berry of 
very good quality. The plant is a strong, 
vigorous grower, but, like the Hoyden, the int¬ 
er portion of tbe crop is often small and de¬ 
formed. 
There arc many others, such as Jucunda, Ken¬ 
tucky, Great American, Beauty, Centennial Fav¬ 
orite, and others of Durand’s Seedlings which 
are successful iu some localities and as com¬ 
plete failures iu others. In regard to the latter 
it may be well to remember that they have been 
bred, born and reared under high culture, and 
the changed condition of things when trans¬ 
planted to new homes is often so great that it 
may not be unreasonable to suppose that their 
failure is sometimes due to this cause; in 
fact, it would be folly to expect them to retain 
their good name with “ elip-6liod" care aud cul¬ 
ture. Large crops of largo berrieB of any kind 
are not generally produced in that way. Of the 
Newer Varieties. 
The Sharfless and Miner's Prolific 
stand at the very front for strong and vigorous 
growth and luxuriant foliage. Iu these re¬ 
spects they Bcem to distance all competitors. 
The latter bids fair to rival tho Charles Down¬ 
ing in size and productiveness; but we thiuk 
it hardly its equal iu quality. Of the former, 
reports from our Everywhere Department 
confirm our experience as to Us vigor and 
growth, while there is little question as to its 
fruitfulness; but another season or two are 
needed to deter mine Jully the position to which 
it is entitled. 
Forest Rose is another new one of excellent 
quality— a large, late, handsome berry, with a 
strong erect fruit stalk. The foliage is liable 
to injury duriug out hot weather, as was the 
case two years ago, but last year we saw 
nothing of the kind. It is considered worthless 
by some ; but where it will succeed wo think it 
will give much satisfaction. 
Cumberland Triumph is a very large berry 
of excellent quality, though more desirable for 
the amateur than the general cultivator. 
There are numerous others constantly being 
introduced which, if all that is claimed for 
them he true, must prove decided acquisitions 
—but as we look back a few years and see Ibe 
fate of the great bulk of their predecessors, we 
are admonished not to bo over-sanguine, and 
our advice to our readers is to make baste 
slowly and to touch all new things lightly. Thus 
may be avoided tbe vexation, lossea and dis¬ 
couragements attending the opposite course. 
The disease known as “ Strawberry Blight,” 
in some of its various forms sometimes ap¬ 
pears when least expected and injures 6omc 
varieties more than others, though few, if any, 
are exempt. Late frost and excessive drought 
may also sometimes injure the crop to some 
extent, but these notes are written without re¬ 
gard to such contingencies. They are among 
the risks to which all cultivators aud crops 
arc liable, but we think the strawberry crop is 
quite as certain to reward the husbaudrnan as 
any other. This reward, however, we regard 
as accruing from an increased supply and 
consumption at home, and it is this feature wc 
desire to encourage, b/rawberries should be 
on the table of the grower at every meal during 
their season. Some peculiar people may shuke 
their heads and object to this. “ It might be 
good adviec for grown people,” they say, “ but 
the children would stuff themselves and slclcen 
in consequence, and the doctor's services would 
surely be required.” Such opluions arise from 
the effects sometimes resulting from the use of 
the stale fruits and vegetables of our markets. 
Thousands of bushels of strawberries are annu¬ 
ally consumed that are so far advanced in decay 
as to be fit only for chicken and puj /eed.and yet 
people, otherwise intelligent, will and do buy 
such trash iu preference to a really fresh ar¬ 
ticle because it is cheap—though at the risk of 
introducing sickness into their families. 
SETH BOTDEX.—FIG. 71. 
Growers often complain at the low prices 
returned by the commission men for their ber¬ 
ries and sometimes justly.no doubt, but in 
many instances if they could see their berries 
when they reached the market or when sold, 
they would place the blame elsewhere. The 
fact is good, ripe, fresh strawberries or fruit of 
any kind were not made by our Creator to in¬ 
jure any of his creatures and they seldom, if 
ever, do. Of all our fruits there is none more 
tender or delicate and susceptible to injury by 
handling than the strawberry, aud for this 
reason it is ill-adapted to the rough handling 
and jarring incident to long transportation. It 
is a fruit.that should be consumed within 24 
hours after picking. Our large cities are over¬ 
stocked every season with fruit 36 to 48 hours 
old, that ought to be condemned by competent 
health officers. We therefore would encour¬ 
age a home supply aud increased consumption 
in home markets of home-grown fruit. 
Those who ouly know strawberries as they 
find them in our city markets, do not know 
the healthful luxury of a fresh aud perfect 
article. With many growers their estimate of 
a strawberry is founded upon its carrying and 
BhippiDg qualities; its merits as a table fruit 
being entirely ignored. It is due to the ship¬ 
ping quality of the Wilson that it is in such 
large supply in our large cities and the enor¬ 
mous consumption shows the appetite of tho 
community for strawberries, even if of poor 
quality; aud the fact that other and better 
varieties meet with a ready sale at better 
prices shows a discrimination in tastes, w hich 
should he met by an ample supply of better- 
quality berries of home growth. 
Much might be said on the subject of mar¬ 
kets aud marketing, but a few brief hints at 
this time will suffice. If one has a surplus of 
fruit above his family wants, he should not go 
by a local market to a distant one that is already 
amply supplied. The nearer home, the better 
and fresher the berries, the qnieker consumed, 
at the less expense for freight and commis¬ 
sions, and the fewer packages required, as they 
are more quickly returned. Let the fruit make 
a nice appearance, let it be uniform in size, 
clean, nicely arranged In the baskets, either 
pints or quarts, with no long Btcms or unripe 
berries visible, and,above all.have. cteun pack¬ 
ages. Th every beslfruit, offered iu dull, dir¬ 
ty and dingy baskets or crates, would be sub¬ 
ject to dlscouut. Remember that an import¬ 
ant factor in this as well as any other enter¬ 
prise 5s tho pleasing of the eye. An attractioe 
appearance is essential to success. In conclu¬ 
sion, we repeat the advice with which we 
started, to grow strawberries for home use, to 
grow plenty of them, and to use them freely* 
The profits of this course cannot be estimated in 
dollars and cents. 
We shall continue, afe heretofore—life spared 
—to test all new and promising sorts and to 
publish the results iu these columns for the 
guidance of our readers. 
-- 
The Colonel Cheney Strawberry. 
Doubtless this is one of the varieties of Straw¬ 
berries that succeed very well in certain local¬ 
ities. It certainly does not seem to be a popu¬ 
lar sort with strawberry growers generally; 
but judgiug from the way it has produced 
ou our grounds, it seems to mo that it has not 
received the attention that it deserves. The 
jfiaut is a vigorous grower and very produc¬ 
tive. The berries are uuiformly large and of 
a bright aud attractive color. The fruit, al¬ 
though too soft for dUtant markets, Is firm 
enough for hotue use or for a near market, and 
the large size and attractive appearance of the 
berries give them a ready sale. The past sea¬ 
son it brought us, in Elmira, from one to two 
cents more per quart than any other variety 
w r e had. We have fruited this variety for mar¬ 
ket for three years, and with a market within 
two miles, we consider it the most profitable 
sort we have tried. 
One great advantage which it has over most 
other varieties of Strawberries, is its ability to 
stand late spring frosts, and yet produce a 
good Crop of fine fruit. It will be remembered 
by many that wc had a series of severe frosts 
last May, which almost completely destroyed 
the apple crop in this locality and greatly in¬ 
jured all other fruit crops. Iu spite of those 
frosts which came while the vines were in 
blossom, the Col. Cheney yielded at the rate of 
75 bushels per aero, while the Monarch of the 
West growing in tho same field, was almost 
completely cut off, so that it was hardly possi¬ 
ble to find a berry, and the Wilson aud Cum¬ 
berland Triumph were also nearly destroyed. 
The Col. Cheucy is a pistillate variety, aud 
should be planted within 15 feet of some other 
late sort having perfect blossoms. It seems 
to thrive best ou a deep, rich, clay loam soil. 
Chemung Co., N, Y. G. A. Goff, Jr. 
Jifft (Crop. 
LEGUMINOUS FORAGE PLANTS.-NO, II. 
professor w. j. heal. 
- ff 
Pea-vine Clover. —Trifolium medium.(?) 
I have received from several sources, a clo¬ 
ver much like the red clover. It is raised 
in some parts of Western Michigan and in other 
Western .States. It is known as pea-vine 
clover. The stalk is stout and zigzag aud the 
flowers later than those of red clover, Farmers 
usually pasture it for a while in spring, and 
then let it grow for one crop of hay or seed. It 
seems to be Trifolium medium, though I am 
not fully satisfied iu regard to the species. 
One of my patches has lasted for three years. 
It is said to be perennial. 
Italian or Crimson Clover. —Trifolium 
incaruatum—Our seeds were obtained from 
the Kew Gardens. I have sown a few on 
sandy loam every year for the last 6ix 
years. It flowers quite late, aud in our 
climate (Central Michigan) barely ripens a 
few seeds. These have not gemmated 
very freely. Every year the winter has 
killed it entirely. Mr. Sutton, of England, 
writes, “Where a single crop is required, 
either alone or with Italian rye grass, this is 
undoubtedly tho very best clover that can be 
grown. It is exceedingly productive, and 
cattle are very fond of it when young and 
green. The growth is very rapid, aud on this 
account] it is valuable for sowing on clover 
lays.” The long heads or short spikes of 
crimson flowers are quite ornamental. The 
leaves are quite soft. 
White Clover, or Dutch Clover— Tri¬ 
folium repens. This is a very prominent plant 
and probably well known by most readers of the 
Rural. It spreads very rapidly under favor¬ 
able circumstances, so much so that some 
people think that plants spring up spontane¬ 
ously, without seed, or that some other plant 
turns to clover. It is a low creeper, the leaf 
and flower stems rising from a few inches to a 
foot above the ground. It springs up and is 
usually very thick the first and second seasons 
on a lawn newly seeded on a heavy soil. It 
comes in on old roads where the soil is well 
packed. It is a fickle plant. It makes its ap¬ 
pearance on sandy land when there is an 
abundance of rain early iu the season. The 
hot weatBer comes, and the sun scorches tho 
leaves and the flowers. The plants seem to 
vanish from sight aud others take their places. 
It is perennial and one of onr best honey-pro¬ 
ducing plants, but apiarists are unable to seed 
whole fields to the plant and keep others out. 
One by ouc the flowers, as they ripen, turn 
downwards at the lop of tho stem. There is a 
difference of opinion as to its real merits as 
food forcows, sheep and horses. Most farmers 
esteem it highly for permanent pastures. It is 
very nice for a lawn in damp weather, but the 
sun of summer kills the leaves and flowers. 
Alsike Clover.— Trifolium hybridum. The 
specific name hybridum was applied because 
the species appeared to be intermediate be¬ 
tween white clover and red clover. Botanists 
do not consider it a hybrid. I have twice tried 
to make crosses with this aud white clover, 
but without success. I have never seen any 
plants which were intermediate between Alsike 
and white clover, though I have seen bees 
working on the flowers of each species where 
the plants were well mixed. If the plants can 
be crossed, we shall expect to see new hybrids. 
The stalks sometimes grow four to 6ix feet in 
length, but they fall down and the leaves de¬ 
cay towards the base of tho stems. The 6tems 
recline but do not take root like -white clover. 
It is valuable for pasture and makes good hay, 
though its habit is not well adapted for 
meadows. Alsike clover is valuable for bees. 
In England, it is said to have been introduced 
from Sweden. 
Yellow or Red Suckling Clover —Tri¬ 
folium minus. This is a small plant possess¬ 
ing some beauty, and is interesting on account 
of its near relationship to valuable clovers. In 
our garden it dies every winter. 
Black Medick, Nonsuch.— Medicago lupu- 
lina. This is much like small yellow trefoil, 
and so far as leaves and stems are concerned, 
resembles white clover. Tho flowers arc yel¬ 
low ; the fruit or pods are black and spirally 
curved. On good soil the plants furnish a 
great amount of pasture. It creeps along the 
ground and is not tall enough for mowing for 
hay. 
Lucerne, Alfalfa, Purple Medick.— 
Medicago saliva. This somewhat resembles the 
red clover, only tho stems branch less ftml are 
more erect. The leaflets arc three, obovate- 
oblong and toothed. Tbe flowers are purple and 
raeemed. When young the herbage is succulent 
and relished by stock, but if left too long, it be¬ 
comes woody and of little value. Lucerne can 
be cut two or three times a year, if grown on 
good land. It has become famous as a forage 
plaut iu California, Buenos Ayres and similar 
warm, dry climates where it is usually called 
Alfalfa. The roots become very strong aud 
woody and run down to a great depth, thus 
accountiug for the fact that the plaut stands 
dry weather better than red clover. It is a 
perennial and in this respect better fnr perma¬ 
nent pasture than red clover. It has been 
cultivated in southern Europe for almost 2- 
500 years, where it was introduced from Asia. 
It does not stand frost 60 well as clover. A 
deep, mellow subsoil is essential for the suc¬ 
cess of Lucerne. As the plant tillers less than 
red clover, about twice as much seed should be 
sown to tbe acre to produce the same effect as 
seeds of red clover. It should be cut as soon 
as the plant begins to flower. 
-- 
THE WHITE PROLIFIC CORN. 
PROFESSOR A. E. BLOUNT. 
Now that a thorough test has been made of 
tbe White Prolific Corn, I mention a few items 
that may be of interest to the Rural readers— 
especially to those who gave it a trial. I am 
not at all surprised to see so many failures; 
but, as you intimated in tho “ Brevities” some 
weeks since, I am indeed surprised at the 
wonderful results that have been attained by 
some who have given it a trial. When you 
offered those liberal premiums 1 was fearful 
that most of the competitors would ovordo, 
surfeit, and even destroy their crops by too 
liberal a supply of improper plant food, and 
unscientific culture. And has this not been the 
ease iu anumber of instances ? I notice muuy 
attribute their failure tomakea premium crop, 
to that “old cow” and others to the naughty 
“ wiud';" while most adverse reports say, “ the 
season is too Bbort.” 
It could hardly be expected that seed raised 
on the 36Lh parallel aud planted in May and 
June, would mature as high np as the 40th. I 
have many testimonials, however, stating that 
It fully matured in as high a latitude as the 
42d. Judge Fullerton, of N. Y. City, writes 
“ It fully ripened at Newburg—00 miles above 
this city;” aud G. W. Bradly, of New Haven, 
Conn., states the Eame there. Theaa men, as 
well as many others, whose letters 1 have on 
file, planted their seed early. I do not claim 
that it will ripen everywhere. When I com- 
