2 
W. F. ALLEN’S PLANT AND SEED CATALOGUE. 
DESCRIPTIONS OF LEADING VARIETIES OF 
.—^STRAWBERRIES.^— 
struck a match in the 
row and it burned for 
several feet. In the 
face of such conditions 
as this, it was impossi¬ 
ble to make a just and 
fair distribution of the 
prizes, and the same 
had to be postponed un¬ 
til the fruiting season 
of 1905, I will say, 
however, that if the 
prizes had been given 
out in 1904, in spite of 
the unfavorable condi¬ 
tions the Chesapeake 
would have taken first 
prize unquestionably ; 
but with such an exces¬ 
sive drouth, I did not 
feel that justice could 
be done, and for that 
reason and no other, the 
decision was postponed. 
In 1905 the conditions 
were all favorable to all 
varieties and the Chesa¬ 
peake, I am pleased to 
say, was still ahead. 
This variety is as late 
as the Gandy, more pro¬ 
ductive on lighter soils 
and equal to it in size; 
its shipping quality 
far excels that popular 
standard variety; in 
eating quality the Ches¬ 
apeake ranks among the 
best equaling such va¬ 
rieties as Wm. Belt, 
Brunette and others of 
THE CHESAPEAKE. 
Chesapeake.— On page 27 of my 1903 cata¬ 
logue, I made an offer of $100.00 in gold for 
the best twelve strawberry plants sent me on or 
before May 1st of that year,of any new variety 
not yet introduced, and $50.00 for the second 
best dozen. In responce to this there were 
received about 100 new varieties, and it is fair 
to say that there were more good ones in this 
list than I ever saw in a similar collection. 
The season of 1904 was excessively dry, so 
much so, in fact, that green berries were dried 
up on the vines half grown. One party from 
near Baltimore came to my place to look at the 
different varieties, and to test the matter we 
tnac class, xnerelore, 
we have attained in the 
Chesapeake two of the strongest points to a 
larger degree than has ever baen attained in 
any other variety—quality and firmness. The 
plant is a strong, upright grower with thick, 
leathery and very dark green foliage, leaves 
almost round and entirely free from rust. The 
stems or fruit stalks are upright and unusually 
strong, holding almost the entire crop from the 
ground. I believe as soon as plants enough 
can be propagated of this variety to supply the 
demand, it will be one of the most popular late 
varieties ever sent out. The stock of plants at 
present is very limited and we can only offer 
it this season in small quantities, at a rather 
