24 
W. F. ALLEN’S PLANT AND SEED CATALOGUE. 
William Belt .—This variety 
■was introduced some eight or ten 
■years ago and at the time was 
lauded very highly and many 
plants were sold. The berry, 
however, is subject to rnst, and 
for a time growers seemed to 
have lost faith in it on this 
account, but for the last few 
years there has been more and 
more demand, until the past sea¬ 
son it was impossible to fill the 
orders for it. The superb qual¬ 
ity, the equal of which has not 
yet been attained in any other 
late variety, makes it very popu¬ 
lar for the home garden and 
local market. I know of but one 
other variety that will approach 
it in quality, of its season, and 
that is the new Chesapeake, 
which the growers have not as 
yet had opportunity to test. I 
am pleased to announce to my 
customers that this season I ex¬ 
pect to have enough Wm. Belt 
to go around. 
In Conclusion I wish to say 
that in reading the descriptions 
of one hundred varieties of 
strawberries which I have list¬ 
ed this year, our readers will no 
doubt feel that there is a good 
deal of sameness about the de¬ 
scriptions. The terms, best, 
latest, earliest, most productive, 
etc., will be seen in the de¬ 
scription of a great many varieties. It must 
be remembered, however, that many of these 
descriptions are quoted, and that what is 
best with one person may not be with 
another. It has often happened that what 
is earliest in one locality is not the earliest 
somewhere else. Varieties that do their 
best with me frequently are” no favorite 
with my neighbors, and vice” versa. The de¬ 
scriptions, where I have fruited the varieties 
personally, are as I have found them here, 
truly and honestly described; where I have not 
fruited the varieties, some other growA - has 
been quoted, and when doing this, I have tried 
always to use the best authority to be had. I 
am often asked what is the best berry to plant. 
To that question no one can give a positive 
answer. The only thing to do is to recom¬ 
mend varieties that do well generally over a 
large area of country. All growers should test 
several varieties which seem nearest to meet 
their requirements from the catalogue descrip¬ 
tion and see for themselves which does the best 
with them. My stock of plants for 1906 is un¬ 
questionably as fine as I have ever grown. My 
selection of varieties is fifty per cent larger 
thau 1 have ever offered before. I wish to 
thank the thousands of friends who have been 
so liberal in patronizing me with their plant 
orders in the past and wish to say that. I shall 
use every effort to please all who shall favor 
me in future. In addition to strawberry plants, 
I am now offering almost a full line of veg¬ 
etable and field seeds. In these, as with the 
strawberry plants, I shall always endeavor to 
serve those who favor me with their orders 
with the best. The seeds that I have not grown 
myself have been grown for me by experienced 
growers in the locality where that special va¬ 
riety seems to mature best. By supplying my 
customers with the best is the only way that 
I can hope to make the business a success, and 
whatever may be my future determination, it 
is now my intention to make the plant and seed 
business a lifetime occupation. Trusting to re¬ 
tain the patronage of all my old customers and 
to gain the confidence and patronage of many 
thousands of new ones, which I shall ever 
strive to merit, I wish you all a prosperous 
future. 
