W. F. Allen’s Plant and SeedCatalogue, Salisbury, Md. 
5 
CARDINAL. — (See colored plate.) In the 
spring of 1905 I bought 100 plants of the Car¬ 
dinal; 25 of them were delayed in transit and 
practically of no value, leaving me only about 
75 good plants with which to make a start. 
These were given somewhat better attention 
than the average, and they produced about 
12,000 plants that were very large and showed 
great vigor. Any one cannot fail to see that a large 
stalky plant that will make 12,000 plants from 75 
m one season, or almost 200 to the plant is excep¬ 
tionally vigorous. These plants, being propagated 
for plants only, were not set near any perfect flower- 
mg vanety, and consequently not much in the way 
of fruit could be expected on the few plants that 
were left. There were, however, quite a number of 
clusters which showed quality, firmness and beauty 
My opinion is that this variety is all that has been 
claimed for it, and I will give below the description 
written by those who are more familiar with the 
berry, Geo. J. Streator, the originator, says: 
In 1906, while working in one of my gardens whieh 
was used alternately for strawberries and vegetables 
and in which self-sown seedlings were common, one of 
them showed remarkable proportions. The seed find 
second leaves were of unusual size. It was a little giant 
among the seedlings; it seemed a little pn- e then, it has 
proved a great prize since. Fruiting with a lot of prom¬ 
ising seedlings the next season, it surpassed them ail It 
was the largest and most vigorous plant. The le'aves 
were large and healthy, making a superb lung'system for 
a plant. A great truss of beautiful bright red berries 
pushed through the foliage on a stem of remarkable 
siz : the Arm, solid berries were of ideal shape, largeand 
firm with quality of pronounced flavor. The plant ma¬ 
tured them all. After fruiting, the motherplant showed 
uncommon vitality m the large number of strong pink 
runner! that made a. great cluster of plants. Autumn 
set plants of these, m comparison with a score of the 
good old kinds and best new ones, showed great superi¬ 
ority. The superior size of the plants the power to pro¬ 
duce runners, the size of the fruit and its great produc¬ 
tiveness, makes it a giant among strawberries, and for a 
time was called Gigantic, but from its color it was after¬ 
wards called Cardinal.” 
Mr. Crawford, the noted strawberry grower of 
Ohio, speaks of it thus : 
“After watching the Cardinal strawberry for three 
years, my candid opinion is that it is one of tho most 
valuable vane Lies, and that it will become a favorite 
when better known It fruited here this year in a matt¬ 
ed row, aad I think that every plant bloomed, and every 
bloom was fodowed by a berry. I consider the plant a 
model m every way, and the fruit possesses every desir¬ 
able cnaract^ristic. Mr. Streator told us he thought he 
cou!d cover an acre with 1,000 plants, and I believe it 
It would do you good to see the plants that I planted in 
t h e sprmg; They have far surpassed ,auy other variety 
@ n the place.” J 
A. W. Clark, a noted grower of Providence, R. I., 
speaks of it as follows : 
“The Cardinal produces the most beautiful clusters of 
berries I have ever seen, during 35 years that I have 
grown strawberries. They were shown in the window of 
one of my customers on a principal street in the city, 
where cr-wds of people halted to admire them. At our 
Khode Island Exhibition, I was awarded for the Cardi¬ 
nal, first prize for best new variety , first prize for best 
quart, and the officers of the society were so much 
pleased with the Cardinal that they awarded me a Cer¬ 
tificate of Merit for its large size, good flavor, product¬ 
iveness, good color, and long bearing, it being the first 
time such a certificate had ever bean given the straw¬ 
berry by the society. My plants produced berries for 
three weeks and the foliage now stands up 13 to 15 inches 
high, fresh and green.” 
I could give numerous more testimonials and 
opinions, but, as the above is from first-class author¬ 
ity and my space is limited, I think these already 
given will be sufficient. 
I might add that I have a very fine stock of plants, 
consisting of about 200,000, which will, no doubt, 
all be required to fill my orders this spring. The 
