W. F. Allen’s Plant and Seed Catalogue, Salisbury, Md. 
23 
|\] M C '| I IQIflN It occurs to country with what they want, and not to boom any 
11 'I V-V/l v/l me that few one variety, though I am introducing one or two 
people realize the difficulty in describing a hundred new ones every year. There is not as. much profit 
varietiesof strawberries without having a great deal inthisas most growers would imaging, judging from 
of sameness about it. I know there are a great the extra prices asked for them, as it costs money 
many who criticise the descriptions given of the to introduce new strawberries if you are going to 
different varieties of strawberries; I have often make them go; and it would be equally as profitable 
heard it, and have often wondered if those who are to grow largp quantities of standard varieties if 
so free to criticise, could themselves do half as good everybody knew just what they want. My object 
a job. It must be remembered that while one va- in introducing these new varieties is to .find some- 
rioty is described by the introducer in one state thing better than we already have, and it is in the 
as being the best he has ever grown, bringing hope that some of them will prove such, that I am 
four or five cents more per quart than any other constantly on the lord:out for new ones, and only 
variety, then turning to the next one, will find that those that I believe to be very valuable are ever 
some other introducer from some other state has offered as new varieties by me. While I have intro- 
made the same claim for some other variety, don’t duced six or seven varieties, I have tested several 
forget that it is seldom that any variety makes the hundred, out of which these were fleeted. Among 
same record on different soils. Have you planted a my older introductions, which have proven especially 
variety that was perhaps your favorite, and that valuable, are. Glen Mary and New York. The Glen 
you considered the best of all varieties, and then Mary today is, no doubt, the most popular variety 
noticed how much difference there would be in this grown in all sections north of Mason and Dixon’s 
same berry on your neighbor’s farm? Of course line and in the West. Among other standard varie- 
every variety cannot be the best with any one per- ties which Idid not introduce, but in which I played 
son, but it can be the best, and more than likely a prominent part in the dissemination and distribu- 
has been the best, with some one. We will take tion, are the Bubach, Brandywine, Haverland, 
the New Home for instance, which has made me Sample, Senator Dunlap and Wm. Belt; and there 
more money as a fruiting berry than any other va- are but few growers but what know the value of 
riety, yet I have heard numerous complaints of its these varieties. 
not doing well in other places, while others say it is In making up our list, it is necessary to include a 
entirely satisfactory, and is as good or better than good many varieties that would be considered worth- 
anything they have had. I wish to say that in less in New England, but we grow them because we 
writing my descriptions, they have been given ex- have a trade fjr it in far-away California or in the 
actly as I have found them on such varieties as I Bermudas, where that particular variety is consid- 
f ruited; on those that I have not fruited, I have ered among the best. We list numbers of varieties 
endeavored to give the best authority obtainable, that by our Southern customers would not be con- 
The intention is to help the grower to select what is sidered worth planting; they are the ones that our 
best suited for his requirements as nearly as we can. New England growers, Western and Northwestern 
The descriptions are just as the berry has been growers consider the cream of the list. Ourlistisa- 
proven to me or to some one else, but this is no long one, not because each person grows so many 
guarantee of what it will do for you. varieties, but because I wish t.> have something 
I earnestly advise that every grower should plant from which every grower all over the country may 
a test plot of a few varieties every year for himself, select. My land is light sandy loam and. all varie- 
and in this way he can pick out what is best suited ties, or that is nearly all, make a splendid growth 
for his soil. At the price most varieties are sold at, here with a root system that cannot be surpassed, 
it would be very inexpensive, also very interesting My stock of plants for 1907 is one of the largest 
and profitable, if every grower, large or small, would and best that I have ever grown, and to every tiller 
test ten or a dozen varieties every year by planting of the soil that reads this catalogue, I earnestly so- 
a dozen plants of each in one row of his patch, licit your orders; if you “.have dealt with me before, 
carefully staking the varieties and noticing results you know what my plants are, if you have been 
at fruiting season. dealing elsewhere, and are not satisfied with the 
Speaking personally, I am in the strawberry plant stock you have been getting, give me a portion of 
business to supply the thousands of growers in this your order and see ifjmine will not fill the bill. If 
they do not com¬ 
pare favorably 
“PREMO” DEWBERRY. 
(See Description on page 26.) 
beenreceiving,Idonot 
ask you to continue buving- 
from me. I have scattered 
a few testimonials along 
through this catalogue, to 
which I would especially 
call your attention ; many 
more could be given if space 
permitted; and last but not 
least, I wish to thank the 
thousands of people who 
dealt with me last year and 
made it in many respects 
one of the best seasons I 
have ever experienced. 
Again thanking you all for 
your most liberalpatronage,. 
I am, Very truly yours, 
with those you have 
W. F. ALLEN- 
