W. F. Allen's Plant and Seed Catalogue, Salisbury, Md. 
3 
“IiEA.”—This berry will undoubtedly be a winner 
as a market berry. It has already won 
the second prize of $100.00 offered in my 190S cata¬ 
logue for one dozen plants of best unintroduced new 
variety and is well worthy of it. Because it takes sec¬ 
ond place is no indication of any inferiority. This is 
entirely a different type of berry from the “Twilley,” 
and I would not bo surprised if it proved equally as 
valuable as a market berry and is really a “close sec¬ 
ond” as fruited here. The “Lea” makes a strong, 
sturdy growth without a spot of rust, has perfect blos¬ 
soms, texture firm, season early, very productive, rip¬ 
ens evenly all over at once without green tips and is 
uniformly medium large in size as represented by the 
above illustration, which well represents it. I consider 
the berry very promising and would not hesitate to 
plant it largely for fruit if a sufficient number of 
plants could be procured. I have named this berry 
“Lea” in honor of my esteemed friend, Mr. Elisha Lea, 
superintendent N. Y., P. & N. R. R. Co., under whose 
efficient management this road has given the best serv¬ 
ice in the movement of perishable freights it has ever 
done since I have been a patron, covering a period of 
twenty-five years, and this new berry has been named 
for him without his knowledge in grateful apprecia¬ 
tion. The prize money has been paid to Mr. Thos. J. 
Custis, of Accomac Co., Va., who has twice been a 
lucky competitor for the “Allen Prizes,” having re¬ 
ceived $100.00 for twelve plants of the Virginia in 
1906. The Virginia has many warm friends, among 
them some large growers who plant it extensively for 
fruit, but I miss my guess if the “Lea” does not be¬ 
come much more popular in general than that variety 
has done. Mr. Custis, in writing of the “Lea,” speaks 
of it as follows: “It was the best thing I had in the 
strawberry line. Climax produced a few more quarts, 
but did not bring near the money. The ‘Lea’ sold 
along with the ‘Bubach/ and it will stand more rainy 
weather and keep in better condition than any berry 
that I know. It is a rampant grower of strong, 
healthy plants and should not be allowed to mat too 
thick on the row for best results.” I should like to 
offer this berry at a price that would enable commer¬ 
cial growers to buy it by the thousand tom the start, 
but fate decrees otherwise. My contract with Mr. Cus¬ 
tis covers a period of three years, but at present the 
stock is limited, and after reserving enough for my 
own planting to make stock for another year, I only 
have a few hundred left, which I will furnish as long 
as they last at $3.00 for 12 and $15.00 per 100. 
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# WANTED EVERYBODY TO READ THIS. 
T New Haven Co., Conn., August 5, 1909. 
V W. F. Allen, Salisbury, Md. 
£ Friend Allen—Now about that new straw- 
berry—The Chesapeake. Well, it is a good 
A one. and you have not praised it half enough. 
% It is not only a good grower and tremendous 
cropper, but it is delicious flavor, and car- 
a. ries the fruit out good size to the last. I 
shall set largely of it the coming season. I 
have raised strawberries over 45 years, but 
never have seen a strawberry so near perfect. 
As you were the introducer of the Glen 
Mary, and now the Chesapeake, puts you in 
the front rank of introducers of new varie¬ 
ties of strawberries. Very truly yours. 
A. E. PLANT. 
WE ALWAYS TRY TO PLEASE. 
1009 . 
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straw l >» Try 
condi t ion . 
Belmont Co., Ohio. April 
W. F. Allen, Salisbury, Md. 
Hear Sir—Received my 7,500 
plants yesterday, all in excellent 
am more than pleased with them. 
Yours truly. D. T. RINO. 
BEST IN 2<> YEARS. 
Champaign Co., Ohio. April 13, 1900. 
Mr. W t . F. Allen, Salisbury, Md. 
Dear Sir—The plants came in good condi¬ 
tion ; the quality is first-class. I have been 
growing strawberries for 26 years and have 
never received finer plants, nor any quite so 
good. Thanks for promptness and good count. 
Yours respectfully, E. K. HUMES. 
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