17 
W. F. Allen’s Plant and Seed Catalogue, Salisbury, Md. 
the 17th day of July, 1902, as good berries were picked 
as at any time during its season, Marshall, Glen Mary 
and McKinley growing side by side of it being all gone. 
The last berries were picked on July 22d. The plant is 
a strong grower, but not so rank as the Marshall, and 
makes a fair amount of plants. The Massachusetts 
Horticultural Society, always ready to recognize spe¬ 
cial merit, awarded the Commonwealth first prize in 
competition July 5th, 1902, and July 11th, 1903.” 
Mr. James H. Gregory, the well-known seedsman, of 
Marblehead, Mass., has this to say : “I saw the Com¬ 
monwealth on the grounds of the originator, and a 
grand sight it was. The berry is tremendously large 
(14 of those I picked filled a quart basket), the berries 
are symmetrical in shape, and have a rich, glossy 
color; the flesh is red, nearly as 
dark as the Marshall. It is a 
good cropper and appears to be 
firm enough to ship well. One of 
its most valuable characteristics is 
its lateness in maturing, for when 
I was there, July 2d, the large bed 
which had bushels of growing fruit 
had to be searched over very care¬ 
fully to find a quart of ripe ber¬ 
ries.” 
Benjamin F. Smith, of Beverly, 
Mass., well known as a grower of 
fancy strawberries, says : “I have 
watched the Commonwealth very 
carefully on the originator’s 
grounds by the side of all the lead¬ 
ing varieties, and for vigor of 
plant productiveness and quality 
of fruit it excels them all. It is 
very late and one of the best I 
ever saw.” 
TENNESSEE PROLIFIC - 
Too well known to need any gen¬ 
eral descripaion. It is a reliable 
standard variety, makes a good 
healthy growth and bears an 
abundant crop of large berries. It 
has a perfect blossom; plant 
growth similar to Haverland, and 
one of the best to plant with me¬ 
dium to late pistillate varieties. 
COMMONWEALTH. —Originated by James Mon- 
xv, t , „ roe > near Boston. I have 
fruited this berry and find that it bears a good quantity 
of flue, large berries. I do not especially recommend 
thin variety for the South, as 1 think it is more 
adapted to Northern sections, and for best results 
uteould be given high culture. When these conditions 
•re met it is a very fancy berry. Mr. Monroe says : 
The Commonwealth is the outcome of the desire and 
effort to produce a berry that would perceptibly 
lengthen the strawberry season. In the Common¬ 
wealth we have a berry that is as large as the largest 
as productive as the largest, as fine flavor, as solid and 
as dark color as any. It has a smooth surface, is very 
rich and juicy and has a strong staminate blossom On 
