W. F. ALLEN’S CATALOGUE, SALISBURY, MD. 
3 
LEA.—This is another berry which we offered 
for the first time in our 1910 catalogue, 
and this has also made good. As an early market 
berry we believe it will very soon take front rank, 
and that as soon as enough plants can be produced 
to put it in the hands of the average commercial 
grower. This is an entirely different type of berry 
from the Twilley, although equal to it as a commer¬ 
cial variety. While the Twilley is a late variety, the 
Lea is early and the crop will be almost marketed 
when the Twilley starts. The Lea makes a strong, 
sturdy growth without a spot of rust, has perfect 
blossoms, very firm, very productive and ripens 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 shall plant as many plants 
as I can spare from my trade. This berry, as stated 
last season, was named in honor of my esteemed 
friend, Mr. Elisha Lea, superintendent of the N. Y.. 
P. & N. R. R. Co. 
Mr. Custis, the originator, 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’s sold along with the Bubach, and will stand more 
rainy weather and keep in better condition than any 
berry that, I know. It is a vigorous grower of strong, 
healthy plants and should not be allowed to mat too 
thickly on the rows for best results.” 
On account of the scarcity of plants my price on 
this variety last spring was rather high, but it Is a 
great grower, and this season we have a fairly good 
supply and, like the Twilley, we are offering it at 
the same price per thousand this spring as we asked 
per hundred last spring. One of Maryland’s leading 
commercial growers, at my suggestion, visited Mr. 
Custis’ farm for the sole purpose of seeing the Lea 
in fruit, with the result that he has ordered all the 
Lea plants that I can spare from my retail trade, 
which, however will only be a few thousand, as I 
must plant thirty or forty thousand myself. The 
Lea is a good market sort that you will not regret 
planting. 
IDEAL, —This is a new berry sent out from 
Noble County, Indiana. I have not 
fruited this variety yet, but in plant growth it Is 
entirely satisfactory. The originator’s description is 
as follows: “If you want the best selling straw¬ 
berry the best shipping and the best canning berry, 
get the Ideal and you will never regret it. It re¬ 
mains whole and keeps its shape when cooked, goes 
to market bright and crisp, does not bruise or dis¬ 
color. The best looker in the boxes, the best seller 
I ever had the pleasure to offer for sale. The blos¬ 
soms are staminate or perfect, needing no fertiliza¬ 
tion. Season, medium to late. A very heavy cropper 
of large, uniform berries, holding up well in size until 
the last picking. The plant is a strong, vigorous grower, 
with clean foliage, free from rust; sends out large, 
heavy runners, making strong, thrifty plants, which 
has more good points than any other known variety.” 
The originator, Mr. Joseph W. Haines, further writes 
me, under date of February 21, 1910, as follows: “I 
have been growing strawberries for market for 45 
years and bought nearly all new ones but never got 
anything to near compare with the Ideal. It is the 
firmest berry I ever saw, and the description is 
rather underdrawn than overdrawn.” 
* IF IN DOUBT WHERE TO ORDER, 
f READ THIS. ~ 
X Culpeper Co., Va.. Feb. 1, 1010. 
X Mr. W. F. Allen, Salisbury, Md. 
^ Dear Sir—The plants I got of you in fall of 
1908 were certainly fine; I planted them and 
every one lived. They stood a drouth last year, 
while a lot of other plants I got from a neigh¬ 
bor died. Those plants have gone through 
enough to kill them, but they always pick them¬ 
selves up and get about again. I would much 
rather have 100 of your plants than 1,000 of 
some I have seen. Wishing you the best of suc¬ 
cess, and hoping you will have a prosperous 
year, I am, very truly yours. 
G. H. LATHAM, JR. 
