1880. ] 
RUMINATING. 
71 
sorb. “ In June, 1878.” writes Mr. Barry, 
“ we had ample opportunity to give it a 
thorough trial, and it pleased us exceedingly. 
Its vigorous habit of growth is one of its 
characteristics. No other variety that we are 
acquainted with produces such strong, thrifty 
plants, or has such large and handsome foliage. 
It is very productive, and yields immense 
crops even under ordinary treatment. The 
trusses are remarkably strong and well-propor¬ 
tioned for the burden they are intended to support, 
although in many cases the fruit is so large as 
to bend them to the ground. The berries 
average large to very large, are generally oblong 
in shape, narrowing to the apex, but sometimes 
irregular and flattened. The colour is a clear 
light red, with smooth, shining surface. The 
flesh is moderately firm, with a fine aroma, and 
may be rated as first in quality. 
“ A bed of this variety, when the plants are 
loaded with fruit, is well worth visitincr. The 
rich dark green foliage at once arrests atten¬ 
tion, even from a distance, and if we will take 
the trouble to approach and examine the fruit, 
it will not be possible to repress our surprise 
and admiration. If it proves as great a suc¬ 
cess generally as at Rochester, Catawissa, and 
Cinnamison, we predict for it great popularity.” 
This Strawberry was, as we learn, raised by 
Mr. J. K. Sharpless, of Catawissa, in 1872, and 
we are indebted to Messrs. Ellwanger and 
Barry, of the Mount Hope Nurseries, Rochester, 
for the annexed illustration and description :— 
“ Size large, an average specimen measuring 
1 to l|r in. in diameter either way ; a specimen 
exhibited, at the Nurserymen’s Convention, 
held at Rochester, June 20tli, 1878, weighed 
1-| oz., and measured 7 in. in circumference, 
and a berry of 1879 measured 7f-in. in cir¬ 
cumference. Colour clear light red, smooth, 
shining. Flesh firm, sweet, with a delicate 
aroma; of excellent quality. Plant remark¬ 
ably vigorous and luxuriant, hardy and pro¬ 
lific. This variety having fruited with us 
several seasons, we have no hesitation in re¬ 
commending it.” 
With such a high character as this, which, 
as far as appearance goes, is fully borne out by 
the illustration, the Sharpless Strawberry would 
appear to be worth the attention of our own 
Strawberry growers. —T. Moore, 
RUMINATING. 
f URNING the pages of our Floricultural 
literature, in that process of “chewing 
the cud ” which comes naturally with 
the long evenings of winter, I came upon two 
numbers of the Country , kindly sent me by 
the Editor, but which had escaped my notice 
at the time, the one containing a report of the 
National Carnation and Picotee Society’s show, 
the other a notice of my flowers at Larkhall 
Rise. 
This latter, which admirably sets out the 
conditions of successful culture, and the 
especial suitability of the Carnation and 
Picotee as town flowers, excepting that it too 
much lauds my humble efforts, I should de¬ 
sire to be very widely known; but there is one 
paragraph, occasioned, probably, by some in¬ 
volved expressions of my own during the visit 
of the writer, which, as containing a cardinal 
error on a point of great practical importance, I 
wish to correct. The writer says, “ When in bloom, 
certain flowers are occasionally selected for 
crossing, but this Mr. Dodwell largely leaves to 
natural agencies.” My practice and my teach¬ 
ing are the converse of this. For seed-taking 
likely to result in improved developments, I 
have for many years practically known the 
necessity of the most careful selection of the 
parents, and though I have not refused to take 
seed from a good stock when only the mother- 
plant was known to me, yet all my experience 
lias led me to the conclusion that the higher 
development is only approached after careful 
study of the habit and character, both of plant 
and flower, of the pollen-producing and seed¬ 
bearing plants respectively. 
With respect to the notice of the show, 
speaking of the awards, the writer says:— 
“ The last grower would have taken higher 
rank with all his flowers, had he resorted to 
the practice, now universally adopted, of ‘ dress¬ 
ing ’ the blooms. With no wish to reopen this 
often discussed question, we would suggest 
that when a grower shows undressed flowers in 
a class in which dressing is permitted, he 
should at least be allowed to affix to his stand 
a statement that the blooms are shown in their 
natural condition ; and, moreover, there might 
well be an open class for undressed flowers, 
ivleich always present greater attraction to the 
general public .” 
