FLANSBURGH & PEIRSON’S CATALOGUE. 
9 
Varieties 
THE NEW VELVET STRAW¬ 
BERRY. — (Imp.) —In introducing 
this new berry we want to say that 
we believe it is a prize; of all the new 
varieties the most fitting and worthy 
to head our list. 
It is a chance seedling, probably 
of Bubach and Jessie, as it was found 
growing near these sorts by Mr. R. 
C. Cronk, of Oregon, Wisconsin, who 
has grown it several years with all 
the prominant varieties, including 
New York, Sample, Glen Mary, Wm. 
Belt, Nick Ohmer, and, as he states, 
a host of others. Mr. Cronk wrote 
us about four years ago claiming it 
was the best berry on earth, and for 
two years we tried to make arrange¬ 
ments with him to test it here, but 
Mr. Cronk would not sell us a few 
plants for trial, though he had sold a 
few to neighbors and nearby growers 
at a dollar each. That every plant 
was worth that and more to any one 
and especially to us, seeing was be¬ 
lieving, etc., etc., and he wanted us to 
come and see them while in fruit, 
which we promised to do if we could, 
but found it impossible to leave our 
own berries at the time. He finally 
offered to sell us a few plants at a 
stated price, so that we could test it 
here, but when we sent the order 
with remittance, he returned it, and 
we concluded that we could never ar¬ 
rive at any definite understanding 
with Mr. Cronk. But we had other 
customers and correspondence with 
other parties in Oregon, Wisconsin, 
about Mr. Cronk and his velvet straw¬ 
berry, and liter in the spring, 1902, 
we secured a few plants by purchase 
of Mr. F. H. Chappel, nurseryman 
and member of the National Associa¬ 
tion—one of the parties who had a 
few of this interesting variety. The 
plants cost us a big price, and we 
only got a few, little thinking to in¬ 
troduce it ourselves, until we were 
surprised and greatly pleased with its 
behavior on our grounds last season, 
when we felt that somehow we ought 
to offer it. Not having had further 
correspondence with Mr. Cronk since 
he returned our remittance, we wrote 
Mr. Chappel last fall to find out if 
any one was to introduce it in the 
regular way, etc., and received his 
letter together with a print of the 
Velvet strawberry done in colors and 
his printed rate for plants, stating 
that he got his plants from the origi¬ 
nator, who sells them at $10.00 per 
dozen, while he is selling them at 
$5.00 per dozen, etc. The plants are 
good size with dark green foliage, 
clean and healthy, making a good row 
for fruiting. The berries were large 
and fine, and produced in great abund¬ 
ance. We are expecting it will out¬ 
rank the Sample—one of the most 
popular and which it much resembles. 
Mr. Chappel states, a wonderful 
bearer, yielding double alongside of 
Dunlap and ofliers on his grounds. 
Season medium to late, and berries 
large and beautiful. Its bloom is pis¬ 
tillate. 
It was our intention to list this va¬ 
riety at $5.00 per dozen, but as there 
are no restrictions we will offer it at 
$3.00 per dozen and further— 
<♦> Por every dollar received before <J> 
<♦> April 1st for plants at listed rates, <*> 
<♦> we will include one plant of the <$> 
new Velvet Strawberry free. <|> 
<$> Our supply Is limited and we re- 
<$> serve the right to send their value <|> 
<*> in other plants as ordered, if we <$> 
4 > get sold short too soon. <& 
We want you all to try this new 
variety and if any one is dissatisfied 
with it as not worth the price they 
paid us, after fruiting it in 1905, we 
will upon request send you the pur¬ 
chase price in cash or its value in 
any leading hew variety, other than 
the Velvet that we may offer in 1906. 
Nothwithstanding that the Velvet is 
offered elsewhere at a higher rate, we 
got our plants by purchase, without 
restrictions and desire to give our 
customers a chance to try them in a 
small way at little cost. 
MARK HANNA.— (Imperfect.) — 
Plants received last spring from the 
introducer, M. L. Thompson, of Vir¬ 
ginia, who says in hs circular of 1902. 
“I cannot describe and tell all the 
good qualities of this new berry and 
do it justice, as I have known it the 
past eight years. I have not let any¬ 
one have any plants of this, nor of the 
Mrs. Mark Hanna. It is a seedling of 
See A B C of Strawberry Culture and other Valuable Books, inside Back Cover. 
