82 
STRAWBEHBT EXPEEIEIIOES. 
With each recurriug spring, the perplex¬ 
ing question about the best Strawbeiiy 
forces itself on om- attention. We arc there¬ 
fore glad to be able to lay before our 
kind 
Its greatest fault 
i-eaders”the results of extended experiments 
made at the Ohio Experiment Station, under HaH s m . , 
the direction of so careful an observer and 
as Prof. William R. 
exact experimenter 
Lazeuby. 
The soil upon which the varieties named 
below were grown, says the Professor, is a 
moderately rich claj' loam, and was enriched 
with a light coating of stable manure. 
All the varieties, except tiiose noted, were 
planted in the spring of 1S83. Ordinary 
cultivation was given, and the runners al¬ 
lowed to take root, forming matted rows. 
In the fall the bed was mulched witli straw, 
which was allowed to remain until after the 
berries were picked. The season was quite 
favorable, although a slight fi-ost destroyed 
some blossoms and a drouth cut short 
the yield of fruit. 
Alpha —^This proved to be one of the 
earliest varieties. Berries, mediiuu to 
large, and quite attractive in appear¬ 
ance. Plants healthy, but only mod¬ 
erately productive. 
AttoJific—The plants of this variety 
were set in the fall, and bore but little 
fruit. The berries are of good form 
and color; plants healthy and moder- 
atelj”^ tdgorous. 
Failed to fulfil the prom¬ 
ises made for it. The plants are 
healthy and vigorous, but are much 
inclined to overbear. Manj' of the 
berries are small and present a seed 3 ’' 
appearance, which with the large size 
of the calyx renders a box of unas¬ 
sorted fruit unattractive. It would 
probably give better results grown in 
hills. 
Big Bob —Unsatisfactoiy in every 
way. 
Charles JDoicning —^ThLs variety bore 
a very scanty crop, but the berries 
were all that could be deshed. Tlie 
Downing furnishes a plentiful supply 
of pollen, hence is a good sort to jdaut 
with pistillate varieties. Our experi¬ 
ments show that it inqiarts to a con¬ 
siderable extent its own glossy ap¬ 
pearance to the beiTies of sucli vai-ie- 
tles as it fertilizes. 
Cumberland —Ranks with the Downing as 
to productivene.ss, but like it bears nmch 
better the second ^-ear tlian tlie first. It is 
an excellent variety' for home use, or for 
near markets, whei-e it commands a good 
price. 
Crescent —^This vailcty was the most pro¬ 
ductive of all those tried. It wiis also the 
earliest of any good variety. It has in oved 
to be in this and many other localities the 
most profitable variety foi- mai’ket. 
Cornelia —The jjl.'ints of this variety w(.‘r<! 
set in the fall, hence it is imj)o.ssjble to give 
a correct opinion of it. it seems, howevei-, 
to be a vei-y jjroinising late vai-iety. 
Daniel Boone —Fall-set j)lants gave a good 
crop. The berries ai-e of gootl foi-m, size 
and color; plants healthy, vigoi-ous and pro¬ 
ductive. This is certainly a very promising 
variety. 
Early Canada —^Very early but lacking} in 
thbameric^ garden 
the last arc ‘0° Variety furnishes an 
Finch's Proh;«o-lli‘S f 
abrmdanceof pollen andis a »oo 
plant with 
vigorous and 
productive. ''f’"‘‘I^^'^HVrbm'ry. Plants 
James FfcA:-The plants f 
iu-e not worth picking, tjuahty ; 
a marvellously vigorous 
riie berries are 
iacoa—This is 
and productive variety 
rather soft, often irregular, medium sue ai 
not of extra quality. Heneeit 
to become a popular sort, eitlicr foi 
use or market. It has, however, too many 
good qualities to be discarded. It may do 
better in hills. 
Nigh's 6'uperb —This variety apparently 
has nothing to recommend it. ^ 
Old Iron Clad (Phelps)—Did very poorly 
here. Plants apparently lack vigor to ma. 
ture the large amount of fruit that sets' 
The berries were small and full of hard 
lumps. 
Berries mecUum to large; piantg 
vigorous and productive. It seems to be 
affected somewhat more by the drouth than 
most other varieties, but it possesses so 
many good qualities that it is deserving of 
extended trial. Would undoubtedly do well 
ill hills. 
Prince of Berries—Tho. plants were set in 
the fall and failed to make sufficient growth 
to produce a crop. Seems to lack vigor 
here. 
Sharpless — Seems not to be perfectly 
adajitcd to this locality, doubtless partly bo. 
cau.se it is so easily affected by frost. The 
number of stamens and amount of pollen 
appear to be variable, hence if planted 
to ^fertilize pistillate varieties a pro¬ 
portionately large number of Sharp¬ 
less plants should be used. 
Sucker Stale —Berries very regular 
and uniform in size; plants vigorous 
and productive. This is certainly a 
very promising variety; the objections 
to it being too light color of fruit, and 
berries parting too easily from the 
calyx. 
Windsor C/«>/—This is a vigorous 
and productive variety, ranking with 
IMinci-, next to Crescent. The berries 
are medium to large, rather acid, mod¬ 
erately firm, but glossy and of fine ap- 
Ijearance. It certainly must take high 
rank as a pi-ofitable variety for near 
market. Al^ould do well in hills. 
FIVE YEAR OLD MEECH'S PROLIFIC QUINCE TREE, BEFORE PRUNING. 
jVbM;r—Stands next to Crescent in jiro- 
diictivciiess. 'I'he berries are medium to 
large, regular, good color and of excellent 
quality. For honoiise it is unexcelled, but 
is perhaps too .soft for shipping long dis- 
tanee.s, although firm enough lor near "’mar¬ 
ket. It has the fault of not coloring evenly 
which mieessitates care in picking and pack¬ 
ing. q-his is a good variety to plant with 
jnstillates. 
Manchester-’V\ns. is undoubtedly a .r,,,,,! 
variety In many localities, but it is iilVeci,.,! 
badly by the rust on our grounds. 'n„, 
berries are all that can he desired, but the 
panU^ the vigor to carry a good crop 
m. Vernons very line late variety, bul 
seems not to be siillleiently productive I , he 
ju-olitable. , 
iVorwrt«-Berries very line; plants .. 
ous and moderately productive. ” 
RUSSIAN FRUITS. 
In the extreme northern portion 
of the United States are large areas 
within wldcli the T'hcrmome.tcr regis¬ 
ters nearlj' every winter 30^ to -lO'"’ be¬ 
low zero, and where almost all varie¬ 
ties of English and American Apples 
wint(n--kill. 'I’o discovei- varieties 
suitable for those regions has long 
been the aim of maiyy porno legists, and 
it was with this view, that Mr. Charles 
Cihb of Canada and Prof. Budd of 
Iowa visited Russia to learn what va¬ 
rieties of Russian fruits might be 
s|)ec.ially adaiited to tin' higher latitudes of 
.Vnierica,where most varieties are too tender. 
The. results of their investigations are wor- 
thy of the. most careful stud.v. It aiipears 
lhat they found tin* Aids .Viiple, the Anto- 
iiovka, and some others sueeessfull.v raised 
as far north as Kazan, 131) miles east ot 
Moscow, far from the modifying inlluencc 
of any large body of water, and yet (100 
miles north of the latitude of Quebec, and 
where Ii’ahrenhelt's Thermometer re.gisters 
not rarel_y oS" below zero. ' In this region of 
extreme cold the. peoiile raised .Vpples as 
one of their chief Industries, and the trees 
escaped these .severe winters without injury. 
'I'hese “iron-clad'' varieties will surely hc- 
eoine.a great boon to the cold .sections bf tb<‘ 
North and Northwest, and from some of the 
liest of these .seedlings will undouhtedly he 
rai.sed that will he about, all that can be de¬ 
sired in qiuillty, and harily as their parentage. 
