

New York AGRiIcutturRAL ExpPpERIMENT STATION. 677 
STRAWBERRY CROSSES. 
Crossing strawberries for the purpose of originating improved 
varieties has received some attention at this station during the 
past few years. Brief accounts of the progress of this work have 
been given from time to time in its bulletins and annual reports. 
In 1885, Prof. Goff reported * that seedlings of Manchester and 
Bidwell had come into bearing and that the former were notably 
more vigorous and productive than the latter. Seed of Monarch 
of the West planted in 1882 gave seedlings which in 1885 yielded 
more, better and larger fruit than did an adjacent row of Wilson 
set at the same time. 
One thousand seedlings fruited in 1888-9 are mentioned by Mr. 
Hunn in the eighth annual report, p. 307, with the statement 
that but twenty had shown indications of being superior to the 
parent varieties which included Chas. Downing, Crescent, Cum- 
berland, Daniel Boone, Golden Defiance, James Vick, Legal 
Tender, Lennig’s White, Manchester, Mrs. Garfield, Old Ironclad, 
peerless and Wilson. 
In 1890+ but fifteen of the twenty seedlings just noted were — 
retained for further testing, and of seven hundred additional 
seedlings which had come into bearing but fifty were kept for 
further trial. The last one of all these seedlings was finally dis- 
carded this season (1893). Such a record appears, at first, rather 
discouraging. It should not be inferred, however, that among 
these hundreds of seedlings no valuable ones were found. On 
the contrary, valuable ones were found, but since they did not 
prove superior to the best varieties already introduced into culti- 
vation they were discarded 
During the winter of 1889-90 Mr. Hunn made several crosses 
of strawberries in the greenhouse which resulted in the produc- 
tion of many apparently excellent seedlings. In testing these 
seedlings, and those resulting from his later crosses, the same rule 
has been followed as formerly and none has been retained for 
further testing unless in some important point it gave promise of 
superiority to the best cultivated varieties of its class or season. 
The object of this work is not to introduce new varieties that are 
simply “good,” but to secure, if possible, something superior to 
the kinds already cultivated. 
* Fourth Annual Report, pp. 226-7. — + Ninth Annual Report, 1890, pp. 274-5. 
+ 
