Donner has done well in the coastal areas, including Oxnard in 
Ventura County. 
_ As it is subject to Verticillium wilt it should not be planted 
in land previously used for tomatoes. 
SHASTA STRAWBERRY 
Shasta is said to have reacted favorably in all test plantings 
along the central coast, where it has been outstanding for high 
production in the summer and fall, and along with Sierra and Lassen 
is said to have practically completely replaced Banner in this 
district. Shasta is said to have become the most popular variety 
for the fresh fruit market, and is said to be probably the most 
widely adapted of any of the five varieties first introduced. 
It begins bearing the last week of April, has few nubbins, fair 
vigor, good runner production, fair longevity of plant, moderate 
virus resistance, poor Verticillium wilt resistance, moderate mil- 
dew resistance, fair red spider resistance, poor salinity resist- 
ance, Color of fruit is light red, glossy, shape of fruit round 
conic to blunt conic, size of fruit medium large, skin medium ten- 
der, flesh medium firm, small hollow, moderately juicy, flavor mild 
subacid, quality fresh fair, fair to good shipper, quality frozen 
fair. 
In a quick frozen test, Shasta and Sierra were the best of the 
five varieties. Shasta’s particular advantages were good flavor and 
aroma, fairly good appearance and fair texture retention on thaw- 
ing. 
SIERRA STRAWBERRY 
For the foothill regions and warm interior valleys Sierra is 
perhaps the best of the five first introduced. It has also been 
planted in the central coast area, where it is not so heavy or 
continuous a cropper as the others, but the total production is 
good. It is about ten days later than Shasta, but normally bears 
as good a spring crop or better. Being late it at times produces 
most of the spring crop late enough to escape the rains that often 
spoil the early crop. 
Sierra begins bearing the first week in May, total production is 
fair to good, vigor fair to good, runner production good, longevity 
of plant good, virus resistance moderate, Verticillium wilt resist- 
ance excellent, mildew resistance moderate, red spider resistance 
poor, salinity resistance poor to fair, fruit color is medium red, 
glossy, which gives a good appearance and this holds well after 
picking. In some seasons, however, some of the fruit ripens with a 
white tip. Fruit is conic or wedge shaped. The primary berries are 
large, but the size drops somewhat as the later berries on the 
inflorescence mature. The dessert quality is good. 
The aroma is slight, skin texture medium tender, flesh texture 
(See Prices on Page 31) 
