We have in the past twenty-five years fruited many hundreds of varieties of strawberries. For one reason or another nearly all of them have been discarded. It will probably surprise some of our horticultural friends and acquaintances to observe below the small number of sorts we have selected from this long list as the best and the ones we recommend. We have a pretty accurate knowledge of these kinds and believe they will give general satisfaction and good results over a large territory. Besides the ones we mention there are others that succeed and do well in some favored sections, or perhaps near the home of their origin. Such varieties are local in their character and not worthy of general recommendation, it is always safest to select a few of the good old reliable standard sorts that we find in general use throughout the country. Occasionally we find a berry of unknown parentage that is valuable in a local way; more often, however, we find upon investigation, that these so called new wonders are old kinds with new names or without any name. As heretofore explained the perfect flowering kinds will bear alone or with other sorts. The pistillate varieties must have every third row of the staminates.

* Beder Wood (Perfect Flowers)

-- An early staminate variety of great merit, producing large crops of good sized fruit of excellent quality, round; smooth, regular in shape, bright scarlet in color; good for market or for home use.

* Bubach (Pistillate).

-- Plants are strong, rampant, healthy growers, one of the best for market. The fruit is firm, of good flavor, dark rich color, and pleasing appearance. Season second early. The Bubach has taken a very prominent place in strawberry culture. This berry is planted largely with the sharpness, the size, color and shape being much alike. If we were going to fruit the strawberry for commercial purposes, we would plant largely of the Bubach for many reasons it can stand the severest droughts, and has very large foliage to protect its blossoms from late frosts. Needs to be planted with a perfect flowering kind.

* Haverland (Pistillate)

-- Exceedingly vigorous, produces a great number of long fruit-stalks, loaded with medium to large, lone, conical, pale scarlet berries. Very regular and uniform in size, making a superb show in the basket or on the table; of fair flavor and valuable for market in many sections. Needs to be grown with a perfect kind; ripens early.

* Brandywine (Perfect Flowers)

-- The fruit is of large size and fine quality, firm and shapely for so large a berry, foliage of the largest and thriftiest. The shape is uniformly good. In general it is heart shape. Flesh red, firm and solid for so large a berry, none more so. Vines exceedingly prolific. Brandywine continues a long time in fruit, a very profitable variety and one that is being planted largely. Desirable for the home garden and for market; a late variety.

* Cumberland Triumph (Perfect Flowers).

-- An old reliable early berry of fine flavor, desirable for home use. Plants good growers and productive of uniform large fruit that holds its size to the end of the season; fruit light crimson in color and one of our best canning berries.

* Gandy (Perfect Flowers).

-- This superb late variety is second to none as a fine, handsome, beautiful, firm. fine flavored, late berry. The fruit always brings the highest market price. This is one of the most profitable berries to grow for a fancy market or for home use, where quality is the first consideration. The plant is a strong, compact grower; productive of large size, handsome, regular berries, which hold out large to the last picking. The fruit is bright, beautiful, one of the best, if not the best, for market we have. But its superior flavor is what commends it to all in search of a good late berry in every respect.

* Glen Mary (Perfect Flowers)

-- The plants are strong and robust growers, with clean, healthy foliage. It is productive of very large fruit of nearly round, uniform shape. The color is light red. The flavor is very good for so large a berry. One of its chief characteristics is that the last of the fruit is quite as large as the first that ripens. It is certainly a very productive, valuable variety for a nearby market, and we are able to recommend it for this purpose, or for home use. One of the best early berries in cultivation.

* Parsons (Perfect Flowers).

-- Strong grower and very prolific; fruit, medium to large; color, a beautiful shade of light red; fine flavor. Ripens with the mid-season berries. Can be grown successfully for either home use or commercial purposes. It commands the highest market prices.

* Sample (Pistillate).

-- Plants good growers, fruit large, round and dark crimson in color and of good quality. It is productive and good for nearby market. Plant a perfect kind with it.

* Jessie (Perfect Flowers)

-- Very early, productive fruit, very large, light crimson in color, firm, and flavor of the best; one of the best varieties we have. A splendid all round berry for home use or market.

* Lovett's Early (Perfect Flower).

-- 4ts color is dark red. One of the best shippers we have. It is a perfect flowering variety, prolific and a good market berry and among the earliest to ripen.

* Margaret (Perfect Flowers).

-- The plant is large, healthy and a vigorous grower, having dark, glossy foliage. It is very productive, and the fruit is of large size and quality. It ripens all over, a dark, glossy red, and retains its color to the center. Ripens in mid season.

* Marshall (Perfect Flowers)

-- The plants are the rankest growers; away ahead of all others in this respect. In shape conical, very regular, each berry like the other; the color is a dark red crimson; flesh is solid and dark red; flavor is the very finest. It is possible to ship this berry hundreds of miles. It ripens with the early berries and continues in fruit until very late in the season. It gave us berries for our own table for over three weeks. A choice berry for home use or fancy market.

* Michel's Early.

-- Unusually early. Berries bright scarlet, conical, of excellent quality. Resists frost, drought and rust. The fruit is very early, which is its chief value.

* Nick Ohmer (Perfect Flowers).

-- The fruit is of the very largest size, a giant among strawberries. It is never misshapen. Its only departure from the regular roundish conical form is when, under high culture, it is somewhat triangular. It is dark, glossy red firm and of excellent flavor. A superb, handsome, large fruit of the very finest flavor. Should be in every garden where size, color and high quality are the first consideration. It ripens in mid-season and continues a long time in fruit.

* Oom Paul (Perfect Flowers).

-- Origin of parentage Jessie and Bubach. Stupendous in size and delicious in flavor, nice shape, elegant color, shipping the best. The plant is a very rank grower Another strong point in favor of Oom Paul is that the last picking never runs small. Berries are very large, roundish, conical; color glossy crimson. It is a wonderful -- productive strawberry, an ripens early in the season. Desirable for market and the home garden.

* Parker Earle (Perfect Flowers).

-- The plants of variety are exceedingly rank growers, with a tendency to make enormous stools. It has perfect flowers and good sized fruit, rather long, with short neck, firm, of good color and fine quality. It is one of the few varieties that is adapted to a wide range of country, and thrives well in so many different soils and climates. Ripening quite late in the season, it should be known as a late berry. When grown under high culture good for market purposes.

* President (Pistillate).

-- The plants are strong growers, producing an abundance of thick, leathery foliage, dark green in color, and standing very erect, and a thick, stocky fruit stalk. It is very prolific and brings the last berry to perfection. Ripens the last of May and continues a long time in fruit. In size it averages with the largest berries grown, and is absolutely uniform in shape, the berries being almost round, and free from unripened or gnarled ends. The flesh is firm and solid, without hollows or pithy cores. The color is a rich crimson. Valuable for all purposes; must be planted with a staminate variety.

* Wm. Belt (Perfect Flowers).

-- The plant is very large, a most luxuriant grower and remarkably productive. It is medium in ripening -- neither very early or very late. Its size is very large indeed. No other variety ever gave us so many immense berries. The color is a brilliant glossy red. It ripens all over without green tips. The quality is of the very best. Wm. Belt will be a valuable variety for home use or market. It is one of the most beautiful berries we have ever seen and valuable for commercial purposes as well as for home use.

* Mckinley (Perfect Flowers)

-- Berry large, roundish, inclined to conical, but sometimes flattened or coxcombed, color crimson, flesh firm, quality good. The plants are strong growers, with fine, large, dark foliage. Very productive. It ripens in mid-season and continues a long time in fruit.

* New York (Perfect Flowers).

-- In productiveness it is hard to believe that it has an equal. It is really astonishing when grown on good soil and with generous culture. Berries dark scarlet, changing to crimson when fully ripe, coloring all over at once; excellent in quality. In growth of plant it is exceedingly vigorous, with foliage that is large, bright and clean. For such a large berry it is a great bearer. Ripens in mid-season.

* The Rough Rider (Perfect Flowers)

-- The plants are. strong, large growers, fruit medium in size, the flavor is poor being acid, reminding us of the old Wilson's Albany. Plants productive and ripen their fruit in mid-season. Valuable for distant market on account of its firmness.

* Senator Dunlap (Perfect Flowers).

-- Fruit is of good size, regular and attractive in form, deep red in color without and within, firm in substance and excellent in quality. Its season is among the earliest and it continues productive nearly a month. Plants good, vigorous growers; valuable for all purposes.

* Sharpless (Perfect Flowers).

-- One of the most popular strawberries of the day. The plant is exceedingly large and vigorous, quite free from rust or blight. It demands well enriched soil and is one that will bring the home or market grower fine fruit. Berries are very large, dark crimson in color and of first quality.