Central New York

While the testing of varieties of fruits and vegetables is among the most difficult and unsatisfactory work that can be done in the way of experimentation, owing to the multitude of elements which affect conditions and results, and the difficulty of forming correct judgments, it may be of interest to note something of the behavior of new and old strawberry friends which I saw at the Cornell Experiment Station, the past season. The plants are growing on very, heavy stiff clay ground, which so far as known had never been manured previous to 1889, and from which a commercial grower would hardly feel like attempting to get a profitable crop. Yet good opinions could be formed of all the sorts under trial.

Bomba

Habit low to medium ; foliage good but not very abundant; trusses weak; berry large, round conical, later ones quite round; color dark ; in texture it is hollow and rather too soft for shipment, being a poor keeper ; its flavor is excellent; season medium, productive. Holds out well, the later berries being of fair size and attractive. Good for the home garden. The figure on page 519 shows a cluster, natural size.

Ohio

High ; foliage vigorous ; trusses long, good ; berry of medium size, slightly necked ; color light; firm and solid in texture, sour. Late, fairly productive and holds out well. Nothing in particular to recommend it except lateness. Practically identical with Kentucky.

Miner

Habit low to medium ; foliage firm; trusses short, mostly prostrate; berry medium size, conical, bright, a little soft but not hollow; flavor fairly good. Season medium; fairly productive.

Haverland

High ; foliage vigorous and healthy, leaves thin, light colored, comparatively exempt from blight; trusses long, weak, mostly prostrate in fruit; berry large, long, conical, somewhat necked, bright scarlet ; colors evenly throughout; texture fairly firm, [solid ; flavor deficient; very productive. It is an early variety, but continued to give good berries among the latest, and held out its size and attractiveness better than most sorts. Its shape is not pleasing in many cases and its color is too light to be most attractive on the vines, but would probably appear to better advantage after being shipped or standing some time than a darker colored berry, for it has not the whitish unripe appearance often shown by Sharpless. From the indication here it seems to be one of the most promising as a general market berry. It is not sour like the Wilson, but gives one the impression that even Dame Nature herself was surprised at the number of berries, and had not provided enough flavoring material, and consequently was obliged to dilute it, as it is deficient in quality.

The accompanying figure, page 523, shows a couple of average clusters, natural size.

Mincola

Habit low to medium; foliage tough, leathery; trusses rather stout; berry medium to large, short, inclined to double points; later ones obconical, with a pronounced neck ; color dark, uneven ; moderately firm, flavor good. Season medium to late ; not overly productive, but gave a fair number of large berries ; crop soon gone, last berries very irregular.

Wilson

Habit low; foliage rather scanty, unhealthy; trusses short, prostrate in fruit; berry small to medium, round, short conical, dark, firm, solid, sour. Not as vigorous a grower as most other kinds, and very subject to leaf-blight. While this berry has done such excellent service in advancing strawberry culture throughout the country, it is very evident that there has been decided progress in the production of better varieties, and that this must be left behind. While it is no doubt much benefitted by good breeding and treatment, it does not seem probable that it can be made to excel those varieties which stand so much ahead of it here, when they are given the same special care. It appears analogous to breeding up a dairy from natives in preference to thoroughbreds.

Bubach

Habit medium to high; foliage dark, tough and vigorous, apparently very healthy; trusses short, fruit close on the ground; berry large, short, usually flattened or irreguar ; color bright; hollow, sweet, very good ; season early to medium.

Miami

Habit medium ; foliage good ; trusses loose, held fairly well; berry large, round-conical, short, slight neck; color bright; fairly firm, hollow, core rather hard ; flavor fair to good ; season early to medium. A fair crop of good sized berries.

Lida

Habit medium ; foliage strong, comparatively healthy, less subject to blight than most of the other good varieties ; trusses good, well held ; berry medium to large, flattened or round conical; color good ; a little soft but solid, flavor excellent; season medium to late. Productive; promises well for home use or near market.

Warfield

Medium to high ; leaves thin, appears to blight fully as bad as Wilson ; trusses short, compact; berry medium to small, round-conical with distinct neck; color dark, attractive, firm and solid; flavor mild, a little sour ; season early to medium. Produced an enormous number of berries, most of the later ones running small, but held out in size rather better than Crescent. May prove a valuable berry in some sections.

Jewell

Low to medium, weak grower; leaves thin, fairly healthy ; trusses short, fruit close to the ground ; berry large, short-conical to flattened, bright color, fairly firm, solid, flavor good ; season medium, fairly productive. Holds out the size of its berries remarkably well.

Windsor Chief

Medium height; foliage fine, healthy, having a silvery bloom peculiar to itself ; trusses loose, fairly held ; berry medium size, good to the end ; short-conical or flattened; color dark, good, firm and solid, rather sour but good and sprightly ; season medium to late ; productive. One of the older berries which still compares very favorably with most of the later introductions.

Logan

Low to medium"; foliage thin, strong; trusses short; berry large, round to conical ; color bright, very attractive, moderately firm, solid. One of the best in point of flavor ; early to medium.

Hampden

Low to medium ; foliage dark, strong and rugged, more subject to blight than some others; trusses fairly long, compact, good; berry medium to large, short conical, color rather light; fairly firm, flavor very good ; late-; promises to be very productive and good. Holds out in fruiting very late, but most of the last berries are small and unattractive.

Belmont

Medium height; foliage thin, good; trusses long, slightly straggling ; berry large, holding out its size well, long, conical to flat, rather dark, fairly firm for so large a berry ; flavor first-class, sweet; late. A little inclined to light colored tips. Promises well for home use or near market. Gave a good crop of large berries. The cut, page 521, shows common forms of Belmont, full size.

Crescent

Low; foliage thin, good ; trusses short, compact; berry small to medium, short conic or flattened ; light crimson, firm, solid, rather sour, not equal to many in flavor; early market. A good companion to Warfield in size and productiveness.

Itasca

Low to medium; foliage fine, leathery ; trusses short, straggling; berry medium size, short, rounded, necked, color medium bright; fairly firm, hollow, flavor excellent; late. Fairly productive, and holds its size reasonably well.

Jessie

Medium height; foliage thin, vigorous and healthy ; trusses straggling ; berry medium to large and holds out well, round conical or tapering at both ends, dark, firm ; solid, flavor excellent; early. Picks rather hard ; fairly productive ; fruit Soon gone.

Louise

Low; foliage thin, with tendency to curl upward ; trusses long, compact; berry large, conical to irregular, light, fairly firm, solid, flavor sprightly good ; very late ; promising ; apparently productive.

Downing

Medium height, foliage thin, blight bud trusses apt to be weak and straggling; berry medium size, conical, regular, light, not very firm; solid. Its flavor has long served as a standard of excellence, but is fully equaled by Logan, Gold, Jewell, Itasca and others. Late ; lacking in vigor.

Gold

Medium height, foliage strong, good grower; trusses well held; berry medium size, roundish, short, light; texture firm, solid and meaty, flavor excellent; late. Too few plants for a reliable opinion, but gives good indications, especially for home use. In texture and flavor it is unsurpassed. Gave some good berries very late in the season.

Gandy

Low ; foliage firm, good ; trusses long, good ; berry large, long conical, slightly necked, moderately firm ; flavor excellent; late. Its tendency to white tips appears to be its worst fault. Gave a few good berries late in the season.

Cloud

High ; foliage ideal, firm, dark and vigorous ; trusses long, stout; berry medium, short, conical, flat tipped, light crimson, firm, rather sour; a typical Crescent in flavor and appearance ; very late. Few stools gave more than one fruit cluster, and many none at all. It is hard to hull, as the hulls are set deep and cannot be removed without jamming into the berry. The most beautiful foliage in the field, but seems to fail in productiveness here. Fred. W. Card.