The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-06-16
Correspondence of the Richmond Dispatch.
Strawberry. Cnlture-EnOrmous Pro.
duct-Notes Of Several Celebrated
Varieties.


Varieties.
PETERSBURG, June II, 1868.
AS the strawberry season is now over, q
few remarks in connection with it may
prove not uninteresting.
Though number Of persons in this Vi
cinity do not appear to have succeeded very
we'll, yet the season as q whole has been
eminently favorable. 1t is doubtful whether
one as much so has occurred for many
years. There has been rain enough, with
out being asuperabundance, to prom ote the
growth Of the plant and the development of
the fruit; and sunshine enough to give it
flavor. If there has been any drawback,
it must have been in the management. No
fruit better repays for high culture than
the strawberry. The ground should be
deeply spaded and reduced to fine filth
before planting; it should also be made
very rich; and not sprig of grass should
be allowed to infest the vines during their
growth. If the grass is not suffered to
make Roadway, it is easily repressed; but
if once allowed to get possession of the
ground, the labor of eradicating it is in
creased ten-fold. To facilitate the cultiva
ton, the plants should either not be allowed
to spread over the ground, or the runners
should be confined to the row: which may
be the better plan to insure q full yield it is
not easy to determine. The largest berries
are doubtless grown on plants from which
all the runners have been suppressed /; the
greatest quantity on those which have been
permitted to increase to moderate extent.
: Perhaps, however, it may be better to
illustrate by reference to actual experience
coming under the immediate cognizance Of
the writer. Inthe spring of last year bed
in the garden-seyenty-sev by twenty
two feet-was set with 325 plants-mostly
Wilson's Albany Seeding. The growth was
very luxuriant. In the fall, some Of the
rows were thinned out for transplanting
while in some places the ground-was lite
rally carpcted with vines. During the win
ter q protection of chip manure was given
to them; and in the spring the setting of
the fruit was abundant beyond anything
I ever witnessed. The berries, when ripe,
were of large size, and greatly admired.
The actual product of this bed, which is the
twenty-ffth part of an acre, is within frac-
ton of 400 quarts, all full-sized and heap
ing measure-being more than quart to
each vine planted-and equal to 10000
quarts to the acre.
The following notes in respect to a few of
the choice varieties cultivated in the gar
dens of this city may be acceptable:
Wilson'S Seedling.-This is one Of the
old and well-known kinds. It is believed
to be without an equal in productiveness ).
the berries are of large size-but not the
largest-and of snowy appearance. The
fruit is solid, and bears transportation well.
The only fault that can be found with it is
its acidity; but being among the earliest to
ripen, its place cannot be supplied.
Green ProEfc.-This is also great
bearer, and follows the above in good sue
cession. The berries are bright scarlet,
well favored, and of handsome size, but
rather pulpy. Growth of the vine exceed
ingly rampant, and hard to be controlled.
Golden Queen.-Berries If pale color,
of very large size and fine Nusor. but rather
soft. It has the great merit of ripening
when the other varieties are on the declines
and is moderately productive. Berries
spherical, and pretty uniform. :
Jucunda. Taking all things into view,
this is doubtless the prince of strawberries.
It is very productive, of the largest size,
uniform, firm in flesh, and is long time in
bearing. 1t is of cockscomb shape.
RaLSSeH'S fT0tlfc.-Large size ana OF nne
quality. 1t is among the best bearers, and
in all the qualities Of good fruit it is not
much inferior to the LUCINDA.
ITionphe de Gand.-This is an old yarie-.
ty, but the berries are of large size and fine
flavor. and the vines are moderately pro-.
ductiye. Ripens early. 81
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES of the berries are
very large, but of unequal size. To bring
it to the highest perfection, the vines should
be placed in deep soil, made very rich.
Under such circumstances it would be hard
to beat. z-sfss -
viii not the Rev. Dr.. ,Rosser OF your cor
respondent g W.sJ."- favor your readers
with some notes on strawberry culture
We should like to have the results Of, Dr..
Rosser's experience this year, as he is per-
haps the most extensive oultiyator this side
of Norfolk. It is with the hope Of drawing
these gentlemen ont, more than anything
else, that have ventured to hold up my
farthing rush-light. s. 8:
~ MI H. :,,lo,o,f Az, fl,a fo,oirn G{o4a