The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1868-03-26
Kenosha Horticultural Society.

| A6nOS0d n0rLlCulLural DOC16LyI
Below will be found a part of Il
proceedings of the meeting of the Horticul
ural Society, held on Monday the 10th Marc
Inst which were unavoidably crowded OIL
of the Telegraph last week
The President announced the DR.. OLA
rell would speak on the varieties of straw
berries. DR.. O'Farrell accordingly submit
ed the following remarks
The Strawberry is native of nearly ever
country upon the globe, and has been spok
en- Of ny historians Of all ages But it doe
not appear to have been cultivated unit
within the past three or four hundred years
Its generic or family name (Fragraria, from
the latin, Fragro, TO smell sweetIy) is hap
PLY significant of the fruit; for we all cal
testify to this peculiarly, who have SO fire
quently partaken of its lucious JUICES. Bot
aDlsts recognize some twelve or fifteen dis
tinct species OF the genus. found scattere,
throughout the different countries of th
earth Among tile different species ar
upon the Alps (and hence the name Alpine
has white and red +. Vesca Wood Straw
berry, has white red and green F. Indie,
has yellow fruit-grown i'll Iudia Othe
species have the various shades of red as W,
See the fruit in our cultivated varieties. On
y three or four varieties were known or cul
tivated prior to 1748 From that time &c
the present, new varieties have from tim,
to time been added to the list Most of the
European varieties have sprung from tn,
Il. ChIiieDsis and y. Grandiflora, both @
which appear to be natives of South Amer
lea These varieties are generally large, OF
very large-sparingly productive and want
ing III havor-and do not, as a genera
rule, flourish well in this country. Our
principle acquisitions have been made from
seedlings OF our native species-the f. Vir.
giniana. Even our European neighbors have
found our native strawberry far superior,
and more susceptible of improvement than
any other known species. 1t was not until
some tlfty or sixty years ago, that any de-
clded improvement was made in the varie.
ties of this berry. About that time some
four or five English gardeners began exper-
Iments IN hybridizing, and succeeded in pro
ducIng several superior varieties Upon
the heels OF these experiments, Myatt
came up ~itl bis British Queen, Prince AL
bert, DC simultaneously with Myatt's
experiments, came in the French aud Bel.
gian gardeners for IA share Of the glory in
producing new varieties of this fruit This
country did not wake up to the subject un.
til about thirty years ago. About this time
Hovey produced his Seeding, which still
holds place among esteemed varieties -
Since then new varieties have appeared so
rapidly, that it has been with difficulty
that Horticulturists have been able to keep
posted in regard to them
In determining the relative value of the
different varieties of the straw berry, several
arc to be examined to-wt:
Flavor, Solidlty, Form, Color. Productive.
less, Hardness, and Style of Growth Am
steurs of to day are decidedly particular re-
5arding the qualities of the strawberry -
They have fixed their standard high And
II order for variety 10 become general
avofite, it must neithe, be too sweet nor
90 sour it must be highly favored aud
oerfuned it must be large, or very large,
md of striking and brilliant color it
must be solid to the center-reguIar in
shape; it must part freely from the calyx,
md above al, the plant must be SO hardy
10 to withstand not only all the vcissitudes
# our trying climate, but should Gioe in the
water, or out of tin the ground, or out of
t The leaves must be of shi ming and
beautiful green; not easily affected by the
rays of the sun; the first stalks
must be long aud stocky, in order to hold
he fruit well up out of the sand; and es
peciaily capable and willing to produce at
east from 300 to 500 berries TO the single
,lant. Truly we can but sympathize with
,ur pet fruit when so much is expected -
All the different varieties Of the strawberry
bear close resemblance to each other, still,
,he pecullarties belonging to each, is suffi.
;ient for the practical horticulturist, or well
posted amateur to distinguish each variety,
almost al glauce These characteristics
nave already been mentioned
la describing and commenting upon the
1l1ferent varieties which now claim our at
-ention, shall speak of those only that
possess some important and redteming trait
10 speak of all the varieties would consume
the time of several sittings of this society !;
for Fuller enumerates no less than 500 vari-
cites. Alphabetically we come first to the
AGR1oULTURIsT. This variety originated
with MIR. Seth Boydep, OF Newark, n. j.,
and when it succeeds well, is very taking
fruit 1t is large, and when fully ripe, is
of dark crimson color, quite solid, sweet
and well perfumed. Succeeds best OF light,
sandy soils. ln looking over a fine patch
of this variety last summer, in order to Sc
lect some good specimens for the show in
Chicago, | found the greatest variety of
shapes NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., triangular,
conical, hattened and wedge shaped, and
nearly all very large. 1t is not as hardy as
some other varieties, and in exposed situa-
tons requires protection. AS an amateur
or family fruit 1t may be ranked as No. l.
1t is rather too soft, and not quite reliable
enough in its crops for market berry.
AUSTIN Shaker This variety origina-
ted with the Shakers at WatervIiet, N. Y,
and has been cultivated many years. re-
gard this fruit with much favor. 1t is very
large and perfect in shape, only occasionally
sporting the triangular and wedge shape !;
light scarlet, AND WHEN FULLY RIPE, is
sprightly aud high favored. 1t is not very
solid, yet sufficiently so for home market,
and from its size aud color exceedingly
popular as dessert fruit A remarkably
hardy ana robust grower, with very large
fruit and leaf staIks-holding its berries
high from the ground will hold its fruit a
long time in good condition late variety,
and a good amateur berry. 1t requires
much moisture to bring it to its greatest
perfection prolific
BARTLETT Boston Pine. -This variety
does not seem to be regarded with much fa-
vor. Its fruit is apt to be rather pnder
size yet of good flavor and color, and quite
early; firm enough for market but little
ever seen there. Not as good as some 9TH
er varieties, and hence but little cultivated.
lone of Hovey Seedlings,
BUFFALO (McAvoy's Superior-Gegeral
McClellan).--This is one of the old varieties
brought out under new name, by Mr..
Bryant of Buffalo. 1t originated on the
grounds of Nicholas Longworth, of Cincin-
patti, by his gardener, MI McAvoy, and
received the 500 prize of the Cincinnati
Horticultural Society in 1S48. 1t is a
large fruit, and in favorable soils, of a