The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1877-09-07
Dnme, farm e garden.
STRAWBERRIES IN OHIO-QUALITY
BEFORE SIZE-NEW VARIETIES.

We had fine crop of Strawberries in
Ohio this season, and as ] was visiting
various parts of the State during the
berry season, had good opportunities
for inspecting the different varieties
deserving of mention. But first of all
| desire to enter gentle protest against
the popular idea that extraordinary
size is the desideratum, or standard of
value in a new strawberry. / am
aware that most people seem TO think
that the BIGGEST apple or strawberry is
of course the best; but l have never
known a connoisseur of Strawberries
who did not prefer for his own use, or
or that Of his family, dish of moder.
ate sized berries. such as can be con-
veniently eaten from a spoon, rather
than such as need to be first cut in
pieces and are always inferior in quail
ity TO the smaller kinds. We have got
enough Ohio Mammoths and Great
Americans, with noted Monarchs, Col
onels, Captains, ETC., all of po.tly di-
mensions; and now say let attention
be given to improvement in quality
high fiavors and fine color and texture,
with fair size and as much vigor. and
productiveness as can be secured.
With this end in view, desire to men
ton several Ohio Seeding varieties, not
as yet generally disseminated, not very
new, and that have received the COM
mendation of some of our best judges
of fruit.
Forest Rose is the name given TO
supposed chance Seeding discovered
by Mr.. J. 4. Fetters, of Lancaster, o., p,
while hoeiDg in his vineyard, six years
ago. Several quarts of the fruit were
sent to he, and l saw more of it on sale
when at Columbus the past month.
1t resembles the Jucunda In color and
texture, but is more uniform in size
and form, not quite so large as that va
riety, but large enough for either mar
ket or home use DR.. Warder the well
known President of our State Horticul-
turel Society, visited Mr. Fetter's
grounds at the season of this fruit, and
sent me a report of the same for the
use of the society. from which Iextract
as follows:
From what we saw and learned Of
this strawberry, we note its properties
thus: Plant sufficiently vigorous and
quite productive; foliage good. healthy,
of the scarlet class rather than the pine;
truss large, upright, rather high, eight
to ten fiowered; flowers medium, per-
feet; fruit large to very large, often ex
ceeding two inches, heavy form regu-
lar, obtuse-conic, except when cocks
combed; ripens evenly throughout:
surface pitted, seeds somewhat sunken;
color bright red, darker when exposed;
flesh reddish, solid to the center, which
is nearly white, juicy. sufficiently acid,
and when ripe quite rich and we'll fla
vored. We think this must become q
favorite market berry, if it succeeds on
other soils as well as on its native con-
glomerate hills. Its firInnes makes it
very promising for transportation"
My own opinion Of the fruit accords
with the foregoing; it is rather too
large 10 be of the finest quality for
home use. Both of the following, |
think, are of finer flavor, and not want
ing in size or productiveness. How
they will succeed in different localities
remain to be discovered.
Glendale is another chance Seeding;
it was discovered five years age, on the
grounds of the Glendale cemetery at
Akron. The plant was transferred to
a garden, but the variety was not much
propagated or noticed till within the
past two years, although all who be-
came acquainted with it approved it
highly, and it is now in quite a num-
Der of gardens in that vicinity. saw
and tasted it this season at the farm of
w. b. Suorer, who grows it for market
and prefers it above all other varieties
for that purpose, as well as for home
use; for while it is of good size, color
and texture, it is thought to be of finer
flavor than any other, combining all
these qualities. Most persons in that
region think it hybrid, or cross be
tween the native and cultivated varie-
ties, as it seems to have much of the
sprightliness of flavor that is peculiar
to the wild fruit. That which Itasted
was at the last end of the season, and
may not have been fair average, but
it was very good. / could not well
Judge OF its size. The plants are of
strong growth, and could see had pro-
duced an abundant crop. Ny hopes
are quite strong that it will prove of
high excellence, especially for home
use.
Sterling.-This strawberry has been
,,,ant;onad ar descrihod in tho ,Io7,a,fr,,