, 1880-05-22
HORTICULTURE.
What Arc tho Hest strasvbcrrles7-
WlAnt Docs 1lr. Gnllisltn Suyi-An Il-
tereskinE Letter from Thne Gentle.

What Arc the Hest strasvbcrries7-
yvlAnt Docs 1lr. GnllSltn Suyi-An In-
terestinE Letter from Tint Gentlo-
From Our o,on cotrtsrondtnt.
No. Is EIGHTEENTH STREET, CHICAGO,
May CA correspondent Of tho Prairie
Farmer asks, "Whut are the best strnwber-
rlcs?" and, after "saylng his say" he
queries, 49,
"wlIAT DOES atrs GALUsIIA sAYp"
Now, Mr.. Gralusha Is. tho strawberry-man
Of Grundy County, and perhaps no nun III
the Stta speaks with mora authority upon
this subject, or has right SO to speak. Aside
from being very thorough aud practical
lortlculturlst ha. makes the growing Of
Strawberries special feature Ut his business,
and lie has nlore tl,an thirty varieties IN bear
Ing Oh his farm, and never falls to make n
big display OF fruit ut the neutrality-suspicious..
IT IS WORTH WHILE
to hear what this lan has to say, and his let
ter, III the Prairie bn11ncr Of tho Sth Inst,
III answer to the above Inquiries, will Interest
md profit tMnny readers Ut THE tribune,
and we give below the substance Of IT,:
After stating the iact that no one can tell
Whit aro the best Strawberries for nHoti,er
person to culttyntc, unless he knows tho
llaturo Of the soil, tho klnd OF treatment to
be given, and tho use 70 which tho grower
lntenus ~ put tHo oIEult,-W'setner !or n0Ine-
consumption OF for nnrk0t,-Mr. g. says:
"CIIARLEs DOWNING,
though not new sort,' Is comparatively
sO4 .ntiu, for general culture oil vnriUty Ut
sulss, both for llonle-e0nsuMptIon Altl market,
cDinpines more good points than any variety
%hish preceded It; i san be- grow!, longer
known to ms, except, possibly, Wilson,
seasons tns llope to demonstrate to you, Ar.
Editor. T yon wl!l , yistt ny at the fr!'ttREo
from 100 to GO miles; tB OF excellent quality,
always selling, whero known, for from. ono
to three cents per quart higher than Wilson;
alld tig ,yYlnes. which withstand (even bettor.
are vigorous and worry productive, producing
large berries to the lust Of tho season."
This judgment On tile Downing Is strongly
lndorsed by tug Alton horticultural Society,
nnu 1t Accorls with our own experience. But
hcre comes new yarlsty, with which woaIo
ss,t. not acquainted. Wo will hear what Mr.. G.
"MlNEn tsnNER's GREAT rRoLRto)
is ncw, variety, Which has been tested pretty
thoroughly IN XaF!ous soils and III widely.
superior to the older sorts in nearly or quito
every particular. Tie vines aru Of strong
growth; tic frlit-steins tall md strong, hold
qE " ps sgr n n ,bo oads 5t ot 15f Ist se1us
!
conlo through the trying winter Of '70-'S0 q
little better tllan any ono ot the thirty good
sorts 1n ny grounds; an INCLINED to place
at e head q a ts H1t St Is fer y. a y
very large, e,-large enough for u strawberry,-
often :n,easuring from four to slx inches
around. Plepso excuse lnefo mentioning MI
tnGllent tn connection with Its flavor,
VIZ 5 s as fSwn syn ysfy sss
mo During nlestraWlMrry season Of last year,
and, setting box Of pretty medlum-sizetl,
t!!ougu rAtller Antt. berries before lne, anl1:
edu ahe'9 u sdt stses yo4 sopoy Gf y eT 81 M I'll avo4 avY
cha!lenge tho world 10 produce berry ot as
good t!ayor.' ,Aftor testing ulld cou'uvnding
silo tiayor as delicate Msd " Xery tine, ! snt.l I
a .Sys 5 Tns Eaar etS y Sa s SsttSr ts tsse s
satl (e; i CAN'T beieye It, | tiFst brought
were. fully twice tlie; 5izu Ut hls. After lust
ing alternately Of hls pct and the Miner for
Wkat IL It's nnlne? Where did you get It
! didn't suppose nlara was &C. good d berry
in existence, | give i uR,'-and several
Wiser, though much humber, man than he
caNte." .te
- ''sA'0 y THE s,rtnrLEss,
q new berry which II, now SO prominently
befora tho people, and ls mot ashamed" Mr..
"The plant Is exceedingly robust and
lanly,Ico1.litg through The past trying
winter III fine condition with only slight pro-
tection.-ai,d IL sufficiently productive to
A1tasfy any reasonable n,ail. Tie fruit Is
very lArge,-Oftell six inches arounl, beautI-
fn! aud ATTRACTIVE III ths !narkst, anu IL Of a
brisk. agreeable flavor. tholtKl! not US rich rs
Mtnur, Centennial FayorLt, Seth Boytleil,
Black Defiance, and sollle others. 1t Ii
tQlerRbly tlrM, und will bear shipment $40
inlles with safety" -
VARIETIES.
Speaking OF varieties aliu their merits, Mr.
q. snys:
"Ihe following varieties, in the order