Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1881-04-05
For the SPECTATOR.
Famous Large Strawberries.
Subjects OF interest - CITY .nd C>u>.
try Readers.
BY R. H. HA1NEs.

, size OF some Of the mammoth new varfe
ties awakens many an exclamation o
delight. as they are brought blushing II
their delicious ripeness upon the table
while many a question goes round th
circle as to the name of some immens
berry, or as to where 1t was found. w,
a. the North can almost picture the Joy
fuI scenes that are now or soon will 5,
recurring In many places in the South
and the pleasant little rivalries as to whs
shall have the first ripe berries. Now
that there are so many veyy early varie'
ties OF merit, the race Is won or the prize
attained by those who have been prudent
enough to select the earliest ripenine
kinds, and who have learned that to OBJ
tain the earliest berries 1t depends more
on the variety than on the treatment ol
the plants. Thus. thosa who have the
early" Crescents, Duchessen or 'sCrys.
tai Cities." are enabled to have ripe
Strawberries on their tables some days
ahead Of their less wide-awAke neigh
bors. These three kinds that / have
named are among the earliest Of the
earlies." so / will leave them to their
honors. and call attention more partic-
ularly to some Vt the new aspirants to
public notice.
~NNHeHsOts A1esoSs OA ultS8t 6ebllU G0l0
new variety grows very differently from
any Others, SO that even the least expe-
rieDced in strawberry culture would
very quickly notice that It IL distinct
variety, and of unusual habits of growth
for straw berry. The plants almost In
variably grow in q bush form, not with
branches or unusually formed leaves or
stems, but in round mounds or hills of
foliage, 80 that half bushel measure If
Inverted would sometimes easilYbe filled
with the foliage of one plant. They
make scarcely any runners, sometimes
not over one or two in . season-a fact
that will be appreciated by many per-
sons. The fruit is of good size, aud de-
sirable for either market or table use.
Mount Vern0n.-This Is an unusually
promising new variety, and is exciting
great interest among fruit growers. It's
wonderful productiveness can hardly
help making it a favorite on soils where
1t will succeed, as 1t has produced ct the
rate of over 10000 quarts to the acre.
mostly good sized or large berries, that
have averaged 18 cents q quart in the
wholesale markets. The fruit is of good
quality, of fine red color, and moder-
ately firm, making 1t q fine berry for
home use, or fer not too distant mar
kets. 1t continues to ripen until quite
late In the strawberry season, in this
way helping to- prolong the time for
having strawberries for quite number
of days.
LonateAov is also very distinct vari-
ETY. from any other. It originated in
Kentucky, where it has given unusual
satisfaction, producing fine large ber-
ries of an elongated form, thus receiving
the name OF Longfellow. Last season
they produced fine supply of fruit on
my grounds in July and August, which |
is an unusual thingsfor q strawberry to
do. The fruit ripeDs late. is of pleas,
ant, sprightly quail y, and I think will
prove well adapted for shipping long
distances.
Garden is a new variety that carried
off the highest prize at the Long Island
Strawberry Exhibition, as being "the
best new Seeding" The fruit is Of
roundish form, large, and may prove q
friendly rival to the Monarch of the
West"
Huddleston's Fdvdrite, Warren, and
Murvie, are three new varieties of large
size, that are possessed of considerable
merit, but l would recommend planting
them at first in small lots of only q
dozen or two plants for trial, as they are
rather cog or fastidious as to where they
are placed. The Huddleston is quite
late variety, while the Marvin, togeth.
er with the Glendale, are among the very
latest sorts known. Other very large
varieties are the President Lincoln and
ShdrpIess Some of these kinds have
produced berries measuring all the way
from 8 inches up to II and IL inches in |
circumference. The above varieties
should prove ample for making nice
selection, and the mere testing Of them
will afford much enjoyment to those |
who seek for recreation in their gardens.
Strawberry plants sometimes appear |
to have almost an iron-clad nature, a. I
have sent them two or three thousands
of miles through the mails, and though
jostled and tossed about, they have yet
grown finely. To look at the plants one
would hardly suppose that they could
stand such rough treatment. Early in
April is good time to plant them out,
especially if the plants are obtained
from the North where their growth Is
more backw ward, as they do not even
blossom in this vicinity until about the
first of May. Place the plants about q
foot apart, and the rows two or three
feet apart; keep the ground free from
weeds, and fine crops of delicious ber-
ries should make their appearance in
due time.
Moorestoson, N. j.