The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1890-05-14


and russell (but not rusty) tinge and it has re-
sisted tn drouth tolerably well.
ATLANTIC Perfect; very hard berry: cuts
almost like % turnp; would apparently ship
across the United States in any direction. There
only few plants and the test is not salts
factory. few that were strong when received
and started well. looked about strong the
Noonans; but a considerable number died.
BELMoNr-Perfect; was very quick to start
up after the drouth had relaxed somewhat with
very bright, clan, thrifty foliage; a very luxuri-
ant grower. Only few plants were received
from Mr.. w. A. Elvins, President of the H am
monitor IN. j. Fruit Union. variety lately in
PRODUCED in New Jersey, and very popular there
The berry is very snowy when ripe. account of
it's large double calyx. How it will ship cannot
say yet.
PEARL.-Started we'll. but nearly all dead
EUREKA.-Recefved from Ohio late in the win
ter. Growing very thriftily, all Northern
riet.es do at first.
Referring to the Warfeld again. wish to call
attention to the necessity OF heavily fertilizing
the pistillate, imperfect plants. In Mr.. 3.
AIden's lot, near by, few Warfeld plants were,
by mistake, set out scattered in a large bed with
Noonans all around them These were much
more heavily fruited than those on the bed first
examined, where there perfect plants on
the same bed with them.
wish it distictly understood that no final de-
csion is announced to the flavor of any of the
varieties above mentioned. This year has been
so extraordinary for dry weather and frost hat
the fruit is not natural Berries which looked
nice as any, and which were packed and shipped
with the utmost care have, in several instances
arrived in New York mass Of rottenness. In
year from this time l hope to be able to pro-
nounce q verdict under better conditions; and yet
the quality is a secondary consideration for early
Northern shipments. The outward appearance
and a good shipping quality of paramount
Importance.
Now, as to the two old varieties, the NoOnan
and the Hoffman, heretofore reported This sea-
son has presented series of conditions probably
before experienced by the growers of the
State. The best growers have learned to depend
largely ground bone for it's lasting quail
ties; but this year the drouth set in in the fall
before the bone was applied, and continued so
long that it could not become rotted and feed
the plants. In ordinary seasons four-ffths of the
crop is shipped in the last week of March and in
April, and a fertilizer is very desirable which will
hold the plants up to the work for this late ship
ping. This year, how ever, berries began to go
forward soon after January st, and the men who
had used chiefly the quick acting commercial
brands were in the lead and staid there. A good
many had paid all their expenses as early as
February 18TH and even before, while in most
years the shipments do not cover the expenses
before April 1st But the growers who used bone
are not discouraged, for such a season may not
happen again in a decade.
The rust is an enemy which the Intelligent
grower has learned not to dread seriously any
more. 1t is found that where plants are set in
August, thus having time to make large body,
and the ground is well filed with good lasting
fertilizer which will hold them up through the
winter even if the rust sezes upon them they will
grow out in the first impulse of spring and will
fruit abundanty But where plants receive all
their supply of fertilizer close around them in
holds or drills especially if it is not OF durable
kind, ana are forced into rapid soft growth in
the fall, they are likely to be stricken with the
rust soon after the mulching is applied, and hav-
through the ground to fall back upon, they will
go to pieces and make miserable failure. They
may be galvanized into activity again with
nitrate of soda but it will be sorry day for the
grower when he applies this powerful stmulant
so late in the season, for the berries will ripen
soft that they cannot be shipped.
Last fall new disease-if it can be called a
disease-showel itself in several of the Lawtey
plantations and caused some alarm. Elephants
went back as the growers expressed it; they
Suddenly and mysteriOusly began to throw uD