The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1891-12-23
The strawberry and the onrrant.

The straw berry and the 6drrant.
What discussion was had upon the strawberry
at the State Horticultural meeting. was intro
duced by question asked by Mr.. Cushman. of /
Euclid. as to what perfect strawberry should be
planted with the Haverland and Bubach to fer
tilize them. As is well known by strawberry |
growers, there has not yet been brought into gen.
eral cultivation any strawberry with a perfect |
flower which will grow as large crops of as fine I
berries many of the pistillate varieties, and
il becomes necessary to plant the two classes to- |
gether.
Mr.. Pierce suggested that the word pollenizer
be used in this connection, in place of fertilizer
When the latter word is used the idea first sug-
gested to the hearers mind is that manure is J
referred to. while the former word suggests the
proper idea.
Sec'y Farnsworth recommended the Pearl.
which he now uses. He has used the Michael's
Early. It is a good one if it be not allowed to
grow too thick. which it has tendency to do.
He also thinks the Enhance will be good one.
Mr.. Dinner said that neither of these had given
him satisfaction. We need for pollenizer a
plant that will not only produce an abundance
Of pollen at the right ins. but one that will
grow berry that can be picked into the same
basket with the main crop. and not detract from
the appearance. He believes that the Dayton.
which is just now being INTRODUCED, will be an
excellent one. It is large berry of fine appear
ance. and quite early.
Mr.. Trowbridge does not like the Pearl. He
said that the May King recommended by MEM
ber. was good pollenizer. but was poor CROP
per. We do not want to give one-fourth or one
third of our ground to a variety that will give a
poor crop. He has not yet been able to find
satisfactory kind. He believes that we will ul-
1 nd fnof
| Towering berry.
| Mr.. Ford said that there was one question that
was usually overlooked. No one staminate va
riety is enough. If the staminate variety be a
/ few days later in blossoming than the plants to
be pollenized the earliest blossoms of the latter.
which would produce the earliest and usually the
best berries. and which would command the
highest price, would not be pollenized. and hence
would be lost. If it be somewhat earlier than
the plants to bear the main crop. the later ones
would fail. Better plant two or more staminate
varieties of different periods of blossoming.
Again. he thinks that one row of a staminate
variety to five, four, or even three rows of the
pistilate variety. is not sufficient to give full
even crop. The two varieties should be mixed
in the row. He thinks the Pearl good one. The
old Miner is an excellent pollenizer. Although
small in size. it is fair cropper of excellent fla
d
Mr.. Pierce said that all the plants of the same
variety do not blossom at the same time, and be-
lieves that one good staminate variety whose
season of blossoming is very nearly the same al
the pistillate variety with which it is planted. il
sufficient.
The Secretary agreed in this opinion, and fur.
ther said that the earliest blossoms often remain
in condition to be pollenized for several days.
Mr.. Crowell said that no poor berry should bs
planted even as a pollenizer. He believes that
the Dayton is the one to use. And Mr.. A. j
Jennings, in his practical way. asked: " From
what has been said here this afternoon. what
straw berry should the beginner plant ?"
A member asked Prof. Green. of the Expert
ment Station. what effect the pollen of one vari
ETY. had upon the strawberry of another variety
pollenized by it. Prof. Green said that expert
ments had been carried on at the Station in thil
line for some time In the beginning they thought
that considerable difference in the flavor Of the
fruit had been produced but that later trials had
led them to believe that the result wss produced
more from the amount Of the pollen used. thar
from the variety from which it was obtained. H.
believed that no one knew anything about it. o.
could answer the question satisfactorily.
The member said he did not refer to the favol
of the berry. but to Seeding which might b,
grown from it. We want berry as firm as the
Wilson and as productive as the Crescent. Can
we cross berries with these characteristics with
the prospect of getting them in the Seeding?
Certainly. said Prof. Green. While the eros
may not affect the fruit-the pulp in which tn
} seed are imbedded-it surely will the seedlini
: grown from it.
, After this. the Currant was considered. Ref
t erence having been made to the Crandall, G.
} Whitney. of Warren, in response to request b.
! Mr.. Ford said that he had seen this currant il
fruit on Mr.. Ford's grounds. two or three year
/ ago. and although the soil in which they gre1
and the other surroundings were unfavorable
> yet the amount and beauty of the crop was sim
D ply wonderful. The bushes were loaded will
fine fruit. He did not know that he should eve
/ succeed in getting good crop. It was YER
/ sure he had not yet.
B. F. Albaugh, of Miami county. said that b
had A plants which he bought for Crandall. an
he believed them to be such. although he wa
5 not positive. They came from stock which wa
, said to have come from the originator. The
have never borne more than a few berries of tn
size of gooseberries. to each plant. The A plant
+. have never given him more than quart of frui
at one time. He was very much disappointed il
9 the quality. He would not choose the currant
f to eat if he could get any other kind of fruit.
4 | Mr.. Ford said that he had said in his circula
that the frost had never injured it when in bloom
S And he believed that he told the truth at tina
S time. But the late frost of the last two year
g had taken nearly all of them. So it has take
f all other fruit in this section. For this reaso
he had been very unfortunate in the time of it
Introduction. Thousands of plants have bee
sold for the Crandall which no relation to
whatever.
, Mr.. Hunt. of Euclid, described a new curran
soon to be introduced, named the ChautauQus
The original plant stands in Maysville, Y.
is six years old, and stands close to building
The stock, an inch and quarter in diameter
rises two feet high before it branches. Tn
branches are trained to building like crap
vine. and now cover space IA feet high and
feet across. Last season 26 quarts of eurrant
were picked from it. It is . red currsnt of goo
quality.
. The Fay Currant. of which so much has bee
said. was inquired for. The Secretary said
had never been able to get enough for taste.
N, Fl. Albaugh said. he was troubled in tn
same way. But he said that it was because th
demand for plants had been SO continuous an
: exacting that they had not been able to kee
plants until they got old enough to bear. The
L I are of good quality, and success,
Mr.. Hunt said friend got large crops of goo
quality. They should be grown on rich grount
President Campbell said he grew large crops
| fine berries but to his TASTE they were of nferit
quality.
Mr.. N. Fl. Albaugh wished to say good wor
for the Wilder. 1t is not so large as the Fay, bl
is more productive. If he were confined to on
eurrant. he would choose the Wilder.
The Secretary said that of half dozen varit
ties which he grew. the Victoria was the mo
profitable.
Mr.. Ford said, THE Wilder exceeds anythin
D. I know in the way of red currant."
ATWATER.