Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1892-01-21
For the Ellsworth Americana
Testing New Varieties Of Strawberries.

An enthusiastic, progressive fruit
grower, one that is constau looking
for something a little better than what
he already has. can derive much pleas
ure, if not always profit. in testing the
new varieties of strawberries aud COM
pairing their merits with the older ones.
1t would be quite an expense, and no
I small task. to include all the varieties
/ in one collection that are now before
the public, and | think would so per-
pick and bewilder the tester, that
there would be more pain than pleas
ure in such an undertaking and GER
| taiulv pro1t, over all, could hardly
| be expected. Now ] claim to be one
/ Of those enthusiasts. vet | realize |
must limit my enthusiasm and thus my
progress, to fit my means aud circum-
stances. have no money or ground
TO spare, or time TO waste on worth
less varieties and as my main object
Is for profit, as yet, feel that my sec
! ondary object also C, n be more readily
achieved by keeping within my bounds.
In order to do this experience has
taught Inc that | must exercise great
caution. that neither 90 too fast nor
too slow, but keep as near as possible
| to the mean.
As am near Y alone IN my testings
IN this locality, my neighbor fruit
| growers can aid me but very little in
making up nv collections: so am
obliged to rely mainly upon my own
| Judgment as affected by foreign influ-
| ences.
When | first began these testings.
| some SIX Years ago, with an excess Of
enthusiasm ant very little experience,
was open to the influence OF the
nur,erymau and was led by the beau
tiful photographic plates. and grand
descriptions in his catalogues, to pay
a very high price for a very few of his
great novelties. for the sake OF being
| among the first who should possess
so great a thing, have since learned
that cheaper and more satisfactory
way for me to do is 10 first let the
other great nurserymen, experiments al
stations and those publications that
run experimental grounds, test them
and 10 subscribe for those publications
which give me the most information
respecting these testngs. In this
way | am able 70 get at the true value
OF a variety quite approximately. But
even then, when all evidence j. strong
and conclusive, have learned that |
, must be ever ready to accept disap-
poiutments. My highest hopes have
often been dashed away. and. on the
other hand. there have been cases
where they have been fully realized
and even far beyond my most san
guine expectations. Yet on the whole
| feel well satisfied with the results OF
my labors. a | am certain ! have
found at last three very valuable va
rieties-W arlied. Bubach and Havcr
land-which are ahead, by far. in near.
y all the essential points that 90 10
make up a good berry. of any of the
Older ones. As an early and medium
late berry, II seems to me as IL It must
be a long time indeed uulc-s they de-
generate before they will be dispac ca
by newer and better varieties And
yet there is room tor Improvement, II
that Improvement is possible; tor j,
must be remembered that these tnree
are Plstlllates-depeudiug upon pericc,
Towering varieties tor pollen. And
why impossible: Is it not question,
whether Nature will allow the adding
of this quality TO berry as good in
every other respect as each of the
above:
! If this could be done. even then
there would still be desire for an i'm
provement. and continue 10 he. till a
berry was found combining in the
highest degree all the desirable quail
! titles ever found in the strawberry. |
have no hopes Of ever seeing such a
desire satisfied That which am
now most diligently searching for. i
profitable very late market berry
Hardness. productiveness. good SIZE
and color are the most essential re
quirement~ have several varieties
uhurr test growing one season. anon
which are Daisy. Eureka, Burt and
Miami. MAY | hope TO find among
this Very careful selection something
better than the Chas Downing Man
chester or >harpless: | see that the
Parker Earl has run the gauntlet OF
public opinion exceedingly well the
past season aud has taken a position
well III the front ranks among the most
popular late varieties. If it were not
for the fact that it originated as far
south as Texas. | should have more
iaith in it. As it is. however. shall
find place for it next season on my
grounds. IL putting all evidence TO-
gether | find that there may be small
hopes of the Cloud doing something as
a late berry here. +. W. W.