Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1905-06-23
OUR STRAWBERRIES.
The Subject of Discussion by the Horticultural
Society.

bly, from the fact that his name seemed
to fit the OCCASION, the leading speak
err on Strawberries, the Queen of
Fruits" He said:
MIR. PRESIDENT, LADIES AND GENTLE
MEN:
1t seems most fit that Berry is Sc
lected to talk about berries, and yet
it may turn out that Berry knows less
about berries than almost any one.
But l hope not Our Secretary in
making up the programme has evil
IDENTIFY concluded that because we Of
fered to write on any horticultural
subject that he might name, that
therefore we might know but little
about any thing much only in gen.
eral way
Therefore he gave me Straw berries,
the Queen of Fruits" Well | hasten
to assure you that he has made no
mistake, neither in the conclusion
nor in CHASING the strawberry as the
queen OF fruits. Really, is there bet
ter fruit grown? One more delicious?
One that will make more boys and
girls happy, and old people also?
Where is a more delightful flavor than
that possessed by this wonderful fruit
during its short season?
And beauty! Is there fruit so
beautiful? A picture OF a basket or
bunch Of ripe strawberries always de-
lights the eye and puts the mouth to
watering. Artists have We'd with each
other in trying properly to picture
them as they are, but have never
equalled them, not even the painter
who painted the baby so natural that
it seemed to cry, nor yet the one who
is said to have painted the pig so life
like that it gave q squeal.
Can you pick up health paper or
book that does not inform us that no
other fruit is so cooling and refreshing
and healthful, and did you ever know
of boy or girl, or any one for that mat.
ter, who made themselves sick by eat
ing the strawberry? Sure l never did,
and have eaten most heartily of them
all of my life, and have always grown
them since l was small boy.
And when we eat strawberries, we,
OF this favored country, do not mean
small, little, puny. aristocratic dish,
but to have all you want and satisfy
ones appetite, and you know that is
saying great deal sometimes; because
a small man came to my house one
time and said that he had never had
all the strawberries he could eat at
one time yet. Well, l told him that
never wanted him to say that again
and tell the truth; so | invited him to
come into my patch and fill up, and
he did. They were fine berries and in
their prime, and the rows were about
seven rods long. Now, do not desire
to be famous as strawberry liar or
any other kind OF liar, but, on honor,
he cleaned up whole row and then
stayed to dinner.
Now l am not slated to tell about
growing this product, but l must say
that one of the things that makes it
Queen OF Fruits is the fact that it will
grow in more conditions of life than
any other plant. It will thrive on
mountain top, or in the valley, or on
the hillside. 1t will grow where wet
or dry land may be poor or rich, sand
or clay, or alluvial bottom or gravel.
You can grow them in hills or rows, or
in matted beds. You can give them
intense cultivation, or you can grow
them in grass and weeds. You can
let the good Lord send the rain or you
can irrigate them. They are so easily
transplsnted that any one with skill
can plant them out at almost any time
OF year. and they will produce won.
derfully oven neglected. although few
fruits respond more quickly to proper
methods and good care. And they
never fail, at least l have not failed in
a pretty good crop in the 20 years that
/ have been on the coast, and one oil
the best things about them we do not
have to wait life time to have fruit.
After one years planting and cultiva.
ton you will have the best crop that
can be grown. You know thousands
of people are deferred from planting
fruit trees. because they have to wal,
40 many long years for them to bear
This week we bought us new home,
and promise you that shall raise
my own strawberries in plenty for next
summer. Then they are cheap so that
all may have abundance, if they are
not too tired or indolsnt to plant
them. Let me say that there is not a
garden or yard in Olympia that could
not have abundance of them, without
money or price, by only little indus.
try and care. No fruit grown will pay
60 we'll in health and JOY and happi.
ness as little attention to the straw.
berry, and, again, where is the fruit
that can be eaten by the toothless old
person or the babe, no pits or stones to
bother or choke us, no hard seeds like
some Of the blackberries, or other
kinds. No Feelings or cores, skins or
refuse of any kind, but all solid and
most delectable of food.
Then l came very near forgetting
the best thing OF -all about them.
They are equally good, out Of hand, as
they como from the vices, or taken in
and smothered in sugar and cream, or
made into preserves, or jelly, or jam, or
shoFtcake, or . hundred other things.
Now / presume that I have said
enough about the Queen of Fruits.
But cannot afford TO close without
saying q few words about its history.
can we'll remember when there was
only two or three varieties in exist.
ence, the old McAvoy Superior, the
Hovey Seeding and another kind or
two that l do not recall, that we would
disdain to grow now. we'll remem-
Der, also, the wonderful new kinds that
have passed on. 1 mean the wonder
full tree strawberry and the prolific
everbearing berry, that would not run
and make plants. but stay in hills and
bear forever after once planted without
further trouble. Then l also remem.
Der the first ever tried to grow, when
Q small boy. was instructed to spade
the ground up by trenching three feet
deep, which really did, supposing that
it was really necessary and that there