" The Hon. Norman J. Colman's choice for
Missouri and the West: "Crescent, Captain Jack, Cumberland,
Champion, Hart's Minnesota, Cornelia."
If I gave a hundred other lists, no two of them probably would
agree in all respects. Mr. Downing often said to me, "Soil,
climate, and locality make greater differences with the strawberry
than with any other fruit." This is far more true of some
varieties than others. I believe that the excellent kind named
after Mr. Downing, if given proper treatment, will do well almost
anywhere on the continent. It will be noted that it is on all the
lists except one. I should place it at the head of garden
strawberries. It is a kind that will endure much neglect, and it
responds splendidly to generous, sensible treatment. Its delicious
flavor is its chief recommendation, as it should be that of every
berry for the home garden.
I have tested many hundreds of kinds, and have grown scores and
scores that were so praised when first sent out that the novice
might be tempted to dig up and throw away everything except the
wonderful novelty pressed upon his attention. There is one quiet,
effective way of meeting all this heralding and laudation, and
that is to make trial beds. For instance, I have put out as many
as seventy kinds at nearly the same time, and grown them under
precisely the same conditions.
Pages:
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159