Lennig's White (White Pine-apple).—This is not strictly a white berry, for it has a delicate flush if exposed to the sun. The flesh is pure white, juicy, melting, sweet and delicious in flavor, and so aromatic that one berry will perfume a large apartment. The plant is vigorous and hardy, but a shy bearer. Hill culture and clipped runners are essential to fruit, but, for a connoisseur's table, a quart is worth a bushel of some varieties. It is the best white variety, and evidently a seedling of the F. Chilensis. It originated in the garden of Mr. Lennig, of Germantown, Pa. Staminate.
Laurel Leaf.—New. Plant moderately vigorous; foliage dark green; leaf-stalk quite smooth; truss 3 to 5 inches, low, stocky; berry very light scarlet; round to conical, short neck; flesh soft, light pink; size moderate; flavor good; calyx close. Originated with Mr. A. N. Jones, Le Roy, N. Y. Staminate.
Longworth's Prolific.—An old variety, that is passing out of cultivation; still grown quite extensively in California. It is a large, roundish-oval berry of good flavor. The plant is said to be vigorous and productive. Originated on the grounds of the late Mr. N. Longworth of Cincinnati.
Longfellow.—New. Described as very large, elongated, conical, occasionally irregular; color dark red, glossy and beautiful; flesh firm, sweet, and rich; plant vigorous with dark green, healthy foliage, not liable to burn in the sun; very productive, continuing long in bearing, and of large size to the last. Originated with Mr. A. D. Webb, Bowling Green, Ky.
Marvin.-This new berry is already exciting much attention, and I am glad that I can give a description from so careful and eminent a horticulturist as Mr. T. T. Lyon, President Michigan State Pomological Society: "From notes taken at the ripening of the fruit: 'Plant vigorous, very stocky, of rather low growth, bearing a fine crop for young plants; foliage nearly round, thick in substance, flat or cupped; serratures broad and shallow; fruit large to very large, longish conical; large specimens often coxcombed; bright crimson; began to color June 16, and the first ripe berries were gathered on the 20th; stems of medium height—strong; flesh light crimson; whitish at the centre, firm and juicy; flavor high, rich, fine, with a very pleasant aroma; seeds prominent; greenish brown. We regard this as a highly promising, very large, late variety, and especially so for market purposes. Staminate.'"
Originated with Mr. Harry Marvin, Ovid, Mich., and said to be from the
Wilson and Jucunda—an excellent parentage.
Miner's Great Prolific.—Plant vigorous; leaves light green, smooth; leaf-stalk downy; truss six inches, well branched, slender, drooping; berry deep crimson, round and bulky, regular shouldered; tip green when half-ripe; flesh pink, moderately firm; flavor good; calyx spreading; size four to five inches; season medium to late. The berry holds out well in size, and resembles the Charles Downing somewhat, but averages larger. It has seemed to me as promising a new variety as the Sharpless. I believe it has a long future. Originated with late T. B. Miner in 1877. Staminate.
Monarch of the West.—Plant very vigorous; leaves light, when young, and later of a golden green, somewhat smooth; truss six inches; four to eight berries; berry often of a carpet-bag shape, square shouldered, and sometimes coxcombed, large, magnificent; pale scarlet; flesh light pink, tender; flavor very fine; calyx spreading and recurving; tip of berry green when not fully ripe, but it colors evenly if given time. When flavor is the gauge of excellence in the market, this famous berry will be in the front rank. Its color and softness are against it, but its superb size, deliciousness and aroma should make it eagerly sought after by all who want a genuine strawberry. In the open market, it already often brings double the price of Wilsons. In the home garden, it has few equals. With some exceptions, it does well from Maine to California. The narrow row culture greatly increases its size and productiveness. I have had many crates picked in which there were few berries that did not average five inches in circumference. Mr. Jesse Brady, of Plano, Illinois, gives me the following history: "The Monarch was raised by me in 1867, from one of a number of seedlings, grown previously, and crossed with Boyden's Green Prolific. The said seedling was never introduced to the public. I raised fourteen, and cultivated three of them several years. They were produced from an English berry, name unknown to me."
Martha.—A fine, large berry, but, as I have seen it, the foliage burns so badly that I think it will pass out of cultivation unless it improves in this respect. Staminate.
Neunan's Prolific (Charleston Berry).—Foliage tall, slender, dark green; fruit-stalk tall; berries light scarlet, inclined to have a neck at the North, not so much so at the South. First berries large, obtusely conical; the latter and smaller berries becoming round; calyx very large and drooping over the berry; exceedingly firm—hard, indeed—and sour when first red; but growing richer and better in flavor in full maturity; usually a vigorous grower. It was originated by a Mr. Neunan, of Charleston, S. C., and scarcely any other variety is grown in that great strawberry centre.