At the request of J. S. Downer, proprietor of Forest Nursery, near Elkton, Ky., we, the undersigned, met at his house on the 29th day of May, 1858, to examine a seedling strawberry raised by him, and now bearing its third crop of fruit, and after a careful examination of the plants and fruit, and a ' comparison with a number of the most popular varieties of this fruit under the same state of cultivation, such for instance as McAvoy's Superior, Hovey's Seedling, Hooker's Seedling, Burr's New Pine, Myatt's Deptford Pine, Longworth's Prolific, etc., we submit the following report and description:

Vines remarkably large and vigorous, of a pale green color, resembling Peabody's New Hautbois; fruit-stalks long and erect, fruit of the largest size, roundish oval, of a bright scarlet color. Flesh moderately firm, rich, juicy, highly flavored and excellent. Ripens early, and continues in bearing for a long time. Flowers hermaphrodite.

We regard the introduction of this strawberry, which we propose to call Downer's Prolific Seedling, as a triumph. Its productiveness surpasses any thing that we had ever conceived of in this fruit We counted upwards of fifty very large, ripe berries upon a single plant, with a great number of unripe ones, in the various stages of development, from the bloom to the perfect berry, and this, perhaps, was not more than an average of the entire bed.

Some of us have had considerable experience in strawberry culture, and we are unanimously of the opinion that, taking all the qualities of this straw berry into consideration, it is, for this latitude, worth more than every other variety of this fruit with which we are acquainted.

* See Frontispiece.

L. B. Hickman, M.D. H, W, Darnall, M.D. E. S. Stewart, M.D,

A. Webber, M.D.

B. E. Randolph. S. C, Mercer.

Elkton, Todd Co., Ky,

State of Kentucky, Todd County, s C.

I, Ben. T. Perkins, Clerk of the Todd County Court, for the County and State aforesaid, do hereby certify: That 1 have this day examined the original certificate, of which this is a true copy; and I do further certify, that I am well acquainted with the aforesaid Committee, and 1 unhesitatingly say they are among the best citizens of our section of country - they are gentlemen noted for their scientific and legal attainments.

(Seal).

In testimony whereof I have hereto set my name, and affixed the seal of said County Court, this the 23d day of June, 1858-

Ben. T, Perkins,

Clerk Todd Co. Court.