EDITOR Horticulturist: In the last two years I have collected and planted at "Woodburn Farm" (near Columbus, Ohio), some fifty of the newer varieties of strawberries, chiefly for the purpose of testing their value as to growth, hardiness and prolificacy in the soil and climate of that region. Some of them are well known in many sections, others are new American seedlings, and a few are recent importations from abroad by the Agricultural Department, whence I obtained them. They were all planted two feet apart, in rows four feet asunder, so as to permit of horse cultivation, and they have been kept reasonably clean and runners cut by running a small plow occasionally between the rows. The soil is clay-loam, surface-drained. Last December the rows were all covered with straw, as a winter protection, but I have not been able to perceive any special benefit from this much vaunted but somewhat troublesome operation. Some of the varieties were found to be entirely frozen out, while others were but slightly injured. Again, in the case of some varieties where the straw had been blown off in places, the exposed plants seemed to be in about as good condition as those which remained covered.

On the whole, I am inclined to doubt the correctness of the popular theory of strawberry "mulching," or covering, and have found it, in the growing season, especially, a decided nuisance, for weeds and grass will grow up through it inevitably, and cannot be destroyed until the straw is entirely removed from both rows and spaces.

Very respectfully, F. A. Simpkins.

List Of Varieties

Agriculturist

Agriculturist, moderately thrifty, no runners.

Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln, totally destroyed.

Ballard's Seedling

Ballard's Seedling, robust growth, shy bearer.

Boyden's 30

Boyden's 30, splendid grower, fair bearer.

British Queen

British Queen, fine foliage, has not borne.

Burr's Pine

Burr's Pine, fair grower, superior flavor.

Belle Bordelais

Belle Bordelais, thrifty, except where trampled.

Caliope

Caliope, good growth, poor bearer.

Champion

Champion, died out, complete failure.

Chas. Downing

Chas. Downing, moderate, healthy grower.

Colfax

Colfax, immense foliage, small fruit.

Coppick

Coppick, hardy, new, promises well.

Department Seedlings

Department Seedlings, 1 to 9, No. 3 best grower.

Durand's Seedling

Durand's Seedling, splendid grower, very hardy.

Globe

Globe, much injured by cold.

Glocde's Fine

Glocde's Fine, good growth, poor bearer.

Golden Seeded

Golden Seeded, moderately thrifty.

Green Prolific

Green Prolific, first-rate growth, not prolific.

Gen. Sherman

Gen. Sherman, inferior, not desirable.

Halleck's Prolific

Halleck's Prolific, thrifty, poor and small.

Haquin

Haquin, new, badly winter-killed.

Higley's Everbearing

Higley's Everbearing, thrifty, ripens regularly.

Hovey's Seedling

Hovey's Seedling, fair grower, fine flavor.

Jucunda

Jucunda, vigorous, fruit not large.

Lady Of The Lake

Lady Of The Lake, strong grower, moderate bearer.

Laurella

Laurella, strong grower, barren thus far.

Leeds' Prolific

Leeds' Prolific, moderately vigorous, fruit small.

Lennig's White

Lennig's White, strong growth, superior flavor.

Matilda

Matilda, new, promises well as to growth.

Naomi

Naomi, vivid green, very vigorous.

Napoleon III

Napoleon III, winter-killed, utterly destroyed.

Negro

Negro, strong grower, much like Wilson.

Nicanor

Nicanor, partially winter-killed.

Paxton

Paxton, hardy, fine handsome growth.

Peake'X Emperor

Peake'X Emperor, magnificently green.

Philadelphia

Philadelphia, moderate grower, sure bearer.

Prince Of Wales

Prince Of Wales, badly injured by cold.

Reed's Pine

Reed's Pine, good, hardy grower, very late.

Romeyn's Seedling

Romeyn's Seedling, fair grower, leaves brown-specked.

Triomphe De Gand

Triomphe De Gand, moderately vigorous, healthy.

Trollop's Victoria

Trollop's Victoria, fair growth, brownish foliage.

Washington (Iowa)

Washington (Iowa), persistent grower and runner.

Wilder

Wilder, new, vigorous and healthy growth.

Wilson

Wilson, of course, great grower and bearer.

Triomphe D L'Exposition

Rich deep red, shaded with crimson; flowers in large clusters.

Triomphe D'Enghein

An elegant variety for beds and masses, shaded crimson, of very dwarf habit.

[We agree with Mr. Barker, that the improved varieties of the Gladiolus are among the most beautiful objects which adorn the flower-garden. The new ones introduced last spring are strikingly beautiful, and we trust will have a wide dissemination. - Ed].

Triomphe De Gand

Very large, about equal to Trollope's Victoria, which it resembles in color, general appearance, flavor, and productiveness, but not in form, being generally compressed at the sides, or of a cock's-comb form.

The Triomphe De Jodoigne Pear

I)r. Swazey, of Louisiana, says that as a market fruit, it lacks color, as a desert fruit quality, but accords to it great value for hardiness, productiveness, and large size. In a specimen orchard of a hundred varieties of pears on quince, set out in 1854, there were but two trees that outgrew the Triomphe de Jodoigne, and not a dozen that excelled it in productiveness - most of them were handsomer and nearly all of them better. This was in our garden. Out in the big orchard, where we had over five hundred varieties of the pear in bearing, the Triomphe de Jodoigne did not equal, either in beauty or quality, one-fifth of them. Few excelled it in soundness, productiveness, vigor or luxuriance of growth. Our experience has been on a strong clay loam; a light sandy soil may produce a different result.