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country; at the Genesee Valley Horticultural Society, the best quart of strawberries the first premium for Hovey's Seedling. At the Long Island Horticultural Society, Messrs. Winter received the prize for three quarts, which were "unexceptionably fine"; these were in competition with upwards of THIRTY other varieties, including BUIST'S PRIZE, NORTH'S VICTORY, TAYLOR'S SEEDLING, BLACK PRINCE, and others, which have been advertised as equal or superior to the seedling; and this, too, in Flushing, where our friends pride themselves upon their great collections, and the successful cultivation of this fruit. At the Utica Horticultural Society, "Mr. Wm. Walcott's Hovey's Seedlings were acknowledged, by common consent, to be the largest strawberries ever seen in this country, some of them measuring four and three quarters inches in circumference." At the Montreal Horticultural Society," the competitors for the prize were numerous: a large basket of Hovey's Seedling, from J. Archbald, gardener to Jas. Savage, Esq., excited unusual admiration, and very deservedly received the first prize." At the American Agricultural Association, New York, D. W. Coit, Esq., of Norwich, Conn., received the first prize, in competition with a large number of varieties from Messrs. Prince & Co., of Flushing. We merely note these awards to show that a strawberry must be a very good one to compete with it, although it was raised thirteen years ago.-Ed.

Premiums for New Varieties of Strawberries and Raspberries.—The Cincinnati Horticultural Society have offered the sum of $100 for a seedling strawberry, which shall "exceed the most our Seedling in average size," and, we presume, equal it in other respects. This we learn from the Ohio Cultivator, although we have seen no official report on the subject. When the report of the committee offering the premium comes to hand, we shall notice the particulars on which the award is to be made. The premium is to be given in 1850. The same sum ($100) is also offered for the best seedling Raspberry.-Ed.

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Burr's Seedling Strawberries.-Three years ago, Dr. Brinkle raised a great number of new seedling strawberries, and named and described some thirty or forty of them, many of which were stated to be much superior to Hovey's Seedling; but we believe not ONE of them has proved to be valuable. Mr. Burr, of Ohio, has, within a few years, raised a great number of varieties, several of which, the present year, he has named and offered for sale; he has also exhibited them before the Columbus and Cincinnati Horticultural Societies, and they have reported upon them as remarkably fine." It is now nearly fourteen years since our two seedlings were produced, and although Col. Wilder, and Capt. Lovett, of Beverly, and other cultivators around Boston have raised thousands of seedlings within the last six years, they have not found ONE, which they consider worthy of a name, knowing that unless they excel the older kinds, there would be no real merit in their production. They are well aware that it is as easy to raise seedling strawberries of the size and quality of all the older kinds, as to raise any other seedling plants; but, in the present improved state of this delicious fruit, it would be useless to encumber our catalogues with such sorts.

Such may not, however, be the case with Mr. Burr's strawberries; we

hope he has succeeded in raising something finer than any we have yet had ; but our doubts are at once raised when he states, in his descriptions, that one kind "averages larger than any other known," and yet that it is only "four and a half inches in circumference," when it is well known that Hovey's Seedling, under ordinary treatment, measures FIVE AND A HALF. Another kind is stated to be so prolific as to have produced "thirty-five quarts on a bed six feet by twenty." Our seedling has produced twelve quarts on a bed two and a half feet by twelve, which is FORTY-EIGHT quarts on a bed six feet by twenty. We notice these things because Ross's Phonix, Buist's Prize, Brinkle's Cushing, and various others have all been advertised as the finest sorts known.

That our amateur cultivators may know something of the merits of Mr. Burr's seedlings, we quote the names and descriptions, as drawn up by the Columbus Horticultural Society.-Ed.

1. OHIO MAMMOTH.-Fruit very large, averaging larger size than any other strawberries known; shape rather long, conical, and somewhat angular; color light red, flavor sweet and excellent; foliage large, and plants vigorous, hardy, and productive; flowers perfect, or staminate.-Produced from Burr's old Seedling and Hovey's.

2. NEW PINE. Fruit large, color pale red, flavor very high aromatic, sweet and delicious; very early and uncommonly productive; plants vigorous and perfectly hardy; flowers pistillate; believed to be the best strawberry cultivated.-From Burr's and Hovey's.

3. RIVAL HUDSON.--Fruit of a dark and shining red color, resembling the Hudson of Cincinnati, except that the fruit and stem are longer; flavor very rich and excellent; plants hardy and very productive; a very handsome and excellent variety for market, or domestic use; flowers pistillate.— Produced by the old Hudson and Burr's.

4. COLUMBUS.--Fruit large, nearly round, of a beautiful dark color, and rich sweet flavor; plants uncommonly prolific, and quite hardy; flowers pistillate. From Hovey's and Burr's.

5. SCIOTO.-Fruit of large size; color light scarlet; flavor rich, sweet, and delicious; plants very productive, vigorous, and hardy; pistillate.

6. SCARLET MELTING.-Fruit rather long, with a neck; color bright red or scarlet; flavor excellent; flesh very tender, (melting readily in a dish with sugar,) consequently not suitable for transporting to market, though delicious for the table; plants very productive, of rapid and vigorous growth, and hardy; pistillate.

7. PROFUSION.-Fruit medium size or small; flavor rich and sweet; plants hardy, and a prodigious bearer,-two hundred perfect berries having been counted on a single plant; pistillate.

8. LATE PROLIFIC.--Fruit of good size, largest berries measuring over three inches; flavor rich and excellent. A very valuable variety owing to its lateness of ripening-being full ten days later than most other varieties— and its great productiveness-thirty-five quarts of the berries were picked from a bed six feet by twenty, which is equal to two and a quarter bushels to the rod; plants uncommonly vigorous and hardy; pistillate.

9. BURR'S OLD SEEDLING.-(Staminate,) maintains its high reputation, in this region, for productiveness and excellent flavor, and is found to be the best variety for planting contiguous to the pistillate varieties to ensure their productiveness.-(Ohio Cultivator.)

Pistillate Strawberry Plants not productive. The two strawberry plants mentioned in my last, (p. 237), both flowered, but there never was any sign of a fruit while in my garden. I do not remember a season when they bore so well. I am doubtful whether what I got as your seedling and Keen's are not the same, as the leaves and fruit are exactly alike, while a few plants given me to try by Mr. Lewis R. Sams, as your seedling, imported direct from you by himself, are very different in both fruit and leaf. I have in cultivation two other kinds, the one a pistillate plant, with rather ovate leaves, fruit firm fleshed, sometimes with a whitish neck, conical shaped, and comparatively free from acid, and very productive. The other, a perfect flowering plant, bearing a small crop of small fruit, early, and afterwards a fair crop of large cockscomb-shaped fruit, soft fleshed, rather acid, but very high flavored, bearing for about one month after Keen's seedling. Both these varieties, but especially the latter, are very vigorous growers, and the latter variety bears its fruit upon a stalk that shoots above the leaves when in flower, but drops under them when the fruit grows. Can you tell me the names of these varieties? They are common here, I believe. We have the promise of little fruit hereabouts this summer. We had very severe cold on the 8th January last, a black frost or ice in April, (about one month later than common,) then a drought, followed, for about a month past, by frequent and heavy rains.-Yours, R. Chisholm, Beaufort, S. C., June 25, 1847. [It would be rather difficult to name the kinds of Strawberries which our correspondent alludes to merely from his description. The experiment with the pistillate, or imperfect flowering strawberries, is only one among the many which, when fairly tried, settle the question about the change from the normal form.—Ed.]

Two new Seedling Cherries.-Our correspondent, Dr. Wendell, of Albany, has raised two new seedling cherries, as will be seen by a report of the Albany Horticultural Society in another page. We are happy to see attention given to the cherry, for we believe there is room for great improvement in this fine fruit. Undoubtedly Dr. Wendell will send us some account of his two seedlings.-Ed.

Albany and Rensselaer Horticultural Society.-By the kindness of the Secretary of this new and flourishing society, we have been favored with detailed reports of the two exhibitions held on the 3d and 24th of July.

We regret that we have not room to give them entire; but, as they would occupy eight or ten pages, we are obliged to condense them so as to give only the most interesting portions of the reports.

The first exhibition of the society was held at the Geological Rooms, in the city of Albany, on Saturday, the 3d of July.

GREENHOUSE PLANTS AND FLOWERS.-The committee on greenhouse plants and flowers report, that the first premium on the six best greenhouse plants is due to L. Menand, of Watervliet, $2. The second to James

Wilson, of Albany, $1. James Wilson exhibited the largest variety of greenhouse plants.

For the best twenty-five varieties of hardy roses, the committee award the first premium to James Wilson, $2; and for the second best variety of roses, to Herman Wendell, $1. For the greatest and best variety of hardy roses, a premium of $2, to James Wilson. A premium of $2 is awarded to J. Dingwall for a beautiful variety of flowers, consisting of verbenas, picotees, and carnations.

The committee would specially commend Mr. William Cooper for the beautiful bouquet of wild flowers, of fifteen varieties; and they trust that a very large increase in this department will be made, from the wild flowers of our hills and valleys.

The chairman of the committee, W. Newcomb, having retired, the residue of the committee would report that their chairman presented a large and good assortment of annual, biennial, and perennial flowers, together with dahlias and roses, and that your committee would report that Mr. Newcomb has exhibited the best and largest variety of annual and herbaceous, biennial and perennial flowers.

The committee regret that they were not enabled to make a more full and complete report, owing to the want of time and the late hour of exhibition; but, upon the whole, your committee would say, that the great number and variety of roses and beautiful flowers exhibited does great credit to the taste and enterprise of the exhibitors, and that they are specially deserving of the thanks of the society.-Wм. NEWCOMB, Chairman.

FLORAL ORNAMENTS.-The committee on floral designs and bouquets respectfully report, that, after a close examination, they have concluded to award to Nathan B. Warren, of Troy, for the best round bouquet for vase, the first premium of $2. To E. P. Prentice, of Mount Hope, the second premium of $1. For the best pair of hand bouquets, one flat and one round, to James Wilson, of Albany, the first premium of $2; and to Dr. Herman Wendell, the second premium of $1.-S. E. WARREN, Chairman.

CUT FLOWERS, &c.-The principal exhibitors of flowers were Wm. Newcomb, Dr. Wendell, William Cooper, Joel Rathbone, E. P. Prentice, John Dingwall, James Wilson, and others. Dr. Wendell exhibited twenty varieties of verbenas, including Dove-eye, Suzette, Rosy Cluster, and Caroline. FRUITS. The committee on fruits report, that there were exhibited by Dr. Herman Wendell, of Albany, ten varieties of cherries, viz: May Duke, Florence, Black Heart, Napoleon Bigarreau, Arch Duke, Black Tartarian, Yellow Spanish or Bigarreau, Bigarreau Colouer de Chair, Wendell's Mottled Bigarreau (a seedling), and Carnation Bigarreau (a seedling); and three varieties of strawberries: Hovey's Seedling, Hovey's Boston Pine, Ross's Phoenix.

By D. T. Vail, of Hill Top, Mount Ida, Troy, six varieties of cherries, viz: Black Heart, Black Tartarian, White Heart, Ox Heart, May Duke, Morello. By A. Walsh, Lansinburgh, three varieties of cherries: White Tartarian, May Duke, and Morello; one variety of gooseberries. By James Hall, Albany, two varieties of cherries: Ox Heart, and May Duke.

By Isaac Dennison, Albany, four varieties of cherries: Black Heart, Ox Heart Bigarreau, China Heart, Black Tartarian; one variety of gooseberries. By Frederick Keisel, two varieties of cherries: Red Heart, White Heart.

By John Meads, a seedling cherry, raised from dried fruit. By Dr. Alden March, very superior Black Tartarian. By James Wilson, Albany, one variety of gooseberries, and four of strawberries: Bishop's Range, Myatt's Eliza, Victoria, Swainstone's Seedling. By John W. Haydock, Greenbush, Hovey's Seedling strawberries. By E. P. Prentice, Mount Hope, Hovey's Seedling strawberry. By J. A. Kanouse, Albany, Ross's Phoenix, and one name unknown. By D. D. T. Moon, Watervliet, Hovey's Seedlings. By Joel Rathbone, Kenwood, five varieties of gooseberries.

The committee award the first premium on cherries to Dr. Herman Wendell, Albany, for the largest number of varieties of best character; the second to D. T. Vail, of Troy.

The first premium on strawberries to James Wilson, for Swainstone's Seedling. The second to J. W. Haydock, Greenbush, for Hovey's Seedling. In awarding the premium on strawberries, the committee decided on the flavor, not the size of the berry. The Hovey Seedlings were the largest berries, but, in the opinion of the committee, not of the finest flavor.-J. M. WARD, Chairman.

VEGETABLES. The committee on vegetables report, that Alex. Walsh, of Lansingburgh, is entitled to the premium of $2 for the earliest and best potatoes, - Ash-leafed Kidneys. Mr. Walsh also exhibited a fine specimen of Sea Kale, and Windsor beans. Henry Vail, of Troy, is entitled to premium for best Marrow Fat peas, $2; and for twelve best beets, $2. To Peter Chapman, of Greenbush, is awarded a premium of $2 for best six heads of celery; and to Frederick Keisil, six heads nearly, if not equal to Mr. Chapman's, a premium of $2. V. P. Down, of Greenbush, presented some very fine large cucumbers, which are entitled to special commendation. James Wilson exhibited some fine Ross's early potatoes, scarcely if at all inferior to Mr. Walsh's, quite equal in size but not in maturity. Dr. Herman Wendell exhibited two fine heads of lettuce, and some fine cucumbers.

The chairman, Mr. Prentice, having retired, the residue of the committee examined a variety of articles presented by Mr. Prentice, all of superior excellence, and they award him a premium for best cauliflowers, $2; do. cabbages, $2; do. rhubarb, $2; all of which were very superior and entitled to special notice. The rhubarb of the Giant species was of a size seldom equalled.

Mr. Prentice also exhibited some of Hall's early potatoes, equal in size to those of Mr. Walsh, but not quite as perfectly matured; and very fine specimens of onions, peas, and beets.

The committee are gratified at the spirit manifested at this opening exhibition, and trust that the number of contributors will increase, and a new impulse be given to the cultivation of choice vegetables.-E. P. PRENTICE, Chairman.

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