Dr John H Bayne of Salubria Prince George's County, Maryland, writes about strawberries in 1848

BAYNE'S EXTRA EARLY, & BOSTON PINE,
HOVEY'S SEEDLING STRAWBERRY.
By Dr. J. H. Bayne, Alexandra, Va. ,

I have had strawberries from my Extra early variety in the Washington market just three weeks ago this day. The Boston Pine and Hovey's Seedling were both pulled from under precisely the same circumstances ten days later. For the first, I obtained $1 50, and $2 per quart, and this was repeated three successive market' days. This variety requires & south exposure, and a light gravelly soil. It is certainly the earliest variety I have ever been able to procure, and I assure you I have spared no pains or expense in endeavoring to obtain the earnest, as it is quite a desideratum here with us. Many persons have entirely failed, even in this climate, with my early. On flat, .rich, and adhesive soils, it is not worth cultivating; but, on a congenial soil, it is most valuable and profitable with me. It is a pretty good bearer, and the fruit attains a medium size. I find it a good fructifier for the Hovey's Seedling when planted in its proximity. I think the plan of mixing the slaminate and pistillate plants is entirely unnecessary, as I can prove by ocular demonstration. It is only necessary for them to approach each other in the same patch. I have beds of Hovey's Seedling in profuse bearing, the remote parts of which are not nearer than 150 feet of any staminate plants..

The Boston Pine in some situations with me this season is bearing most abundantly, and, where they have sufficient room, they are literally covered with trusses of magnificent fruit.. Sonle plants, I have no hesitation to discard.

My crop of Hovey's Seedling surpasses any thing I ever had any conception of. I can how pick from three to four hundred quarts per day, and my patches' are comparatively small. The demand here is limited, and will not justify a very extensive cultivation.

I have now been cultivating the strawberry for twenty years, and have spent somoe hundreds of dollars in procuring all the finest varieties as they were announced. 1 have now come to the conclusion that some four or five are all that are necessary for any purpose. I have thrown out at least fifty varieties which have been extolled in their day. Hovey's Seedling I consider incomparably superior to any and all others I have ever tried, or ever expect to try. It combines every essential to render it desirable-. It is fine in flavor, magnificent in size, of beautiful color, and extraordinarily productive. It ia the very ne plus ultra of all the varieties of this delicious fruit: In haste, with great respect, yours,&c.

Alexandria, Va.,May, 1848.



The American farmer. Maryland State Agricultural Society. S. Sands & Son., 1848