American Varieties

Barr's Mammoth (Barr's Philadelphia Mammoth).--Originated with

Crawford Barr, a prominent market gardener of Pennsylvania. It is one of

the earliest varieties, is very productive, and grows to the largest

size. In Philadelphia it is much sought after, and brings the highest

prices.



Conover's Colossal (Van Siclen's Colossal).--Originated with Abraham

Van Siclen, of Long Island, N. Y., and was introduced by S. B. Conover,

a commision merchant of West Washington Market, New York City, some

thirty years ago. The superiority of this variety over all other kinds

known at that time made it soon supplant all other varieties, and it is

to this day better and more favorably known than any other sort.



Columbian Mammoth White.--This was introduced by D. M. Ferry & Co., in

1893. The immense shoots are clear white, and, in favorable weather,

remain so until three or four inches above the surface, without earthing

up or any other artificial blanching. The crown or bud of the young

stalk is considerably smaller than the part just below it, thus further

distinguishing the variety. All but a very few of the seedlings will

produce clear white shoots, and the green ones can be readily

distinguished and rejected when planting the permanent bed.



Donald's Elmira.--Originated by A. Donald, Elmira, N. Y., and was

first introduced by Johnson & Stokes, Philadelphia, Pa. This is

characterized by the delicate green color of its stems, different from

any other kind. Its stalks are very tender and succulent, while its size

is all that can be desired.



Eclipse (Dreer's Eclipse).--A light green mammoth strain of excellent

quality and attractive appearance. The stalks, not rarely, measure two

inches in diameter, and even when twelve to fifteen inches long are

perfectly tender and of a delicate light green color.



Hub.--Originated in New Hampshire several years ago, and was

introduced by Joseph Breck & Sons, Boston, Mass. Although not generally

catalogued, it is a distinct and valuable variety that has made a

decided record for itself in the tests of the Kansas Experiment Station,

where its yield, by weight, was greater than any other.



Mammoth.--This is a somewhat indefinite term, as almost any prominent

seedsman and grower who has a particularly good and large strain of

asparagus suffixes it to his own name. Among the best known of these are

Vick's Mammoth, Maule's Mammoth, Prescott's Mammoth, etc.



Moore's Cross-bred.--This originated with J. B. Moore, who for twenty

years was awarded the first prize on asparagus at the exhibitions of the

Massachusetts Horticultural Society, at one of which the weight of

twelve stalks was 4 pounds 6-1/4 ounces. It retains the head close until

the stalks are quite long, and is of uniform color, while for tenderness

and eating quality it is excelled by none. It is particularly

recommended for cultivation in New England.



Palmetto.--A variety of Southern origin, but suitable for the North

also. At the South it is somewhat earlier than Conover's Colossal, but

its great advantage is that it is almost destitute of, what dealers

call, culls, nearly all shoots being of a uniform and large size. The

bunch from which the engraving (Fig. 12) was made measured twenty-two

inches in circumference, and contained forty-eight stalks of nine

inches in length and remarkably uniform in size. It was taken on March

30th from a field of fifty acres, near Charleston, S. C. But the

greatest point in its favor is its comparative security from the attacks

of rust.






Purple Top and Green Top.--These were the only distinct sorts in

cultivation before the introduction of Conover's Colossal, but are now

almost unknown to the trade and cultivators.