Strawberry Culture, 121 



cation seems to make little difference with the flavor, it does with the color, 

 the most marked change being noticed where it has been applied early in 

 the spring previous to fruiting. 



But enough of the fertilizer question. We have much to learn yet in this 

 as well as in other points of successful berry culture. Yet even now we can, 

 to a certain extent, manufacture (if I may be allowed to use the term) just 

 such fruit as we may want by supplying the proper raw materials in the form 

 of plant food in the right proportions and by cross fertilization when in bloom, 

 for not only are the pistillate varieties greatly affected by the perfect flower- 

 ing ones that supply the pollen, but even the perfect flowering varieties them- 

 selves are more or less affected by other perfect flowering ones if planted 

 with or near them. Thus, Wilson and Sharpless grown together the past 

 season gave larger, more irregular and better flavored Wilsons than when 

 grown alone, while the Sharpless were darker in color, firmer and more acid 

 than when alone; and from my present light on the subject, if I were grow- 

 ing the Wilson strawberry for profit, every third row would be planted with 

 Sharpless, or some other perfect flowering large berry, to increase its size, 

 while to improve its flavor I would use President Wilder, Downing, or other 

 fine flavored varieties. However, this change in the perfect flowering varie- 

 ties is not as noticeable or important as in the pistillates, and I only call atten- 

 tion to it to provoke discussion. 



Many of the pistillate varieties, being the most productive of any we have, 

 are being extensively planted for market, hence it is of great importance for 

 us to know just how to treat them to obtain the best results. 



Some years ago, when I first mentioned it before the New Jersey State 

 Horticultural Society, only one man, Mr. Jesse B. Rogers, was willing to bear 

 me witness that there was any noticeable difference where various j^erfect 

 flowering varieties were used to supjily the pollen to the pistillate flowers. 

 Since then many experiments have been made, and it is now an undisputed 

 fact that the size, form, color, -flavor and texture of the pistillate strawberry 

 depends to a considerable extent upon what variety is used to fertilize its 

 blossoms. 



Plant Wilson with Crescent and you get bright colored, good formed Cres- 

 cents that are moderately firm but very acid, while Downing with Crescent 

 will cause the fruit to be lighter in color, quite soft, and of moderately good 

 flavor; with Sharpless the Crescent increases in size as well as in the num- 

 ber of irregular formed berries. Take the Manchester, one of the most regu- 

 lar and perfect in form, fertilized by Wilson, Mt. Vernon or Cumberland, and 

 every berry will be as perfect in form as though run in a mould, while fer- 

 tilized by Sharpless or President Lincoln, many of them will be irregular and 

 imperfect. Manchester with Pioneer was very light in color, while with 

 Black Defiance the difference was so marked that it was hard to believe it 

 was the &.ime berry. Manchester with Wilson was a very acid berry, while 

 with Miner's Prolific and Charles Downing it was of fine flavor. I might give 



9 



