EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS 



159 



of the State the planting of late kinds has been found quite profitable, as thcy 

 could not only be shipped to the south where they would bring a good price, as there 

 will be no local competition, but shipments to points in Northern Michigan and in 

 Minnesota also brought good returns. 



By the proper selection of soil and location a considerable range of season can 

 be secured, as early kinds upon a light soil and southern exposure will be 

 hastened in ripening, while late sorts upon a heavy soil with a northern slope will 

 be somewhat retarded and a season covering four or five weeks can sometimes 

 be secured in this way. 



PERFECT AND IMPERFECT FLOWERED VARIETIES. 



The flowers of many varieties of strawberries possess no stamens, and, if these 

 kinds are planted by themselves, the fruit produced will be small, irregular and of 

 no value; these varieties are commonly spoken of as pistillate, or imperfect flowered 

 (Fig. 5). There are also a large number of varieties that in addition to the pistils, 

 have more or less small stamens, but, as the amount of pollen they produce is 

 small, it will be best to depend upon perfect-flowered kinds (Fig. 6) to fertilize 



Fig. 5. Imperfect Strawberry 

 Blossom ; p, pistils. 



Fig. 6. pKRFBCT Strawberry Blos- 

 som : p, pistils : .*, stamens ; p and s do, 

 magnitied. 



them. In some seasons they may develop all that will be required, but in others 

 some varieties may produce an amount so small that it will not sutflce to fertilize 

 the pistils. Aside from the fact that varying amounts of pollen are produced by 

 different varieties and that in the same variety it changes from year to year, it also 

 happens that the amount required for the proper fertilization of the ovules varies 

 in different years, as when the weather is warm and pleasant a much smaller 

 quantity will suffice than when it is cold and wet. Still other varieties have a con- 

 siderable niimber of strong stamens that produce large amounts of pollen, and if 

 the pistillate, or nearly pistillate kinds are grown, it will be advisable to have at 

 least every fifth row of these strong staminate kinds that flower at the same time. 

 Some growers living in sections near the lakes where the air is moist, and where 

 fogs prevail, find that in order to secure perfect fertilization of pistillate varieties, 

 it is well to have every third row of some variety that produces a large amount of 

 pollen. 



While it does not hold true in all cases, carefid examination of the list of pro- 

 ductive varieties of strawberries will show that imperfect-flowered kinds are as a 

 rule rather more productive than those with perfect flowers, which has been 

 ascribed to the fact that the staminate kinds have exhausted themselves, in part at 

 least, in the production of the pollen, and are consequently able to develop but a 

 comparatively small amount of fruit. However, as the rule does not hold true in all 

 cases, the merits of the individual varieties should be considered in making the 

 selection. 



CULTIVATION AND CARE. 



Unless rains fall immediately after the plants are set, the cultivator should be 

 started, and from this time until the middle of xiugust, tlie land should be worked 

 at least once a week whenever it is in a suitable condition; if the season is dry 

 two or three times a week would not be too much. Especially if the soil is heavy 



