i879-] STRAWBERRIES IN AUTUMN AND WINTER 31 



who have different requirements to provide for. Plants, where intro- 

 duced into heat for the early spring supply, will — if taken care of and 

 gradually hardened off after the fruit has been gathered, then par- 

 tially shaken out and repotted — again give ripe fruit towards the 

 end of August or September. The time I consider the fruit most 

 serviceable, is from the end of October to December, after which 

 month Strawberry- growing is not so easy; and to have good fruit 

 then, the plants must be properly prepared for the purpose. The 

 most important point of all is the variety that is best for giving good 

 fruit at that season. Yicomtesse H. de Thury has hitherto been 

 considered the best ; it is now superseded by a variety brought into 

 notice by Mr Hinds — viz., Underbill's Sir Harry, a grand variety for 

 all purposes, and none to equal it for fruiting through the dreariest 

 months of the whole year. The fruit is very large, fine in colour, of 

 good flavour, and continues to throw up its flower-spikes and fruit 

 as freely in winter as in spring and summer. 



Where a number of this variety are forced through the spring 

 months, after the fruit is gathered, and the plants hardened off and 

 placed outside in a north aspect, and rested for a time, they will be 

 ready for being partially shaken out and repotted or planted out. 

 They should have liberal supplies of water through the summer. 

 During the month of August they will commence throwing up their 

 flower-spikes freely ; and those that were planted out should be lifted 

 by the end of August and potted, placing them in a frame, and keep- 

 ing them close until they are established. Shelves in vineries and 

 cool Peach-houses are good places for them near the glass, where they 

 set their fruit and flower freely, and can be introduced into the 

 Strawberry-house as required. The air of the house must be kept as 

 dry as possible, with a good circulation of air on all favourable occa- 

 sions. If the air is allowed to become saturated with moisture, the 

 plants soon go off. 



I would, in concluding, point to Mr Hinds's great success in autumn 

 Strawberry-growing : for instance, an excellent dish of fruit was ex- 

 hibited by him at St George's Hall, Liverpool, on the 20th of Novem- 

 ber; and on the 7th of December I saw an extra fine dish just 

 gathered — the fruit was of good flavour, good size, and well coloured. 

 Mr Hinds will have Strawberries for some time to come — such fruit 

 as many growers would be proud of in the spring. 



William Bardney. 



[We received a small box of splendid fruits from Mr Hinds on 3d Decem- 

 ber.— Ed.] 



