NOTES ON THE STRAWBERRY QUESTION. 



23 



rely on books, more than personal observa- 1 

 tion. In these benighted regions, as few 

 of us can read, we are compelled to rely 

 on observation, and consequently form new 

 opinions, and may possibly occasionally get 

 the start of book learning. Linn-^us told 

 you, " the blossom of the strawberry plant 

 is alwaj's perfect, in both male and female 

 organs, and occasional failures in blossoms 

 to bear fruit, are the consequence of a late 

 frost." Botanists have never given the sub- 

 ject personal observation, and have repeat- 

 ed the same doctrine. Most of those Avho 

 attend to the cultivation, have no botanical 

 knowledge. Finding their plants become 

 barren, they neglect them. And so wed- 

 ded are many to old theories, that even 

 where they raise seedlings for sale, they 

 cannot be made to believe, that pistillates 

 would not, in a thousand years, produce a 

 single perfect fruit, if separated from all 

 others ; and that siaminates Avill not, in an 

 average of years, bear one-third of a crop. 

 The rage now is for new fruits and flowers, 

 and our horticultural societies will be of 

 little value, till they promptly examine all 

 new plants, and report on their character 

 and value. It would, to the community, be 

 a great saving of time and labor. The 

 course of our societies is the reverse of 

 this. " A hasty plate " of new seedling 

 strawberries is sent them. They "hasti- 

 ly" report, not only on their size and quali- 

 ty, but their bearing character. True, 

 they occasionally make small mistakes. 

 Persons in sending Jaques' and Mottier's 

 seedlings to one of your societies, omitted 

 to send any sugar. They were " hastily " 

 reported sour and worthless. Not satisfied 

 with this cut-throat decision, Mr. Jaques 

 sent a second plate, and added sugar ; and 

 they were reported as " first rate." Mot- 

 tier was in the backwoods, and had not 

 time to send sugar, and the doom of his 



seedling is sealed. Yet his seedling is of 

 superior flavor, being from the old Hudson, 

 and not readily distinguished from it. 

 Fifty years ago, scarcely any other was 

 known in New-York and Philadelphia ; 

 and in flavor, where sugar is plenty, it has 

 no superior. It has always been consider- 

 ed the best market strawberry. One of 

 our nurserj'men lately imported for sale, 

 one of your perfect eastern seedlings, that 

 will not average one-fourth of a crop of 

 perfect fruit. I expostulated with him. His 

 reply was, " I know it is Avorthless, but my 

 customers will have it, as it is vouched for 

 by eastern horticultural societies." 



We shall soon know what improve- 

 ment, if any, can be made in raising new 

 varieties of strawberries from seed. Some 

 of our intelligent horticulturists are exten- 

 sively engaged in it, as a matter of amuse- 

 ment. But little has, in my opinion, been 

 done, either in Europe or America, with 

 the exception of Hovey's Seedling. This, 

 thus far, stands unrivalled for size. A new 

 seedling, raised in this city, by Mr. Tay- 

 lor, as far as I can judge from a single 

 season, ranks next to it. It is purely pis- 

 tillate, though supposed by him to be per- 

 fect. One of my tenants, Mr. Avoy, a garde- 

 ner of long experience, has upwards of one 

 thousand seedlings, principally from seed 

 of the largest fruited staminates ; a portion 

 of which are now in fruit. Their present 

 location is in poor soil. They promise to 

 rival the Hovey in size. Yearly, large 

 sums are expended in importing and ex- 

 tending the cultivation of new fruits. We 

 yearly import new seedling strawberries 

 from England, that are highly praised and 

 extensively spread through the country, 

 that prove to be of no value. We are 

 then told, they do not suit our climate. 

 They should be scarce in any climate. 

 Would it not be advisable for every horti- 



