364 



THE SMALL FRUITS OF NEW YORK 



" Extended study of the botanical characters of the several species, 

 and of their behavior under cultivation and hybridization, is necessary to 

 establish with certainty the origin of the garden form. This has not yet 

 been given, but the presumption is strong, from the foregoing evidence, 

 that both the Chilean and Virginian species are represented in modem 

 varieties." 



Fletcher is strongly of the opinion that the Virginian strawberry played 

 a much more important part in the evolution of the garden strawberry of 

 North America than in that of this fruit in Europe. He brings forth such 

 an array of proof that one is forced to believe that he has established the 

 fact that the native species has entered more largely in the hybrid consti- 

 tution of the American than of the European strawberry. 



These quotations by no means cover all of the theories as to the origin 

 of garden strawberries. Other writers have suggested a derivation from 

 other species and other hybrid combinations. It seems now, however, that 

 only the two theories set forth in the quotations are tenable, and of the two 

 that that of hybridity is plainly established. 



This text can offer little that is new on the origin of the strawberry. 

 Previous workers seem to have brought forth every fact that wotild throw 

 light on the evolution of this fruit and the botanical studies have been equally 

 thorough. If any contribution can be made by the workers at this Station 

 to the interesting question of how the strawberry has come to its present 

 splendor of development it must be from the plant breeder's standpoint, 

 and even here, since no definite studies have been undertaken, only an 

 opinion based on observation can be offered. 



For thirty years this Station has been growing seedlings of crossed and 

 selfed varieties and species of strawberries. The total number of such seed- 

 lings now exceeds 30,000. As these words are being written about 5000 

 seedling strawberries from 15 crosses are in fruit and their plant and fruit 

 characters are being described by the Station workers in pomology. Now 

 the veriest tyro in strawberry study can detect the characters of Fragaria 

 chiloensis and F. virginiana in these seedlings. The characters of one species 

 predominate here; those of another there. A comparison has been made 

 today of herbariiim specimens, type plants of F. chiloensis and F. virginiana 

 growing in the field, and the seedlings of these crosses. All of the characters 

 of the two species, in widely varying numbers and in widely different degree, 

 are foimd in the crosses and in individual plants. 



There are also at the present moment in fruit on the Station grounds 

 134 of the varieties now most commonly cultivated in North America. 



