THE CHILI STRAWBERRY. 



117 



interest at the present moment, from the 

 remarks respecting the impregnation of the 

 sterile blossoms, a subject exciting so much 

 attention in this country at the present 

 moment. — Ed,] 



The cuhivation of the Chili Strawberry 

 in relation to its adaptation to our climate 

 as well as in respect to its sexuality, is 

 different from that of the other sorts. 



France having been the first to receive 

 this sort, and it having prospered remarka- 

 bly at Brest, I will now repeat what Poiteau 

 has imparted to us respecting it, under the 

 head of Cultivation in the neighborhood of 

 Paris. Except by Messrs. Vilmorin and 

 Noisette, in Paris, this strawberry is only 

 cultivated in the kitchen garden of Ver- 

 sailles, where it however receives less 

 attention than the other sorts, on which 

 account it does not attain the same degree 

 of perfection which it arrives at under the 

 greater care bestowed upon it in Paris. In 

 a clayey, wet and cold soil, it soon dies 

 out ; and also a light, dry, nitrous earth, in 

 which are found particles of gypsum, as is 

 the case in most Parisian gardens, agree 

 no better with it. The nitre of this soil, 

 in which many plants thrive, is very unfa- 

 vorable to the Chili Strawberry. On the 

 contrary, we have met with them growing 

 well in a mellow soil, with a dry bottom. 

 Finally, a soil which is half loose and 

 half sandy, letting the water ofT readily, 

 and with a subsoil rather dry than moist, is 

 particularly well adapted for them. But a 

 mixture of sandy heath soil, is still more 

 beneficial and more serviceable in every 

 respect. Whether this soil be found on 

 the spot, or be artificially provided, it is 

 always necessary that the beds should in- 

 cline to the south, and be protected on the 

 north side by a wall or other shelter. 

 An mclination to the south assists the 



running off of the water during wmter, 

 and allows greater power to the rays of 

 the sun. 



The Chili Strawberry plant is so tender 

 that its roots, during any cessation of its 

 vegetation, easily rot ; the spring is there- 

 fore the best time for planting. After the 

 soil has been well stirred and mixed with 

 light earth, you set out runners of last 

 year, at distances, respectively of fifteen 

 inches asunder, and water and shade them 

 during the strength of the sunshine. How- 

 ever, since this kind require foreign fertili- 

 zation, you must, at the same time, plant 

 in their vicinity, either some of the Pine 

 apple, Bath, Carolina, or of the male or 

 hermaphrodite Hautbois strawberries. We 

 give the preference to the Pine-apple 

 because it blooms later and seems most 

 nearly related to the Chili. In setting out, 

 therefore, a bed of the latter, plant eight or 

 nine of the other kinds between, by which 

 fructification will be effected. 



But since the Chili blossoms later than 

 the other sorts, and the fertilization may 

 in consequence fail, Duchesne, to obviate 

 the failure, has proposed the following 

 precautionary measure. 



Bearing in mind, in the first place, that 

 the situation and exposure we have assigned 

 to the Chili necessarily forwards their vege- 

 tation, nevertheless, they are the latest. 

 In order, therefore, to equalize, to bring to 

 the same period their flowering, until those 

 to be employed in fertilizing them, it is 

 requisite to retard the latter on the expand- 

 ing of their blossoms. With this view, it 

 is recommended to plant the sorts designed 

 for this purpose in pots one season before- 

 hand, and place them, in order to retard 

 their vegetation, in a northerly exposure, 

 give them just enough water to prevent 

 their drooping, and treat them, in other 

 respects, in the management of their flow 



