i88s.] 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



205 



and reproductive organs are, and wherein their ulti- 

 mate natural functions differ. 



The vegetative organs are known as the root, 

 the stem and the leaves, serving the purpose of an 

 individual life to each plant; such a plant after a 

 while produces a different set of organs, subservient 

 to a different purpose ; that is, the increase in num- 

 ber or the continuance of the species — namely, 

 the flower, fruit and seed, called the organs oi 

 reproduction. 



In the ordinary culture of the Strawberry little or 

 no attention is given to the inquiry, whether there 

 is any natural conflict between these two classes of 

 organs, or if the vegetative will succeed and flour- 

 ish on the same nutriment applied in the same 

 proportion to the land as the reproductive organs. 



Is it not a fact, almost without exception, the in- 

 dividual life and the reproductive part of the plant 

 are blended into onegrand whole, and the cultivator, 

 blind as it were, forgets to examine the eflfect 

 manures have on the essential organs of the flower, 

 stamens and pistils, resting content so long as the 

 eye is pleased with the appearance of the vegeta- 

 tive growth. 



The importance of close observation in perfect 

 flowering plants wherein both classes of organs 

 are or should be in perfection is apparent at once, 

 yet how much more important is it in pistillates, 

 where the blossoms are already imperfect, per- 

 forming their functions of fruitation only by the 

 aid of pollen from some other plant, and in which 

 plant growth can be measured only by compari- 

 son with other perfect flowering plants. 



Since vegetative growth is the criterion by which 

 the individual life of each plant is to be measured, 

 a proper nutriment is necessary to the health and 

 vigor of that life ; the reproductive organs would 

 seem to be somewhat dependent on the life so far 

 as a suitable nutriment of plant growth is had, yet 

 in many cases the highest development of the 

 flower needs nutriment of other kinds. 



The experiments of four years on twelve varieties 

 of perfect flowering plants, under different manures, 

 where close observation has been had as to the 

 individual life, and that of the blossom and fruit, 

 may suggest some thoughts for reflection and ex- 

 periment. 



For convenience the cultivation of the plants is 

 divided into three classes, based upon the action 

 of the manures employed upon the growth. 



First. Those in which the highest type of vege- 

 tative, flower and fruit growth would seem to result 

 from mixed barnyard manures, or commercial 

 fertilizers poor in potash. The Primo, Triomphe 



de Gand, Bidwell and Sharpless are representative 

 plants herein. 



The Primo, named first in the list, makes in poor 

 soil a vigorous plant-growth, flowers with irregular 

 stamens, little pollen, fruit small and irregular in 

 shape ; with good culture a notable increase in the 

 number of leaves, flower perfect, fruit medium to 

 large, regular in shape, productive ; high culture, 

 increased vigor of plant-growth, stamens fewer in 

 number, many bastard blossoms, tending to double 

 flowers, berries few in number, very large, irregular. 

 In this variety high culture would correspond 

 nearly with good culture as to the Sharpless. 



Omitting the Triomphe and Bidwell, we come to 

 the Sharpless. In poor culture, corresponding 

 to good culture in Primo, leaves three to five 

 in number, medium plant vigor, bloom abundant, 

 stamens imperfect, little pollen, fruit small and 

 very imperfect ; with good culture, correspondmg 

 to high culture in the Primo, vigorous to very 

 vigorous plant growth, stamens abundant — perfect, 

 pollen plenty, fruit bystematic in shape, medium 

 to large, prolific. Observe here, that in soil where 

 the Primo begins to develop a failure as to growth 

 of stamens and amount of pollen the Sharpless is 

 at its best in these respects. With high culture, 

 which may be defined as the point at which the 

 prepondency of the pollen is at its height. It is at 

 this point that ^lanchester, or Primo, planted near 

 to the Sharpless, partakes the most in all respects 

 of the Sharpless on my soil. The Sharpless as to 

 plant-growth vigorous to very vigorous, leaves 

 three to five in number. The reproductive organs 

 begin to show signs of weakness, the character 

 and number of stamens variable ; many of the 

 blossoms have a tendency to become double, 

 pollen somewhat diminished in quality, some blos- 

 soms nearly or quite pistillate, fruit large to very 

 large, inclining to coxcomb. Increase the height 

 of culture, plant-growth still maintains its healthy 

 appearance, the stamens disappear, blossoms few 

 in number, pistillate, fruit will partake of the 

 characteristics of variety planted near, provided 

 the species be such that it maintains its perfect 

 blossoms under this extremely high culture. 



The Manchester, on my soil, shows the best 

 results, so far as fruit blossoms and plant-growth is 

 to be had, at what may be called high culture in 

 the Sharpless. This is the culture when the Man- 

 chester developes the highest characteristics of 

 any of the perfect flowering varieties that may be 

 employed as a fertilizer. 



Second. Those in which the highest type of 

 vegetative, flower and fruit-growth would seem to 



