222 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



I SepUmoer 0, 1875. 



fair Strawberry Boil, may reproduce in abundance in his own 

 garden. 



I commenced my observatious on Strawberry culture several 

 years ago, by Eajing that we had already plenty of mid-season 

 varieties, such as Carolina Superba, British Queen, La Cou- 

 Btante, and some others which could not easily be excelled, 

 and that it was chiefly in the direction of better early and late 

 Borta that the efforts of the raiser of new fruits should be 

 directed. My chief object, therefore, in this article is to place 

 before the public the complete list of early Strawberries which 

 I have been for some years past engaged in raising and per- 

 fecting, and also such late sorts as, in addition to those already 

 figtued in this Journal, I have aa yet been able to pronounce an 

 opinion upon. 



The first in order of the early Borts is Alpha (fig. 42). The 

 fruit of this seedling is large and large medium, some of the 



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Fig. 42.— Alpha. 





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Fig a — iarlj Pr Ii c 



fruits being larger, some smaller than the illustration, accord- 

 ing to the soil, climate, and skill displayed in the treatment. 

 Colour bright glossy red ; seeds numerous and rather pro- 

 minent; flesh solid, pinky red throughout, melting and juicy, 

 with a delicious high flavour. Season decidedly early, coming 

 in with Black Prince, but owing to its lighter colour ripens-up 

 quicker than that variety, and is far superior in size and 

 flavour. It is also a good and early forcer. Like Black Prince 

 the plant is of rather slender habit of growth during the first 

 year, but it increases in strength and fertility and in the size 

 of its fruit for several y( ars, and should not, therefore, le too 

 frequently renewed. 





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Fig. 43.— Dule ut EJiuburgh. 



The next five sorls so rapidly follow each other that it is 

 difficult to establish a correct order of succession, which, as in 

 the case of many other fruits, varies with the dilTerent seasons ; 

 but as a rule, Duke of Edinburgh and Early Prolific follow 

 Alpha. Early Crimson Pine, however, began to ripen in 187-i 



before Early Prolific, and this year it commenced ripening June 

 ■1th, coming-in with Duke of Edinburgh and Early Prolific, 

 and being shortly followed by Hundredfold and Amy Eobsart. 



Duke of Edinhnrgh (fig. 4,'J), is a fine large fruit partaking 

 of the joint characters of La Constante and British Queen. 

 Foliage dark green, and the habit of the plant quite distinct 

 from all other sorts. The fruit is mostly obovate in shape, 

 like the illustration, and very handsome. Colour darkish 

 crimson ; seeds numerous and decidedly prominent ; flesh 

 creamy white ; flavour piquant, vinous, and excellent ; calyx 

 small for size of fruit. It is also one of the best early forcers, 

 and only requires to be better known to be universally cul- 

 tivated under glass in place of Keens' Seedling and other 

 large-growing leafy sorts. This and the following variety were 

 distributed some five years ago, but are now introduced here 

 in order to make the batch of early sorts complete, and also to 

 give the benefit of faithful illustrations for the guidance of 

 those who may not yet possess them. 



Early Proline (fig. 14), is becoming too well known to need 

 description, but not having been previously illustrated, it is 

 introduced for that purpose. The plant is of elegant habit of 

 growth, with bright green foliage, distinctly dentate. Fruit 

 large, and large medium. The woodcut depicts a fair medium 







Fig. 4.5. — Early Crimson PiLe. 



size. In some Eoils it is decidedly larger. Colour bright glossy 

 vermilion, becoming a little darker when very ripe ; seeds slightly 

 embedded ; flesh white, firm, and juicy, with a delicious re- 

 freshing flavour peculiar to this variety alone. Like the Duke 

 of Edinburgh it is decidedly early, and is fast becoming ac- 

 cepted by practical gardeners as the very best early forcing 

 variety we possess. The above three sorts should not be fre- 

 quently renewed. They should be planted in well-prepared 

 ground and allowed to remain several years, every other plant 

 being removed the second or third year if the plants become 

 too crowded. The two latter are now going on here for tie 

 sixth year, and I have no intention to disturb them so long ts 

 they keep increasing in the size and quantity of their fruits. 

 If originally well done, plenty of room and autumnal surface- 

 manuring are the chief essentials to insure good crops of hand- 

 some fruit. 



Early Crimson Pine (fig. 4.5). This variety was figured in 

 the Journal some two years ago, and I cannot speak too highly 

 in its favour. The woodcut at that time may have been 

 thought by some persons an exaggeration for so early a fruit, 

 but I am happy to say that my garden has teemed the last 

 two years with still handsomer specimens, and this autumn I 

 intend planting all vacant ground with it. The fruit began to 

 colour this last season towards the end of May, and here and 

 there large fruits were ripe on the 4th June. Fruit handsome 

 bright crimson colour ; seeds rather prominent ; flesh dullish 

 white and sometimes pink, very juicy, with a rich piquant 

 Pine flavour. The fruit is much like British Queen, observts 

 similar shapes as it ripens, and has an equally rich Pine 

 flavour, but colours-up better all over the fruit. It has the 

 advantage also of coming-in some three weeks befoie that ex- 

 cellent variety. Re-introduced here to make the set complete. 



Iluiidrctlfold (fig. 4G), likewise ripens very early, and is very 



