ORIGIN AND BOTANY 



127 



known to be pure F. virginiana have been grown largely 

 except Cutter's Seedling and Crystal City. The former, 

 introduced in 1859, was grown considerably in New Eng- 

 land from 1862 to 1875. William H. Hill assures us that 

 it was pure F. vir- 

 giniana. Crystal Ki 

 City, or Acme, 

 introduced in 

 1876, was a pop- 

 ular extra early 

 sort, especially 

 for home use, 

 until about 1892. 

 This variety was 

 very similar to 

 Large Early 

 Scarlet. 



Several sorts 

 introduced more 

 recently have 

 been supposed to 

 be F. virginiana. 

 Among these are 

 August Luther, 



Michel and Wonder (of Shank). The surmise as to 

 their botany is not capable of proof, but they bear so 

 much resemblance to the Scarlet that it seems probable 

 they are of the blood of that species in some degree. In 

 1908 a variety known as Earliest was listed as "an im- 

 proved variety of the Iowa wild strawberry." The prairie 

 form of F. virginiana has been much more productive of 

 improved sorts than the eastern form ; it is larger, more 

 variable, and responds more quickly to cultivation. 



Fig. 12. — Large Early Scarlet, a form of F. 

 virginiana ; the dominant variety in North Amer- 

 ica, 1830-1860. 



