172 THE STRAWBERRY IN NORTH AMERICA 



not necessarily correlated with firmness, but firmness is 

 the most important factor in shipping quality. The only 

 way to find out the shipping value of a variety is to ship it. 

 No new variety can hope to compete with established sorts 

 unless it is at least moderately firm when fully mature. 

 Firmness does not mean greenness ; a soft variety is often 

 picked while still unripe, at a sacrifice of size and quality, 

 in order that it may carry well to market. Furthermore, 

 soft varieties have to be picked more frequently than firm 

 sorts, which is an added expense. 



The texture of the flesh, whether fine grained or coarse, 

 is not of special consequence unless it is stringy. The core 

 should be only moderately solid. Some varieties have 

 very hard, stringy cores, which are decidedly objection- 

 able. As a rule, very juicy berries are not firm. Some 

 sorts are quite dry ; they will hang on the vines without 

 injury for several days after they are ripe. The Staples 

 is a notable example. Recently a group of varieties called 

 the "fig type" has been introduced ; these are said to be 

 very sweet and dry and to possess " self-preservative prop- 

 erties so that they can be cured by drying in the sun in 

 the manner of figs." Whatever may be their value for 

 this purpose, they have roused the enthusiasm of at least 

 one grower ; he declares, " They are religious berries ; it 

 is not necessary to pick them on Sunday." 



Flavor. — The flavor of strawberries is sweet, sub-acid 

 or acid. Most varieties are sub-acid, or mildly tart. No 

 flavor pleases all palates alike ; some people prefer a sweet 

 strawberry, others an acid sort. A variety is considered 

 rich in flavor when it contains a large amount of sugar 

 and acid combined in the right proportions; that is, 

 enough sweetness to balance the acidity, but not en- 

 tirely neutralize it, so as to preserve the racy flavor. 



