BREEDING 193 



mercial strawberry culture was within a few miles of 

 cities, the larger the berries were, the better. It did not 

 make much difference if they were quite irregular in shape. 

 Only berries of medium size — not much over an inch in 

 diameter, and of regular shape, can be shipped one thou- 

 sand miles or more with assurance that they will reach 

 the market in perfect condition. 



Breeding for one thing at a time. — The first essential 

 in undertaking to produce a valuable new variety, there- 

 fore, is to know what kind of strawberry is wanted. The 

 desirable characters of varieties, according to present 

 standards, are considered in Chapter V. In one section 

 certain of these characters are more important than in 

 others. The object of the breeder is to produce a variety 

 that will more perfectly fulfill one or more of these condi- 

 tions than any now grown. It is not possible to produce 

 a variety that excels in all particulars. High quality 

 rarely accompanies marked firmness; the best shipping 

 varieties are usually of indifferent quality. It is best to 

 breed for one quality at a time. If hardiness is most 

 essential, the hardiest known varieties or species are used, 

 even though they may be deficient in some other respects ; 

 these defects may be corrected after seedlings of the 

 desired degree of hardiness are secured. 



The time has passed when strawberry breeders can 

 seek to produce, as they once did, "the best all-round 

 variety." Our horticulture has become greatly diversi- 

 fied. The adaptations of certain varieties to certain 

 regions are marked, and different markets require dif- 

 ferent types of berries. Those who breed for a specific 

 object are more likely to reach their goal than those who 

 raise seedlings indiscriminately. Before making a cross, 

 some specific ideal should be clearly in mind, such as a 



