212 THE STRAWBERRY IN NORTH AMERICA 



is equally possible that the plant was a seedling that had 

 become mixed with the plants of Bismarck. Another 

 supposed bud variation w^as reported by W. Van Fleet in 

 1904 as "a sport from the William Belt, originated on the 

 grounds of T. N. White, Little Silver, New Jersey. It 

 showed decided superiority over its parent when propagated 

 and grown in quantity, being larger and more shapely." ^ 

 The circumstances surrounding these supposed instances 

 of bud variation are obscure and the facts not fully 

 authenticated. It is difficult to escape the conviction that 

 if distinct varieties of the strawberry do originate by sport- 

 ing, this is decidedly uncommon. 



^'Pedigree'' strawberry plants. — In 1845 A. J. Downing 

 advocated a method of propagating or breeding straw- 

 berries that has since caused much discussion. He said : ^ 

 "When the parent plants have become degenerated or 

 partially or wholly barren, we should avoid taking the 

 runners from such and choose only those which grow from 

 the most fruitful ones. In order to make sure of the latter 

 point, it is only necessary to mark the bearing plants by 

 small sticks pushed into the bed by the side of each when 

 the fruit is in perfection." Not much attention was paid 

 to this advice for over fifty years. In 1896 O. W. Black- 

 nail, of North Carolina, asserted : " Only a few exceedingly 

 virile varieties, such as the Wilson, have sufficient vigor 

 to last over a quarter of a century. Many excellent 

 varieties run out in less time. This can be checked by 

 selection. As the berries begin to ripen, go over the 

 fields and select the most vigorous and most fruitful plants. 

 Take them up, remove the berries and blossoms, and set 

 them in a propagating bed." He contended that all 



1 Rural New Yorker, 1904, p. 542. 



2 " Fruits and Fruit Trees of America," p. 521. 



