304 VILLA GAKDENING part hi 



not eat what he gathers, as he is only seeking for the seeds which 

 grow on the outside of the berries. Rats and mice may be trapped 

 and poisoned, but a few good cats in the garden are most useful ; 

 and where they have plenty of space to run about at will, they 

 do not scratch up the plants as they do in small town gardens. 

 I have several cats, and they have free access to every building 

 and every part of the gardens. To keep off birds, nets should be 

 used, and the blackbird dislikes the gun if it be in the hands of 

 a good shot. I have always found that shooting a few at the 

 beginning of the fruit season makes the others very shy for tlie 

 remainder of it. 



Raising Seedlings. — The plants should be grown in pots in 

 the frame or the greenhouse, and the crossing effected by using 

 the camel-hair pencil. Only the best kinds should be grown, 

 and as soon as the selected fruits are thoroughly ripe gather them 

 and peel off the outside, which contains the seeds, cutting only 

 a thin slice, and lay the slices on a sheet of paper in the sunshine. 

 The pulp will soon diy up, and then the seeds may be rubbed out 

 and sown in pans in a warm frame. The seeds will soon germinate, 

 when the plants should be pricked off, and planted out when 

 hardened. They will fruit the following year if justice is done 

 them, when the best can be selected for further trial, and the 

 others destroyed. 



Varieties.— Sir J. Paxton, Sir Charles Napier, Marguerite, 

 James Veitch. The above are large -fruited kinds, and heavy 

 croppers on good land. Vicomtesse Hericart de Thury — Well 

 adapted for planting in unfavourable situations, such as light 

 porous soils. British Queen— An excellent old variety. When 

 well done the flavour cannot well be eclipsed, but the plant is 

 somewhat tender. Keen's Seedling — Another excellent old sort, 

 for main crop or forcing. President — An excellent mid -season 

 kind, and forces well. Loxford Hall— Shoidd be grown where 

 Strawberries have to be sent long distances, because of its firm- 

 ness as well as its other good qualities. Elton Pine is valuable 

 for its colom- and its lateness. The Alpine Strawberry — We find 

 this very useful, and under good cidture it bears long and heavily. 

 To bring out its full capabilities requires a deep, rich, moist soil, 

 and it should not be left too long in one place. Heavy mulching 

 with manure between the rows will be a great help in a dry 

 time. There are several varieties besides the red and white 

 Alpines in cultivation now, and they will probably increase in 

 number. Galande and Blanche de Orleans are good varieties. 

 Hautbois (Royal)— This is a distinctly -flavoured Strawberry not 

 much grown now, though it was once highly esteemed. It requires 



