124 FRUIT BOOK. 



creased by seeds ; but unless, in the case of the 

 Wood, and Alpine sorts, this is rarely attempted. 



These sorts are thus raised by many. The seeds 

 are sown in the spring, in a bed of light, rich mould, 

 and by August the plants will be of a proper size for 

 setting out. These differ from other sorts in quick- 

 ness of bearing, as most others sown in the spring, 

 will not produce fruit under two years. The Alpine 

 will continue to bear fruit throughout the season ; 

 but although a constant succession of fruit is ob- 

 tained through the season of vegetation, the supply 

 is but very limited, and it is consequently not a pro- 

 fitable variety for common culture. There are a 

 number of fine varieties in general cultivation, pro- 

 lific, and of fine flavor. Among those we should 

 recommend Hovey's Seedling, a new and very large 

 variety ; Bishop's Orange, Warren's Seedling, and 

 the Early Virginia ; these are all desirable sorts ; the 

 last named variety is generally considered to be the 

 most profitable for an early market strawberry. 



" With respect to the season for planting this fruit, 

 opinions are somewhat at variance ; some recom- 

 mending autumn, and others, spring ; (we prefer the 

 latter in our region.) If the plants are strong, and 

 have been selected from the earliest runners, they 

 will succeed very well if planted in the fall. Gamier, 

 an English cultivator, makes his beds in August, or 

 as soon as the fruit is gathered. Keen, however, 

 says, he has " always found the spring better, plant- 

 ing them in beds containing three or four rows, and 

 the plants in each row at a certain distance from 



