1 6 Strawberry Culture 



and hoeing, and to have newly plowed ground that has not 

 been packed by the spring rains, it is a fact that plants may be 

 moved with less injury when they are dormant, or nearly so, 

 than at any other time. In early spring plants are full of stored- 

 up vitality, and a season of rest has fitted them for vigorous 

 growth as soon as the temperature of the air and soil will per- 

 mit. As soon as growth commences this stored-up substance 

 is drawn upon to produce new roots, leaves and blossoms, and 

 it is almost impossible to take up plants that have made new 

 rootlets without doing more or less injury. Not only this, but 

 there is a loss of valuable time. Whether the plants are set out 

 to bear or to grow plants from, they need every day of the grow- 

 ing season to complete the year's work. 



Sex in Strawberries 



Strawberry blossoms must be pollenized, or fertilized, before 

 fruit can be produced. This is accomplished when the pistil 

 has reached a receptive condition and pollen has been brought 

 to it, either by the wind or other means. The pollen is pro- 

 duced by the stamens, in great abundance. It is generally con- 

 ceded that pistillate varieties have no stamens and can produce 

 no pollen; but most of the so-called pistillate varieties do have a 

 few stamens and are to a certain extent self-fertilizing. Of course 

 if a blossom is strictly pistillate it has no stamens and produces 

 no pollen. Whether any variety is entirely without stamens is 

 a question, but growers can not afford to take any risk. The 

 safe way is to assume that all so-called pistillate varieties need 

 a bi-sexual or perfect flowering sort near by. Bi-sexual or per- 

 fect-flowering varieties vary greatly in their ability to produce 



