5 8 Strawberry Culture 



A way that I have found far more satisfactory is to mix the 

 seed with some sand and put it in a flower pot, any time from 

 fall till spring, and sink it in the ground and cover with a brick. 

 The north side of a building where the pot will stay frozen is a 

 good place. The pot of sand and seed may be sowed in the open 

 in early spring, just as one would sow lettuce seed. It comes 

 up promptly and there is a whole season for the seedlings to get 

 into good bearing condition for the next year. 



Introducing New Varieties 



There is, I think, a mistaken idea in some quarters that there 

 is a great deal of money to be made in originating and intro- 

 ducing new varieties. There was once, but that time has passed. 

 In 1873 I sold the Sterling and Margaret (not the present Mar- 

 garet, but one that long since passed from view) for $1200. In 

 1894 I purchased the Wm. Belt from the originator for $100. 

 Some good varieties that have been introduced on a commission 

 basis did not bring the originator one-half that amount. I be- 

 lieve that disappointment is almost invariably in store for the 

 owner of a seedling, who expects to make a large amount out 

 of it. So well satisfied am I on this point, that I would advise 

 any grower who has a seedling of such value that it gives him 

 an advantage over his competitors, to hold on to it and keep his 

 advantage. However, from long experience, I will give a little 

 advice to those who do not see fit to take the foregoing. 



In the first place, be very careful to whom you intrust plants 

 for testing. Many an originator has been robbed of the results 

 of his labor by giving a few plants of his seedling to a friend or 

 neighbor, who sold them to some plant grower who was uu- 



