ORIGIN AND BOTANY 115 



The species that was to contribute the attribute of 

 size to the modern strawberry was introduced into Europe 

 in 1712 by a French officer named Frezier, who found it 

 in his travels through South America. F. chiloensis is 

 indigenous to Chile and other parts of the coast region of 

 North and South America. Frezier found it in Chile, 

 both wild and cultivated, and was so much impressed 

 with the size of its berries he described them as "th< 

 size of hen's eggs" that he determined to carry it to 

 his home in Marseille. The plants of this first importa- 

 tion are thought to have come from Concepcion, Chile, 

 and not from the island of Chiloe. It is related that during 

 the long voyage the supply of water nearly gave out and 

 Frezier was obliged to divide his own allowance with his 

 plants. Five plants survived. Unfortunately, these were 

 all pistillate, so that for many years there was complaint 

 that the Chilean was unproductive. Some of the later 

 importations were hermaphrodite and were fairly pro- 

 ductive. 



One of the original plants was set near Brest, France, 

 and was the foundation of a notable commercial straw- 

 berry industry at that point ; in 1857 there were nearly 500 

 acres of the Chilean at Brest. In 1727 it was introduced 

 into England by Philip Miller, but found little favor there. 

 It was not grown in Europe to any extent except at Brest. 

 In 1766 Duchesne noted that its cultivation had been 

 abandoned "on account of its sterility." Later importa- 

 tions were more satisfactory, but the species was always 

 considered a shy bearer, and tender. 



The Chilean did not vary materially under cultivation. 

 In 1824, a century after it was introduced, Barnet knew 

 of but two, possibly three, varieties. These differed 

 mainly in the color of the fruit. The flavor of the Chilean 



