202 THE STRAWBERRY IN NORTH AMERICA 



produced by hand-crossing may be self-pollinated if there 

 is no other variety blossoming at the same time within 

 about 500 feet; but this cannot be certain. Some of 

 the early strawberry breeders 

 took a middle course ; they 

 planted two varieties close 

 together at some distance 

 from other varieties, in the 

 expectation that they would 

 cross-pollinate naturally and 

 that the seedlings would com- 

 bine the qualities of both 

 parents. When one of the 

 varieties was a pistillate and 

 the other staminate, this 

 method was fairly satisfac- 

 tory ; but there was a large 

 element of uncertainty, be- 

 cause of the possibility of pollination from other sources. 

 The method used by Seth Boyden, originator of many 

 noted sorts, was to set four plants of the staminate variety 

 in a square, with one plant of a pistillate variety in the 

 center. These were given high culture and covered with 

 a small frame and sash before they bloomed. F. W. 

 Louden, originator of the Jessie, made his crosses on 

 plants in eight inch pots. These were kept in the cellar 

 through the winter and placed close together in hot beds 

 about the middle of March. The object was to bring 

 the plants into bloom two or three weeks before straw- 

 berries in the field, so that it would not be necessary to 

 cover the beds with sash to exclude insect visitors. Many 

 other methods of securing cross-pollination, without the 

 necessity of hand-crossing, have been tried. The Hovey, 



FIG. 23. A staminate blos- 

 som, showing the numerous yel- 

 low anthers, containing the pol- 

 len, surrounding the cone of green 

 pistils. A pistillate blossom lacks 

 well-developed stamens. 



