46 The Strawberry Book. 



For hybridizing, no better pistillate plant can be found 

 than the Hovey. For a fertilizer La Constants may be 

 used with a tolerable assurance of good results. These 

 two standard kinds by their union gave us the President 

 Wilder, which combines the good qualities of both. In- 

 stead of La Constante which is not without its defects 

 choice may be made of Triomphe de Gand, or some 

 of the immense but shy bearing English kinds. I have 

 seedlings from Hovey crossed with Admiral Dundas, 

 from which I look for some curious results. 



Again, Hovey crossed with Jucunda ought to give 

 plants bearing fruit as immense as the latter and as good 

 as the former. A distinguished experimenter tells me 

 that his seedlings from the Jucunda come weak. I have 

 found this true, having thrown away this year some 

 showy Jucunda seedlings ; but uniting this kind with the 

 Hovey we ought to have fine results. 



Lennig's White and the Bicton Pine crossed should give 

 a berry as large and abundant as the former, with the 

 shape of the latter, and a mingling of the high flavor 

 of both. 



The Wilson, crossed with a high-flavored, productive 

 kind, say the Bonte de St. Julien, would be likely to give 

 good results. 



The Agriculturist presents a very fixed type, one hard 

 to break, its seedlings all having a family resemblance. 

 Some decent varieties have been raised, it is said, from the 

 Agriculturist ; but I do not believe that a very good one 

 will be obtained without hybridizing, and perhaps La 

 Constante or Napoleon III., strawberries far removed 

 from the Agriculturist, might break up its fixed habit. 



If the experimenter has size alone in view, he might 

 cross Dr. Nicaise with Admiral Dundas ; but the resulting 

 seedlings would be valueless, save as curiosities. Where 

 it is desirable to communicate firmness of flesh, nothing 

 can surpass La Constante as a means of effecting this. 



