612 [ THE SMALL FRUITS. 



THE STRAWBERRY. 



The Strawberries grown in these Islands belong to 

 three species : 



T. Fragtiria vesca, L. ROSACEAE ; the Wild of 

 Wood strawberry, known at the local market as Maltese 

 Strawberry (Fraula Maltia). This is by far the straw- 

 berry which is grown more extensively and is universally 

 appreciated on account of its strong perfume and delicacy 

 of flavour. There is only one variety in cultivation, the 

 slight differences in size, colour and tenderness being 

 dependent on the sort of soil where it is grown and the 

 cultivation to which it is submitted, and also to the diffe- 

 rent epochs at which the fruit attains maturity, that 

 maturing in full season, in May, being often larger and 

 better than the fruit maturing earlier or later. This 

 strawberry has been cultivated extensively for centuries, 

 and it is probable that it has acquired quite fixed cha- 

 racters which entitle it to be considered as a distinct 

 local variety. The hamps are borne erect, but the fruit 

 is more or less pendulous, globose, or broadly and 

 obtusely conical, of a lively vermillion colour, with white 

 flesh, very slightly tinged pink. The fruit begins to 

 mature early in April, and the production continues 

 without intermission until July, ceasing altogether to- 

 wards the close of that month. 



2. Fragaria alpina, Pers. =F. semperflorens, Duch. 

 This is the Alpine strawberry which has become recently 

 a favourite with many continental growers. Several 

 sorts of Alpine strawberries have been imported in these 

 Islands from time to time, but their cultivation has never 

 been undertaken on an important scale, nor is it likely 

 that the Alpine strawberry will ever displace the local 

 wood strawberry in popular favour. The best sort is 

 probably the perpetual or "four season" Alpine straw- 



