THE STRAWBERRY 271 



So the plant experimenter who would under- 

 take the task of eliminating the seeds from the 

 strawberry need not hesitate for fear of succeed- 

 ing too soon. Unless nature should produce a 

 chance sport that is without seeds, or nearly so, 

 somewhat like the nearly stoneless plum, the task 

 of removing the seeds of the strawberry by mere 

 selection would prove an arduous one. 



Yet it can doubtless be accomplished; and the 

 game is thoroughly worth the candle. 



ORIGIN OF THE CULTIVATED STRAWBERRY 



Partly because all strawberries are so much 

 alike, it has been unusually difficult to trace the 

 origin of this fruit. But it is known that the 

 modern varieties have been developed in a period 

 of not more than two centuries. 



The strawberry has indeed been under cultiva- 

 tion for an indefinite period. But the ancients 

 were doubtless content, as we know that the 

 moderns were until a few generations ago, with a 

 small berry scarcely superior to the ones that 

 grow wild in many regions of America. The sys- 

 tematic cultivation of the fruit began in England 

 after new species of strawberry were introduced 

 from North and South America. 



But the really notable progress did not take 

 place until the South American species known 



