524 THE STRAWBERRY. 



On the other hand, the large growing Strawberries, including 

 our wild Scarlets, the Pines, and many other varieties raised 

 from these, have a strong tendency, when cultivated in rich 

 soil, to vary from the natural state ; and then many of the plants 

 become partially sterile or barren, because the flowers are in 

 an imperfect state that is, they are deficient either in stamens, 

 or pistils, and consequently the fruit either does not set at all, or 

 is small, and only grows to half its proper size. If they are 

 deficient in pistils (fig. 211, 2,), they are called male plants; 

 if deficient in stamens (fig. 3.), female plants but the terms 

 are incorrect ; for the organs are always present : though, in 

 these cases, they are imperfectly developed. 



It is easy to see, as this imperfect state grows out of the over- 

 luxuriance brought about by cultivation, that the sterile plants 

 will, when they appear in a bed, always have a tendency, by 

 the greater rapidity of their growth, to crowd the others out ; 

 and, as they also produce more runners, they always, unless 

 pains be taken to prevent it, are the first that offer a supply 

 for new plantations. Hence we see so many barren straw- 

 berry beds. 



Now as this barrenness arises from the deficiency of stamens, 

 or male organs, in the blossoms, it is well known that this bed, 

 which would otherwise bear but poorly, or not at all, is made to 

 produce a fine crop, if there is a bed along-side of it, or near 

 by, of plants (even of other sorts) which have an abundance 

 of male organs or stamens. And out of this fact grows the 

 practice recommended by Mr. Longworth, and which is so 

 successfully followed at Cincinnati, of always making a planta- 

 tion with a certain proportion of what he terms male plants 

 the only use of which is to supply stamens or pollen to the 

 other imperfect plants, having the pistils in excess. 



Every skilful practical cultivator very well knows that each 

 of these states of the Strawberry plant is an imperfect one; 

 and, therefore, the true course is not to waste the ground by 

 putting out barren or male plants, but carefully to select, when 

 there is any tendency to sterility, only runners from the most 

 fruitful perfect plants. This is easily done, by choosing such 

 plants, when in blossom, as have a natural proportion of stamens 

 and pistils or such as, when in fruit, show large, well-developed 

 trusses of fruit. Set a little stake down by these, and take 

 runners only from them, for your new plantation. In this way 

 ^and we have seen it repeatedly proved) good plantations will 

 be secured, with every plan* productive. 



It occasionally happens, from carelessness, that only imperfect 

 or half-sterile plants of a sort are cultivated in some neigh- 

 borhood, or in a whole county ; and this arises from the fact, 

 that none but imperfect plants may have been received by a 

 person ordering a new sort. In this case, either the sort may 



