neio varieties of Strawberries. 245 



growers have recommended; for our own part we prefer keep- 

 ing them until February or March, and then sow them in ))Ots or 

 pans, in the green-house, or in a cold frame. Make the soil rich and 

 fine in which the seed is sown, and keep them tolerably moist 

 until they vegetate, which will be in from one to four months. 



When the plants which appeared first have acquired a few 

 rough leaves, take them out of the seed pans or boxes, and place 

 them in small pots, one in each, and in this manner proceed un- 

 til May, when the whole should be set out in a well prepared 

 bed, placing the plants at a good distance from each other, where 

 they are to remain to fruit. The ground should be made tole- 

 rably fine and quite rich. Manage the plants in the same man- 

 ner as old beds, and keep nearly all the runners cut off until the 

 first fruit has appeared, so that the merit of a seedling may be 

 ascertained before it is propagated. The second year they will 

 produce fruit, when all their properties should be noted down 

 carefully, and those which are of a superior character retained 

 for cultivation, and the others rooted up and destroyed. The 

 second year, however, will not always thoroughly test the char- 

 acter of a fruit; and it would be better to let the plants bear an- 

 other season, when their superior strengih and vigorous condition 

 will enable them to produce large and fine sjiecimens of fruit. 



Almost every form, color and property, will be exhibited in 

 the fruit; some will be fine flavored but miserable bearers; some 

 great producers, but the fruit small; some with very large fruit, 

 but without any flavor; some coxcomb-shaped, others long, flat, 

 round, Stc; some smooth on the surface, others with the seeds 

 imbedded; some scarlet, others dark red, and all the interme- 

 diate shades of color; and a great variety of foliage will be 

 shown: the grower, when summing up the qualities of a fruit, 

 should take each into consideration, and give them their due 

 estimation. As a standard of excellence, a fruit should possess 

 nearly the following properties: vines hardy, capable of living 

 through our winters without injury; leaves large, not so nume- 

 rous as to shade the fruit too much; scapes of a moderate length, 

 so as to elevate the fruit above the ground, stout, and well 

 branched, with numerous peduncles ; floicers large, produced 

 tolerably early, and every one succeeded by a well shaped fruit; 

 fruit large, round or ovate, well formed, of a good color, and 

 polished surface; flesh firm, juicy, scarlet, without a core, of a 

 brisk rich gratelld flavor. 



The principal of these properties may be thus valued: — Har- 

 diness of the vines, 3; flavor, 3; size, 2; productiveness, 2; 

 firmness of flesh, 2; color, 1. The chance of raising a very 

 su])erior fruit may be considered as one to five hundred. 



When the grower has decided which to save and which to 

 reject, he should at once proceed to destroy those which are 



