STRAWBERRIES. 11 



be in flower at the same time as the pistillate variety The neglect 

 of this precaution is a constantly recurring source of disappoint- 

 ment. Some growers recommend that every third plant in the row 

 be of some bi-sexual kind. The objection to this way in practice is 

 that the pistillate kinds, being often the strongest growers, may 

 soon crowd out the weaker variety ; and then, again, when this 

 plan is followed the plants when taken up are SD hopelessly mixed 

 as to be worthless for setting a new bed. 



Figure 2 shows the blossom of a bi-sexual or perfect flowering 

 variety, and this differs from Fig. 3 chiefly in having between the 

 petals and the pistils a ring of many stamens. This difference is 

 plainly seen in flowers of the different kinds by any one who will 

 take the pains to more than glance at them. It will be noticed that 

 Fig. 2 is shown with six petals and Fig. 3 five petals. This is not a 

 constant variation between the two kinds and is of no importance, 

 but it is thus shown to call attention to the difference in the num- 

 ber of their petals in varieties, and it is not uncommon to find a 

 strawberry blossom with seven petals, although the normal number 

 is five. Different flowers on the same plant even may vary in num- 

 ber of their petals. 



Dry Berries, "Nubbins." Sometimes the berries fail to fill 

 out evenly all over, or are small and mostly dry and hard or one 

 sided. This probably results ft om the pistils, or a part of them, 

 being injured by the frost, dry wind, or an unusually severe rain or 

 hail, which, by destroying the delicate pistils prevents the forma- 

 tion of seeds and the development of the berry adjoining, for it has 

 been conclusively proven that unless the seeds are perfected the 

 fleshy part near them does not fill out. Somet : mes the blossoms 

 are stung by a snout-beetle, then they hardly form berries at all. 



Picking and Marketing. If the berries are to be sold great 

 care should be taken to have them carefully picked. Green berries 

 are bad enough to have in a box, but, if they are to be shipped, 

 over-ripe ones will cause much more trouble, for they are sure to 

 decay before they reach their destination and to damage all the 

 good fruit. On this account the beds should be picked clean every 

 day in warm weather. The pickers will need careful .watching so 

 as to be sure they do not put poor berries in the bottom of the 

 boxes, and that they pick all the ripe berries so none will be left to 

 get over-ripe. It is always desirable to pick fruit, that is to be 

 shipped, in the cool of the day unless it should be wet. 



Gift packages holding twenty -four boxes are almost universally 

 used in this state. They cost about twenty cents per crate, includ- 

 ing bcxes and cover. They are always made so there is room to 

 heap up the boxes and to allow of a circulation of air through the 

 boxes. A box holding little more than a dry measure quart when 

 even full and nearly a liquid measure quart when heaped, is the 

 size generally used. It is called the scant quart box. 



Diseases. The strawberry is subject to several diseases, but 

 only one is very serious. It is commonly called u Leaf Blight," 



