154 MODERN STRAWBERRY GROWING 



desirable to have each berry a thing of beauty 

 when placed upon the table. To most eyes a 

 rather long berry with a neck between the 

 hull and shoulder is particularly pleasing. 

 Good colour is also important. Some ber- 

 ries, otherwise good, have a dull, dead colour 

 that of itself condemns them. The brighter 

 and clearer the colour, whether scarlet or 

 crimson, the better. Some of the scarlet 

 berries are white inside. By most people a 

 berry is preferred that has a bright red flesh 

 all through. 



"Most important of all the qualities, 

 however, is the flavour, but for this we can 

 fix upon no uniform standard. Some per- 

 sons like an acid berry and some want a dead 

 sweet one, while others prefer some peculiar 

 flavour like that of the old French Haut- 

 bois or Alpine. * Every one to his own taste,' 

 but, whatever that is, the flavour must be 

 good of its kind. As a rule, a sweet berry 

 with a high flavour is preferred. This means 

 a proper mixture of sweetness and acidity, 

 which is the last analysis of the greatest 

 excellence, whether in fruits or in human 

 character. Fortunately the strawberry sea- 

 son is lengthened by the selection of early, 



