l8o MODERN STRAWBERRY GROWING 



is small, oblong or sharp-pointed, having 

 varieties that are either red or white. The 

 plants are thin and very slender, with leaflets 

 of a pale-green colour. This was of the 

 type of our first strawberries quite similar to 

 the Fressant. 



These European types, which are grown 

 in some parts of continental Europe, especi- 

 ally in France and Switzerland, are, however, 

 in England and America, but little more than 

 rarities or curiosities. This being the case, 

 it is more desirable to direct attention to the 

 class of large American and European straw- 

 berries. This latter type, although profit- 

 ably grown in all temperate countries, seems 

 to have come to great prominence first in 

 England, where considerable experimenting 

 was done. It is furthermore the only Ameri- 

 can market strawberry. 



The common small species of eastern 

 America, which is known to botanists as 

 Fragaria Firginiana, was the first foreign 

 strawberry to reach Europe. Mention, as 

 well as the first distinct record of this event, 

 was made in 1624 by Jean and Vespasian 

 Robin, who were at that time gardeners to 

 Louis XIII. No new or striking forms were 



