and .means of producing good crops. 259 



organs to the hull, but the latter so small as to be incapable of 

 impregnating the female. In this variety, which I consider 

 far superior to Keen's, Methven Castle, or the Pine, it 

 amounts to a complete separation of the sexes; neither will 

 produce a perfect fruit when separated from all others, nor 

 would either ever produce a plant of a different character 

 were they to run for fifty years. Many intelligent horticul- 

 turists, and among them the elder Prince, have an idea that 

 the strawberry vine becomes barren by running. He inferred 

 this; for where he had both bearing and barren vines in a bed, 

 in two or three years the former disappeared entirely. The 

 reason for this I have stated. 



I intended writing a few lines only, but knew not where to 

 stop. When your strawberry is in blossom I will again trou- 

 ble you with my views of its character. The question has 

 been lately started in England, whether all strawberries are 

 mere varieties, or whether there be different species. I con- 

 sider this question settled by the fact, that the Hautboy straw- 

 berry and some others cannot be impregnated by the Hudson, 

 Virginia Scarlet, or our native strawberry. 



Yours, truly, N. Longworth. 



Cincinnati, Oct., 1841. 



P. S. J\Iaij 16, 1842. — My plants are now in blossom, 

 and young fruit. I have plants, with males of the Hudson 

 variety near them, and not a blossom will fail to produce a 

 perfect fruit. As an experiment, I placed a vigorous plant 

 where it could be impregnated by no other variety, and the 

 result is, what the blossom satisfied me it would be, it will not 

 produce a perfect fruit. But this is a vigorous and hardy 

 variety, and my present impression is, that it will prove su- 

 perior to Keen's seedling in all respects. In my opinion, its 

 Ijcing defective in the male organs increases its value; but it 

 is necessary that those cultivating it should be informed of it, 

 and plant a few vines, perfect in the male organs, near them. — 



No subject is of more importance to the horticulturist than 

 the unsettled question in relation to the existence of separate 

 sexes in the strawberry plant. Though we have been well 

 aware that there w eve fertile and sterile plants, yet we have 

 been unwilling to believe that there existed separate male and 

 female flowers, amounting to a complete separation of the sex- 



