FRUIT-GARDENING. 199 



smal A native of Britain. Some of the varieties are in 

 in August and September, they will produce fine fruit the follow- 

 ing season, and will bear in full perfection the second summer. 

 Some, however, prefer spring planting, which answers very well 

 if done in damp weather. 



A plantation of the Alpine yields fruit the same year that 

 it is made. The Wood and the Alpine are often cultivated 

 from seed, which generally produces fine fruit. The other 

 species are uniformly propagated by offsets, except the intention 

 be to try for new varieties. The Alpine and Wood species 

 may be planted in situations rather cool and shady, in order 

 that they may produce their fruit late in the season, which is 

 desirable. The Strawberry, with a little trouble of choosing 

 a succession of sorts, may be forced so as to be had at the dessert 

 every month in the year ; though during the winter months 

 it has not much flavor. 



Some gardeners lay straw an inch or two thick over their 

 beds in March, and set fire to it, in order to promote a stocky 

 growth of plants and early fruit ; others recommend mowing 

 off the tops of such as are not required to fruit early, while 

 they are in blossom, with a view to obtain a crop of Straw- 

 berries late in the season. 



The London Horticultural Catalogue contains the names of 

 about one hundred and fifty varieties of all the species, which 

 are classed according to their nature, color, etc. Class 1. 

 Scarlet Strawberries; 2. Black Strawberries; 3. Pine Straw- 

 berries ; 4. Chili Strawberries ; 5. Hautbois Strawberries ; 

 6. Green Strawberries. 7. Alpine and Wood Strawberries. 

 To select all the most esteemed from this, or any other exten- 

 sive catalogue, is a difficult task. The following description of 

 species and varieties may serve to direct the choice. 



SELECT DESCRIPTIVE LIST OF STRAWBERRIES. 



THE WOOD STRAWBERRY, Fragaria vesca, with oval serrated 

 leaves; the fruit red, white, and green, which is round and 



