PROFUSION OF ELOOMS, ETC. 63 



Without presuming that the blooming period of straw- 

 berries has aught to do with the period at which they ripen 

 their fruit, as it is well known some mature quickly after 

 blooming, while others occupy a greater length of time, 

 yet as we went among our strawberry beds, we could but 

 note that of Wilson, Downer and Nicanor quite a show of 

 flowers appeared. Large Early Scarlet, Green Prolific, 

 La Constante, Triomphe de Gand, Jucunda, arid Lady 

 Finger had each a few, while Ida, Hovey, Lucas, Napo- 

 leon III, Agriculturist, Kramer, Bishop, French's Seedling, 

 King Arthur, and many more, had scarce a bloom open. 



PROFUSION OF BLOOMS, 



AND WHAT TO DO, ETC. 



Years ago we wrote as follows, but deem it to-day ap- 

 plicable, and so quote one of our old articles : The pro- 

 fusion of bloom on my dwarf pears admonishes me of 

 what must be required of the roots to enable them to set 

 and hold their fruit. v I know they will set ; but soon after 

 that, unless the roots are all vigorous and supply food 

 in abundance, more or less, and perhaps all, will drop; 

 :so now is my time to go among them and clip away. 

 I know it seems bad at first view, but all horticultur- 

 ists must remember that it takes time to mature fruit or 

 flower ; such creations are not like mechanics, the work 

 of hands, and controlled by man at will, but must be con- 

 trolled by the laws of nature while guided by the hand of 

 So let us cut away as soon as the flower opens, if 



