330 CONSTITUTION OF THE PLANT 



THE FLOWER 



strike three or four inches from the plant; 

 with long internodes, twelve or fourteen in- 

 ches. The length to be desired depends on 

 the method of training, whether in hill, matted- 

 row, or hedge-row. 



The constitution of the plant. 



By constitution is meant vigor, hardiness, 

 productiveness, and resistance to disease. The 

 ideal strawberry must be vigorous, hardy, pro- 

 ductive, and immune to diseases in the regions 

 in which it is grown. The constitution of a 

 plant can be determined only after observa- 

 tions extending over two or more seasons. 



Vigor is a relative term as commonly used, 

 since it depends on character of soil, food- 

 supply, rainfall, and temperature as well as 

 on a character in the variety itself. Vigor, 

 as the word is used here, is an inherent char- 

 acter of a variety and must not be confused 

 with health; manifestly a variety inherently 

 vigorous may make a weak growth when in 

 ill-health. Vigor of top is often correlated 

 with a large or deeply penetrating root-sys- 

 tem. Strawberries are described as vigorous, 

 of medium vigor, or weak. 



Hardiness must be considered in selecting 

 varieties, and is sometimes helpful in deter- 

 mining the identity of a strawberry. Under 

 hardiness must be included ability to with- 

 stand heat as well as cold; adaptability to 

 dryness and wetness of air and soil may well 

 be considered under hardiness also. Soil and 

 care have much influence on the degree of 

 hardiness. Varieties are described as hardy, 

 half-hardy, or tender. 



Productiveness is a distinctive character of 

 strawberries, and is one of prime importance 

 to the grower. Productiveness is influenced by 

 every condition of environment; but, on the 

 other hand, varieties under seemingly identical 

 conditions produce widely varying amounts 

 of fruit. The record yield east of the Rocky 

 Mountains seems to be 16,000 quarts to the 

 acre; in California, a record of 40,000 is re- 

 ported. Yield is usually denoted by the terms 

 very productive, productive, and unproductive. 



Varieties exhibit widely varying capacity to 

 resist diseases and insects, some sorts being 

 wholly immune to this or that pest, while 

 others under the same condition are so sus- 

 ceptible as to be worthless. Leaf-blight is the 

 trouble from which growers most desire im- 

 munity in a variety. It is difficult to make 

 sure whether a variety is inherently immune 

 or is so for a season because of conditions 

 unfavorable to the pest, therefore observations 

 must be made over several seasons. Few 

 growers spray strawberries, hence the impor- 

 tance of disease-resistance as an inherent char- 

 acter in a variety. 



The foliage. 



The size, shape, color, texture, and mark- 

 ings on the surfaces of leaves are quite dis- 

 tinctive of species and varieties of strawber- 



ries. The leaf-stem in different varieties 

 varies from long to short and from stout to 

 slender. The leaves of some varieties are 

 erect and those of others prostrate; the latter 

 are not to be desired, since they are more 

 likely to be infected by mildew, mold, and 

 leaf-blight, and the flowers are not so well 

 protected from frost. 



The size of the leaf is a good diagnostic 

 character; large size usually denotes vigor. 

 Thickness is also a good distinguishing mark. 

 Thick leaves are desirable because they are 

 not so badly torn by wind nor scorched by 

 sun. The thin leaves of European straw- 

 berries usually suffer in the scorching sun of 

 the New World. Leaflets in different varieties 

 vary greatly in shape and color, some being 

 nearly round and others almost lanceolate; 

 in color, the variations run from yellowish- 

 green to very dark green. 



The flower. 



Very plain marks of distinction between 

 varieties are found in the reproductive organs. 

 The flowers may be perfect, semi-perfect, or 

 imperfect. The flowers of most varieties are 

 perfect, since it is troublesome to find pollen- 

 izers for sorts with imperfect flowers. Some 

 growers believe that varieties with imperfect 

 flowers are more productive and less tender to 

 cold. 



The time of flowering is important in classi- 

 fication. Relative time varies but little in 

 varieties, so that blooming season is a safe 

 mark of distinction. This life-event is im- 

 portant to the grower because early-blooming 

 sorts may be caught by frosts in cold climates. 

 Season of bloom is denominated as early, 

 medium, or late. The difference between early 

 and late may range from two or three days 

 to three weeks. There is no correlation be- 

 tween blooming-time and ripening-time. 



The stem of the flower offers several val- 

 uable distinctive marks. Thus, it may be long 

 or short; stout or slender; erect, semi-erect, 

 or prostrate; single or branching. It is of ad- 

 vantage that a variety have stout, erect fruit- 

 stalks that hold the berries off the ground 

 and that are not easily broken by pickers. 

 On the other hand, it is not desirable that 

 the flower-stalk rise above the foliage, where 

 flower and fruit would be exposed to frost, 

 beating rains, and scorching suns. 



There are marked variations in varieties in 

 the size, color, and position of the calyx, but 

 not much variability in this structure in ber- 

 ries of any one variety. The calyx may be 

 large or small; raised on the neck of the 

 berry, attached to the flat base, or sunken 

 into the fruit; may be leaf-like or bract-like; 

 bright, dull, or dingy green; and may part 

 from the fruit easily or with difficulty. It is 

 desirable that the calyx be large, bright in 

 color, and that it part readily from the fruit. 

 Now and then a so-called shuckless variety is 

 found in which the calyx remains on the plant 

 when the berry is picked. 



