SEXUALITY OF THE STBAWBEBBY. 11 



The introduction of the Hovey in 1834 proved that it 

 was possible to raise large and productive varieties of 

 the indigenous species, and while a few cultivators may 

 be said to have taken the hint, or avail themselves of 

 this discovery, the larger majority continued to import 

 varieties of the Chili Strawberry only to be sadly disap- 

 pointed with the result, for, with few exceptions, these 

 are of little value for cultivating in this country. 



SEXUALITY OF THE STBAWBERBY. 



As the Strawberry belongs to the Rose Family, its 

 flowers should in their natural state contain both 

 stamens and pistils, and they usually do, and the flowers 

 are said to be perfect or bi-sexual. But when plants are 

 taken from their native habitats and placed under cul- 

 tivation, they often assume forms quite different from 

 their natural ones. Sometimes a particular organ is 

 suppressed, while others are enlarged, and thus we pro- 

 duce deformities and monstrosities among almost every 

 family of cultivated Dlants. 



Fig. 1. CROSS SECTION, 



The effects of stimulation or starvation, exposure and 

 protection are different upon different species of plants. 

 The effect of stimulation, through cultivation, upon the 

 Rose proper appears to have forced the stamens to en- 

 large and become petals circling inward, and smother- 



