306 NEW AMERICAN ORCHARDIST. 



and continue it; and have no mixture of inferior sorts, 

 with the idea that such mixtures will improve. Some have 

 directed, in regard to the Alpines and Hautbois, that a cer- 

 tain proportion of male or sterile plants should be pre- 

 served. But the experience of Lindley and some others 

 seems opposed to this practice. These sterile plants, never 

 producing fruit, outgrow all the rest; they overrun those 

 which produce fruit, and soon take possession of the whole 

 soil ; they are neither useful nor necessary, but, on the 

 contrary, ruinous, as the whole bed soon becomes barren. 

 But by excluding the sterile plants in the beginning, the 

 whole will remain productive. 



As to the Alpines, Lindley directs to set them out in 

 August ; and by spring the beds will be covered with run- 

 ners : these are not to be disturbed or removed, as in the 

 case of other sorts ; for they will produce fruit during 

 autumn. 



Management of Alpine and other Sorts of Strawberries, 

 when large and late Crops are desired. The Alpine straw- 

 berries are chiefly valuable on account of their continuing 

 fruitful after all other varieties are gone. In order to make 

 the utmost of this valuable property which they possess, Mr. 

 John Williams, of Pitmaston, has directed (see Hort. Trans.) 

 to form the beds in August ; by spring the beds will be 

 well stocked with plants. When they have come into full 

 blossom in spring, cut off every flower, without injuring the 

 leaves. This operation is to be again repeated as soon as 

 a second set of blossoms appear. The third set of blos- 

 soms are suffered to remain ; and, the plants having by 

 this system accumulated strength, heavy crops are pro- 

 duced after other strawberries are gone, and when alone the 

 Alpine strawberries are highly valuable. 



Another mode has been stated, by which a large crop of 

 the common varieties of strawberries is produced in au- 

 tumn. When the first crop is gone, the plants are shorn 

 of every leaf, and at suitable intervals profusely watered : 

 by this mode, they not only renew their leaves, but a crop 

 of blossoms and fruit is produced. 



With regard to the produce of strawberries, all agree 

 that the crop of the second yeur is more valuable than any 

 succeeding crop. I will briefly detail a few of the most 

 approved modes in relation to this subject. 



