VARIETIES AND THEIR CLASSIFICATION. 473 



other remaining imperfect, has given rise to the theory of strictly 

 barren (staminate) and fertile (pistillate) plants, which, when once 

 formed, it is well known, seldom change. We coincide with Mr. 

 Downing, " that the organs are always present, though imperfectly 

 developed," and that when " deficient in pistils, (see Fig. 1,) they are 

 called male plants ; if deficient in stamens, (see Fig. 2,) female plants, 

 the terms are incorrect ; " yet these terms have become so commonly 

 accepted, that we have, for the better understanding, continued their use. 



This deficiency in the one or other organ arising from the original 

 state of cultivation, cannot be changed by placing the plant in dif- 

 ferent soil and preserving an even temperature. The runners will, 

 when grown in open air and usual cultivation, in nine hundred and 

 ninety-five instances out of every thousand, continue to maintain the 

 habit of the parent plant. A change from imperfect or perfect con- 

 struction in the flower of the Strawberry cannot be depended on from 

 a plant whose habit is once established, by means simply of varied 

 cultivation, although very high and exciting cultivation from enrich- 

 ing of animal manures, will often produce over-luxuriance of foliage, 

 with corresponding decrease of fruit-stems ; hence, the necessity of 

 forming beds or plantations of the two distinct fully developed plants, 

 and also the care requisite to prevent the staminate or male plants 

 from occupying too much ground, their supply of food derived from 

 the root, being given to creation of new plants by means of runners 

 instead of fruit, as in the pistillate or female variety. 



With this understanding, therefore, that varieties are continually 

 being produced, in which one organ is most prominently developed, 

 and measurably to the destruction of the whole as a fruit-bearing 

 flower, it has become a requisite in planting, to secure such propor- 

 tion of fruit-bearing or pistillate plants with the fructifying or stami- 

 nate varieties as to return the desired yield of fruit. The pistillates, 

 being regarded as the female, are counted valuable in newly formed 

 beds as of ten to one of staminates or males. 



Varieties, however, exist, like the Large Early Scarlet, Burr's Old 

 Seedling, and Longworth's Prolific, which have generally been class- 

 ed as staminate or male plants, and yet produce abundance of fruit. 

 These varieties possess both organs perfect, in proportion of about 

 three out of five flowers, and we have therefore classed them as her- 

 maphrodite. 



Varieties and their Classification. The varieties of this fruit have 

 within ten years past become so numerous as to be burdensjome to the 

 author who describes, as well as the amateur or nurseryman who 

 grows, while for all practical and useful purposes, but very few are 

 retained as desirable to cultivate, where quantity of produce and char- 

 acter, or rather flavor in fruit is expected. 



The character exhibited in varieties often marks their parentage, 

 yet, as it is known that a plant can be fertilized by two or more varie- 



