Cultivation of the Strawberry, 415 



the ground one inch thick with wheat chaff. This pre- 

 vents evaporation, protects the fruit from the earth, im- 

 proves the flavor, and will greatly increase the size. 



After the above directions, to ensure success, it will he 

 necessary to procure the finest and most productive varie- 

 ties. I would recommend Hovey's Seedling, Female Hud- 

 son Bay, Large Lima, Bishop's Orange, Bayne's Prolific, 

 as being splendid varieties and exceedingly productive. I 

 believe every flower on the above varieties are female, and 

 if planted separately will fail to yield abundantly ; but if 

 planted in proximity with the Melon or Southborough Seed- 

 ling, every flower will be impregnated and will produce 

 enormous crops. 



John H, Bayne. 



October, 1843. 



We believe it is now the generally received opinion of all 

 intelligent cultivators, that there is no necessity of making 

 any distinction in regard to the sexual character of the 

 plants when forming new beds. The idea of male and fe- 

 male flowers, first originated, we believe, by Mr. Long worth, 

 of Ohio, is now considered as exploded ; at least, so far as 

 we have been able to learn, since the subject was agitated 

 in our pages of last season, — as well as from our ov\^n ex- 

 perience, — such is the opinion expressed by those who have 

 cultivated the strawberry to much extent. 



We were at first induced to think the theory of Mr. 

 Longworth one of some truth, from the fact, that a bed 

 of our seedling variety accidentally failed to produce a 

 crop, when at some distance from any other kind, and as 

 we knew there could be no harm in planting some other 

 sort, with large prominent stamens, in near proximity, we 

 recommended that method in our article annexed to Mr. 

 Longworth's communication, (Vol. VIII., p. 259,) not be- 

 cause we considered his theory as founded in truth, but from 

 the circumstance that it appeared plausible, and until the 

 true cause of the occasional barrenness of beds could be 

 accounted for, this would be a prevention of the loss of a 

 crop. By reference to our Retrospective view of Horticvd- 

 ture for 1842, in our January number, it will be seen that 

 we there stated, (p. 4,) that much information had been 

 elicited, in relation to the ^'■sterile and fertile character of 

 several of the larger kinds of strawberries," but that the 



