308 Cincinnati Horticulhiral Society. 



Perhaps the most important, is the conchiding " report on 

 the cuhivation of the strawberry," made June 13th, which is 

 as follows : — 



" The committee appointed two years ago, at the request of N. Long- 

 WOTH, Esq., to investigate the character and habits of the strawberry, hav- 

 ing had the subject under consideration, beg leave to report: — 



" That after numerous experiments made by the members of the commit- 

 tee, relative to the character of the plant, and its productive qualities, they 

 have unanimously arrived at the following conclusions : — 



"1. That strawberry plants raised from seed, like many other plants, are 

 liable to run into diversified varieties, and a peculiarity in these varieties, is 

 the irregularity of the reproductive or sexual organs. 



" 2. That a few varieties have the flowers perfect in the sexual organs, and 

 present the stamens and pistils both fully developed in each flower. Such 

 flowers may produce a good crop of medium sized fruit, as we have wit- 

 nessed this season, in the cultivation of the La Grange, (a variety of the 

 Haut Bois,) in the White Pine, and in the Monthly Alpine. 



" 3. Another class, which is numerous and embraces the best varieties 

 cultivated in this neighborhood, has the female or pistillate organs fully 

 developed, and the male or staminate organs so imperfect, that at first 

 glance they appear to be wanting ; but a critical examination and dissection 

 of the flower will disclose them, few in number, and so imperfect in anthers 

 and pollen, that they appear incapable of fertilizing the stigmas ; conse- 

 quently, they are termed pistillate or female plants, and require a staminate 

 plant near them to furnish the fertilizing powers ; for without staminate 

 plants the crop will be small and the berries imperfect. Hovey's seedling 

 plant will illustrate this class. 



" 4. Other varieties are perfect in the male or staminate organs, with the 

 pistils imperfect. Such plants will produce an imperfect crop, although 

 some flowers may have perfect pistils, and produce the berries of large 

 size ; but under the most favorable circumstances they will fail to mature an 

 abundant crop of fruit. 



" It may be proper here to state, that these varieties have a strong growth, 

 producing vigorous runners, and when planted with pistillate plants, within 

 two or three years, they occupy all the ground, and the cultivator, who is 

 ignorant of their habits, generally concludes that his productive plants have 

 become barren ; when, after proper examination, he would see thai the pis- 

 tillate plants had been displaced by the rapid growth of the staminates, and 

 the quantity of fruit proportionately diminished. 



" There are other varieties so defective in the pistils or female organs, as 

 to be completely sterile, and fail to produce fruit, either in their native state 

 or under the most careful cultivation. 



" A majority of the committee also express the opinion, that the varieties 

 mentioned never change their character, so as to be transferred from one 

 class to another, but continue their original distinction in the runners and 

 remain the same under all circumstances of cultivation. 



