ONE OF THE RELIABLE FORCING VARIETIES. A FAIR CROP IN SIGHT 



The Forcing of Strawberries 



ONE phase of strawberry produc- 

 tion which appears to be of in- 

 creasing attractiveness is the 

 growing of potted plants and' the 

 production in the winter season of high- 

 quahty strawberries under glass. The 

 number of inquiries we receive concerning 

 this Une of woric steadily grows, and that 

 the work itself is destined to great popu- 

 larity is not to be doubted. There are 

 many features of this work to be consid- 

 ered, however, before one enters exten- 

 sively upon it. 1 he cost of production 

 of strawberries in this way is very large 

 and therefore the market may never be 

 considered a popular one. Indeed, the 

 demand for strawberries grown from potted 

 plants must come from those whose 

 wealth make it possible for them to pay 

 high prices for the sake of producing 

 unique and perhaps artistic effects at soci- 

 ety dinners. It ma\' be said then, that it is in 

 the neighborhood of cities of considerable 

 size only that a hot-house plant gi\ en over 

 to the production of potted strawberries 

 might reasonably be expected to be profit- 

 able. It must be borne in mind also that 

 the growers of strawberries in the South are 

 steadily improving their methods and ad- 

 vancing the season of ripening as well as 

 extending it. Last winter Florida was 

 shipping berries to the North in consider- 

 able quantities as early as the first of 

 December, and there was no actual ces- 



sation of the flow of the delicious fruit 

 from the South from that time on until 

 the Northern-grown fruit was on the mar- 

 ket. VVe have said this much by way of 

 caution, lest the statements one reads so 

 often in some of the prints might lead 

 our friends to see a bonanza in this line 

 of strawberry production. 



That I he work is interesting, however, 

 and under favorable conditions, such as 

 we have indicated, may be made profit- 

 able, there can be no doubt. We there- 

 fore are presenting herewith extended quo- 

 tations from IJidletin No. 231 of Cornell 

 Agricultural College on the forcing of 

 strawberries, which will give to those who 

 contemplate engaging in work of this kind 

 some valuable suggestions. This bulletin 

 treats upon the following points: The 

 varieties best adapted to forcing; the length 

 of time required to mature a crop from the 

 time of bringing in the plants from the 

 cold frame; the results of temperature on 

 the crop, and economy in the handling of 

 the plants. We (juote: 



A Discussion of Forcing Varieties 



Taking up the first question, there have 

 been tested nearly one hundred American 

 varieties, eight French varieties and five 

 well known English forcing varieties. Of 

 this number, but few have been found 

 of value for forcing; and at the present 



Page 169 



time, the main crop for forcing this winter 

 consists of but three varieties, and these 

 of American origin. Varieties of English 

 origin, popular abroad both for growing 

 in the open and for forcing, appear to de- 

 teriorate when brought to ihis country, 

 rarely holding their excellence n ore ihan 

 two seasons, even with careful selection of 

 runners and high cultivation. The French 

 varieties of the Hautboy type, producing 

 fruit of but medium size and of a peculiar 

 musky flavor, are not liked by the average 

 consumer. .Again, the long fruiting peiiod 

 of this type of berry is a defect wliere 

 successive crops are wanted in the same 

 house. The decisive summer peculiar to 

 this country has probably had a tendency 

 to develop varieties that mature crops of 

 fruit quickly, ripening the larger part of 

 the crop within a few days. T his habit 

 is one that is essential to a good forcing 

 variety, so that one crop ma.\' be gathered 

 within a short period and the pl.mts then 

 all removed at the same time in order thai 

 the house may be cleared foi the next 

 crop. 



At first thoughr, it would appear that 

 an extra-early variety would be preferable 

 lo a midseason or later variety for forcing, 

 but early varieties produce only a small 

 crop of fruits and the berries average small 

 in size. 'I'his coupled with the fact that 

 with greenhouse operations one can to a 

 large extent control the seasi ns and ripen 



