128 CULTURE OF THE STRAWBERRY. 



seen, both wild and cultivated, I have met with one only, 

 where the defect in the one organ or the other, was not appar- 

 ent, and in that the fruit was very small. I have never seen 

 a pistillate plant (one in which the female organs predomin- 

 ate), that would by itself produce any perfect fruit. Stamin- 

 ate plants (those in which the male organs predominate), 

 where partially productive, generally produce the sweetest 

 and most highly -flavored fruit. In certain soils and certain 

 seasons, Keen's seedling, Wilmot's, the Iowa, and some other 

 staminate varieties, will produce half a crop. 



Where our horticulturists raise from seed, all the staminate 

 plants that are entirely barren, are of course thrown away, 

 and the few staminates that produce a partial crop of large 

 fniit retained. A pistillate plant, that, mixed with others, 

 bears a full crop of large berries, is transplanted as a treasure, 

 into a bed by itself, for increase. The gardener is the next 

 season surprised to find it wholly barren, and after one or two 

 trials, throws it away. 



The nurseryman, within a space of 100 feet square, culti- 

 vates twenty or more varieties, and a large portion of them 

 are always staminate, and impregnate the pistillate varieties. 

 Fruit not being their object, their attention is not directed to 

 their bearing, and the failure of a full crop, in any variety, is 

 attributed to frost, or accident, or its being a bad bearer. Of 

 this we have a strong instance in Hovey's seedling. It is 

 eleven years since he raised this plant ; he has increased it 

 extensively for sale. Six years since, I made known the de- 

 fect in the male organs of the plant, and drew his attention 

 to it ; and asserted that an acre of them, separated from all 

 others, would not produce a perfect berry. Until 1842, he 

 continued to contend, and was positive, that his plant was 

 perfect in both organs. In 1 842, he admitted in his Magazine 

 its defect in the male organs. In 1844, he went back to his 

 old doctrine, as will be seen by his Magazine ; and it was not 

 until the August No. of his Magazine of the present year. 



