Varieties of Strawberries. 297 



ALPINE STRAWBERRIES. 



Alpines, White and Red. These are the Fragaria Vesca, the strawber- 

 ries of the ancients, and well worthy of a place in our gardens to-day. As 

 I have already stated, they are one of the most widely spread fruits in the 

 world ; for, while they take their name from the Alps, there are few mount- 

 ains, where the temperature is sufficiently cool, on which they are not 

 found, either in this country or abroad. In the high latitudes, they 

 descend into the fields, and grow wild everywhere. The berries are coni- 

 cal, medium to small in size, and the fruit-stalks rise above the leaves. In 

 flavor they are good, very delicate, but not rich. The plants are very 

 hardy, and moderately productive. Grown from the seed, they reproduce 

 themselves with almost unvarying similarity, but the young seedlings pro- 

 duce larger berries than the older plants. The foliage of the White variety 

 is of a lighter green than that of the Red, but in other respects there are 

 no material differences, except in the color. 



White and Red Monthly Alpines. Varieties similar to the above, with 

 the exception that they bear continuously through the summer and fall, 

 if moisture is maintained and high culture given. If much fruit is desired, 

 all runners should be cut, and the ground made rich. We are often misled 

 by synonyms of these old varieties, as, for instance, Des Quatre Saisons, 

 Mexican Everbearing, Gallande, etc. They are all said to be identical 

 with the common monthly Alpines. 



White and Red Bush Alpines. A distinct class, that produces no run- 

 ners, but are propagated by dividing the roots. In other respects, the 

 plant and fruit are similar to the common Alpines. No matter how small 

 the division, if a little root is attached, it will grow readily. They make 

 pretty and useful edgings for garden walks, and with good culture bear 

 considerable fruit, especially in the cool, moist months of autumn. Because, 

 throwing out no runners, they give very little trouble, and I have ever 

 found them the most satisfactory of the monthly strawberries. I see no 

 reason why a good demand for them, as a fancy fruit, could not be created. 

 Be this as it may, there are many who are sufficiently civilized to consider 

 the home market first ; and a dainty dish of strawberries on an October 

 evening, and a wood-fire blazing on the hearth, form a combination that 

 might reconcile misanthropy to the "ills of life." Mr. Downing states that 

 the Bush Alpines were first brought to this country by the late Andrew 

 Parmentier, of Brooklyn. 



Wood Strawberries y White and Red. These are the English phases of 

 the Alpine, or F. Vesca species. Their fruit is not so conical as the Alpine 



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