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 

 fruit 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 se.edling. 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 1842, 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, 



