THE GARDEN. 



99 



Compare the leaves and blossoms of the strawberry, the apple, and the 

 wild rose ; also the fruit of the hawthorn, the wild rose, and the mountain 

 ash. Observe how the leaves are arranged on the branches. At what 

 place do the blossoms appear ? How many petals in every blossom? 



In a patch of wild strawberries you find that the plants 

 spread in all directions, that the fruit is small in size and small 

 in quantity in comparison with the large amount of leaves and 

 runners. Most of the plant food 

 is being used up in forming 

 runners and leaves. If we wish 

 fruit large in size and large in 

 quantity we must plant improved 

 varieties in rows at least three 

 feet apart, and we must keep 

 the space between the rows clean of weeds and runners. 



The strawberry is a perennial, but as the plants have been 

 developed by cultivation and selection they tend to go back to 

 their original habit of producing small berries. Therefore it is 

 best to grow fruit only on young plants. The plants send out 

 runners which take root and form new plants, and the best 

 berries are on these new plants. The old plants soon become 

 of little value. Therefore the beds must be renewed. 



If you examine the blossoms of many kinds or varieties of 

 strawberries you will find that those of some are perfect, that 



Fig- 45- A strawberry plant repro- 

 ducing by a " runner." 



fig. 46 A perfect strawberry 

 blossom having both pistils 

 and stamens. 



Fig. 47. An imperfect straw- 

 berry blossom having pistils, 

 but not stamens. 



is, they have both pistils and stamens (fig. 46) ; these will of 

 themselves produce fruit. The blossoms of others, however, 



