STAMINATES AND PISTIIAATES. 59 



the staminates and pistillates to go together should 

 be selected so that the fruit will ripen at the same 

 time, and that it be nearly the same shape and color, so 

 that it can be picked and sent to market in the same 

 crate. It requires skill to do this, but it will repay 

 careful study. For instance, the Pearl or Parker Earle 

 is well adapted to fertilize the Haverland, being of 

 the same form and ripening nearly enough at the same 

 time. It is probable that every desirable pistillate sort 

 has a good friend among the staminates that it should 

 be married to in preference to the others, and the 

 wide-awake berryman will look sharp that his varieties 

 be well mated. 



A pistillate variety will vary quite perceptibly when 

 fertilized by different perfect varieties ; so, if you 

 want firmness, you should fertilize with a firm berry ; 

 if sweetness is wanted, fertilize with a sweet one ; if 

 dark color is wanted, fertilize with a dark one. In 

 fact, whatever peculiarity you wish to transmit to the 

 pistillate variety, seek it in the perfect variety you 

 would fertilize by. Staminates aifect the size, color, 

 solidity, shape and quality of pistillates. Make a 

 study of which varieties planted together bring the 

 best results. 



The honey bee will visit 10,000 strawberry blossoms 

 in a single day. 



