Remarks on the Strawberry. 53 



That there are some varieties of pistillate ^XdiXiis that will 

 bear fruit without being in the neighborhood of staminate 

 plants is, I think, well authenticated — among which may- 

 be reckoned the Hudson's Bay, your seedling and others. 

 But that they would in some seasons, and under some cir- 

 cumstances, fruit better if placed near a bed of staminate 

 plants is, I think, very probable. May it not be that in a 

 wet season or under some other unfavorable circumstances, 

 the anthers do not shed sufficient pollen for free fructifica- 

 tion ? More careful experiments are needed on this sub- 

 ject, and those which you intend to make will, I hope, 

 throw some more light on it. There is another question I 

 wished to touch upon, but I will defer it till a future op- 

 portunity. Yours respectfully, 



G. W. Huntsman. 



Flushing, L. /., January 16, 1844. 



The object of our remarks, on this subject, has been to 

 call out any information which may throw light upon the 

 question under discussion, viz : whether the Strawberry is 

 in reality a dioecious plant, and whether it is necessary that 

 some varieties should be placed in the vicinity of others in 

 order to secure a crop of frnit. We have already given 

 our views at some length on this point, and, while we await 

 the result of further experiments, we are much pleased in 

 being able to record the opinions of others, especially those 

 who have so carefully watched the habits and nature of 

 the Strawberry, as our correspondent. 



The necessity of well defined and appropriate terms, in 

 discussing this subject is, we are aware, of much impor- 

 tance, and the suggestion of the writer that pistillate and 

 staminate plants should be adopted, in preference to male 

 and female, or sterile and fertile, is perhaps a good one, 

 and should receive general assent. It will certainly express 

 the proper state of the plants, whether constitutionally de- 

 fective, or accidentally so from improper cultivation of eith- 

 er of these organs. 



The facts in relation to the Hautbois are singular, and 

 tend to corroborate the opinion expressed by Mr Bayne and 

 others, that they can not be fertilized by any other than 

 their own class. 



The conclusions arrived at by our correspondent are, that 

 there are some varieties of pistillate plants that will bear 



