668 THE STRAWBERRY. 



The second class, to wliicli belong varioii? other sorts, such 

 as Hovey's Seedling, Black Prince, etc., prqducing only pistil- 

 bearing Howers, do not set Iruit at all when grown qnite apart 

 by themselves ; but when grown near a proper number of 

 staminate plants, so as to be duly fertilized by them, they bear 

 much larger crops, of much more perfect berries, than can be 

 produced in this climate in any other way. 



This is no longer a matter of theory, for the market of Cin- 

 cinnati, in which are sold six thousand bushels of strawberries 

 annually, is supplied more abundantly and regularly than per- 

 haps any other in the world, by this very mode of culture. 



In planting strawberry beds, it is important, therefore, to 

 the cultivatoi-, to know which are the staminate, and which the 

 pistillate, varieties — as they are found to be permanent in these 

 characters. We have, accordingly, designated these traits in 

 the descriptions of the varieties wliich follow. 



Upon the relative proportion rX staminates to pistillate plants, 

 cultivators are not absohitely agreed. Where, however, such 

 hardy sorts as the Large Early Scarlet, or Boston Pine, are 

 chosen for staminates, it is sufficient to plant one-eighth as manj^ 

 of these as of ^;/6'///Zrt/<'6f, to insure a full crop of the latter. 

 When staminate sorts, like Keen's Seedling, or like less hardy 

 kinds, are chosen, then the proportion should be one-third to 

 two-thirds of pistillates. 



Thus, in planting in the alternate-strip mode, let every twelve 

 feet of each strip be planted with Hovey's Seedling [pistillate), 

 and the succeeding four feet with Large Early Scarlet. A very 

 little trouble, bestowed when the runners are extending across 

 the open spaces, will preserve the proportion good from year to 

 year. The appearance of a plat, planted in this way, will be as 

 follows : S represents staminate, and P p«6'^z7Za^e, varieties. 



In planting in beds, the same course may be adopted, 

 %%% or, what is perhaps better, every third or fourth bed 

 8 8 s may be entirely staminate, and the rest pistillate sorts 

 P P P (the beds in this case being supposed to be side by 



III '''^' 



p P P Nothing is easier than to distinguish the two classes 



p P p of strawberries when in blossom. In one, the stami- 



p p p nate, the long yellow anthers {a), bearing the fine dust 



p p p or pollen, are abundant ; in the other, the pistillate, 



p p p only the cluster of pistils (h), looking like a very minute 



8 8 8 green strawberry, is visible — (that is to the common 



^ ^ ^ observer, for the wantinor orsfans are merely rudimen- 



8 8 8 tari/, and not developed). 



