14 The Canadian Horticulturist. 



NOTES ON STRAWBERRY CULTURE. 



By L. Foote, Nepean, Ont. 



AS there has been much written on the culture of the strawberry, one 

 almost despairs attempting anything further, yet as one man's experi- 

 ence often proves and confirms another, and a relation of it serves to 

 encourage others, there seems to be a partial excuse, at least, for humbly 

 setting forth " what we know about strawberry culture." Indeed there is 

 a need of more stimulating knowledge to be circulated, to excite in the 

 minds of all land-holders (be their holdings large or small) a proper appre- 

 ciation of the value of the humble, useful little fruit, the strawberry. How 

 much health and comfort is the result of a free use of its fruit, can only be 

 known by a fair trial, and if many who spend much time and money fre- 

 quenting seaside and watering-place resorts, would retire to the quiet country 

 on a few acres of land, and spend their time in the healthful exercise of 

 gardening, fruit raising, etc., and eat the produce of their honest toil, how 

 much more solid comfort would they take, and both regain and retain that 

 much-to-be-prized boon, health ! 



One may safely express a belief that in giving the strawberry to man, 

 the Creator of all good intended the moral lesson of humility and useful- 

 ness, for surely it teaches those qualities in a very marked degree, and any- 

 one who loves to draw from nature themes of praise and thanksgiving, can 

 find rich resources in the strawberry family to draw upon for that delightful 

 pastime. 



Fruit culture should not be stimulated by a love of the almighty dollar, 

 but by a proper appreciation of its intrinsic value ; by a love of the beauti- 

 ful in Nature and of Nature's God ; by a deep desire to search out and bring 

 to light the hidden resources that lie wrapt up in the great reservoir of 

 creative power ! What a range of unexplored experience remains to be 

 developed in the great field of fruit culture ! Every year brings forth fresh 

 attractions in the scope of variety, and yet " Hills peep o'er hills, and Alps 

 on Alps arise," in the great arena of effort, to add fresh interest to the 

 almost boundless stock now in existence, and manipulated by the active 

 efforts of zealous fruit fanciers. All this can be said without extravagance, 

 and when we take into account the different varieties of the different kinds 

 of the great fruit family, we are almost lost in the contemplation of the field 

 spread out before us. There is no danger of the interest in fruit culture 

 waning. When we think of what remains to be surmounted in the introduc- 

 tion of suited varieties into localities not yet favored with fruit privileges, 

 and when we consider that the strawberry will thrive where other kinds of 

 fruit must fail, the thought adds additional interest to its culture, and serves 

 to stimulate efforts to spread 'its usefulness. Many will spend money in 

 efforts to cultivate the larger kinds of fruit, and perhaps get discouraged 



