The Canadian Horticulturist. 109 



flowers. If we take four from each class of the most prolific, the imperfect 

 flowered sorts stand thirty per cent, higher than those having perfect flowers. 



There can be no doubt that the production of pollen is an exhaustive process, 

 hence the varieties having perfect flowers are at a disadvantage. No doubt some 

 of the perfect flowered sorts are very nearly equal to any in fruitfulness, and, 

 under certain circumstances, may fully equal, but the chances are against them 

 when unfavorable conditions occur. Given two varieties of equal vigor and 

 productiveness, one having perfect, the other imperfect flowers, the extra work 

 of pollen bearing on one, will so weaken the plants as to render them more sub- 

 ject to the evil effects of fungi, insects, dry weather, frost, etc., than those that 

 produce no pollen. 



There can hardly be a question that the best market varieties at the present 

 time have imperfect flowers. This is not alone because of the greater fruitful- 

 ness of varieties of this class, than those having perfect flowers, but because of 

 more general reliability, /. e., they more uniformly produce good crops. In many 

 respects it may be desirable to have varieties with perfect flowers only, but it is 

 possible that future developments will be along the line of still greater speciali- 

 zation. The highest development of fruit-bearing qualities in one class, and of 

 pollen bearing in the other, gives promise of greater fruitfulness than to com- 

 bine the two functions in one variety. 



SUMMARY. 



1. To meet the wants of strawberry growers, a variety ought to have sufficient 

 health and vigor to adapt itself to widely varying conditions, and to possess one 

 or more marked characteristics. It is not worth while to seek to find varieties 

 that are adapted to particular soils, since varieties that have a limited range are 

 generally found to be variable and untrustworthy. The most valuable varieties 

 are the least variable and are easily suited to soil and climate. 



2. The following varieties have been thoroughly tested and are suited to the 

 wants of those who grow berries for market : Bubach, Eureka, Crescent, Haver- 

 land and Warfield. 



3. When large berries are desired rather than quantity, the following can be 

 recommended for home use or market : Cumberland, Crawford, Gandy, Louise, 

 Miami, Pearl. 



4. The new varieties that seem to be most promising, are Enhance, Farn- 

 worth, Ivanhoe, Middlefield, Muskingum, Michel's Early, Parker Earle, Shuster's 

 Gem and Waldron. 



5. The most productive varieties are those that have a long season, /'. e., give 

 a comparatively large number of pickings. 



6. Very early, and extremely late varieties, are less fruitful than medium 

 early. 



7. Perfect flowered, as a rule, are less productive than the pistillate, or uiiiici- 

 fect flowered varieties. — Selections by Strawberry Bulletin of the Ohio Experi- 

 mental Station, by John Little, Granton, Ont. 



