282 TaANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



Wilson, and as high flavored as the Swainstone, British Queen, Rivers's 

 Eliza, Boston Pine or any other. 



STAMINATE, PISTILLATE AND HERMAPHRODITE BLOSSOMS. 



It appears to be a settled question that there are three distinct forms 

 among the blossoms of strawberries, and that two of them will not produce 

 fruit, except by impregnation, one with the other. These ai-e called male 

 and female flowers; the male flower growing stamens without pistils, and 

 the female flower pistils without stamens. The other, called hermaphrodite, 

 is furnished with both, and has the power of self-fertilization in each blos- 

 som. The female, or pistillate flower, has a golden center, the pistils cover- 

 ing it like short, stiff hairs. The male, or staminate flower, has a dark cen- 

 ter, from which grow a dozen or more stamens, which are little stems with 

 knobs on the ends, which bear the pollen, that must come in contact with 

 the pistils to fructify them. Some plants bear all staminate and some all 

 pistillate flowers; and when that is the case, unles the two sorts grow in 

 proximity, both will be nearly destitute of berries. It is often observed 

 that strawberry blossoms are abundant in the fields, and fruit scarce. This 

 is owing to the sexuality of flowers, and the lack of favorable circumstan- 

 ces to produce impregnation. The great scarcity of bees in many of the 

 old States, cuts off one of the great means by which nature carries on the 

 work of fecundation of flowers. 



Some varieties of strawberries always produce hermaphrodite flowers, 

 the center of which is like the pistillate, with stamens growing around it, 

 as they do from the center of the staminate flower. This kind of blossom 

 will produce fruit if there should be no other sort growing near. 



Although a pistillate variety will not produce without the aid of stami- 

 nates, if the two kinds are set together the staminates soon outgrow the 

 others, and so take possession of the ground, that in three or four years the 

 bed affords but a meager supply of fruit. Great care, therefore, must be 

 used in cultivating strawberries, not to let the barren, rapidly growing 

 male plants overpower the female ones, which are the true fruit bearers. 



SOIL, PREPARATION, AND CULTIVATION FOR STRAWBERRIES. 



The best soil is that lately in forest, of a gravelly loam character, situa- 

 ted on a gentle southeastern slope, and should be underdrained, spade- 

 trenched, or deeply subsoiled, and made rich and mellow before setting the 

 plants. If underdrained thoroughly, it will soon pay the cost in extra pro- 

 ductiveness. If possible, protect the north and west sides by high fences 

 or hedge. The best manure is wood mold and unleached ashes, and what 

 is known as the "lime and salt mixture" — that is, a bushel of salt in just 

 water enough to dissolve it — and that used to slake three bushels of lime. 

 Shell lime is best. If land is parched with drought, without artificial water- 

 ing the fruit will be deficient, though all other requisites are complete. 

 All the fertilizers should be mixed in the soil before the plants are set. 

 Twenty or thirty bushels of ashes, three bushels of salt, and nine of lime, 

 may be used on an acre, and the more the soil is stirred in its preparation 

 the better; and it should be as free of weeds and grass as possible. 



When ready to set your plants, rake the bed smooth, and mark off the 

 rows, and procure strong rooted plants, and dip the roots, as you nmn^-'^ 



