183 



» 



Ch 



In some reported trials' the seed- 



lings from few-berried fruits gave distinctly better quality but 

 smaller size fruit than corresponding seedlings from many-seeded 

 berries. The trials were with Ritbiis occidentalis varieties. 



RiBES ALPINUM, L. (SaXIFRAGACE/E). 



Thory says he has often found seedless berries upon whole 

 branches of fruit of this species-. 



^ Sappodilla Plum. Achkas sapota, L. (SAPOTACE.i^). 



The medlar-like fruit of the Sappodilla plum, of a milky, 



r 



quince-like taste, is much esteemed in tropical America and In- 

 dia. It has usually from six' to twelve cells with several seeds in 

 each, but Swartz^ remarks that most of the seed are usually lost 

 by cultivation; 



Service Pyrus lanuginosa, DC. (Rosace/e). 



,. The flowers and fruit of this tree resemble those of the moun- 



tain ash, but are smaller, the flowers are frequently abortive, and 

 the fruit, when it is produced/ is generally without seeds. 



Strawberry. Fragarlv, sp. (RosACE.^i). 



In this fruit the enlarged and conical receptacle bearing the 



pistils on its surface, becomes the edible portion in fruit. The 

 varieties are endless, and the various classes have been referred 

 to different species. Merrick,-^ in 1870 catalogues eight hundred 

 and thirteen kinds. The name Strazc^berry refers to tlie run- 

 ning stems strewed (anciently strawed) over the ground. This 

 reminds us of Virgil's description ** ♦ * humi nascentia fragra." 

 Servius Grammaticus, A.D., 412, calls them /' fructus terra et 

 mora terrestria/' the equivalent of which is found in the Swedish 

 and Danish name q{ jordbar, earth berry. Pliny's name was al- 

 ^ so terrcstris fraga, ground berry. The earliest picture of the 



strawberry that I possess is in Herbarius cum Herbarium, Mo- 

 gwntiae, 1484, chap, Ixiii., which is evidently oi Fragaria vesca, as 



1 N. Y, Ag. Ex. Sta. Rept. 1885, 257. See alsoib, 1855, 257. 



2 Thory. Grosseilier, 20. 



3 Miller's Diet., Ed. of 1807. 



4 Loudon, Arb. p. 924. 



5 Strawberry Cultur. 1870. 



