712 Management of the Hautbois Strawberry. 



should not have observed this variation in the hautbois is not 

 to be wondered at; but that so many gardeners should be 

 either ignorant of it, or so indifferent about it as to make no 

 difference in its cultivation, is surprising. I am aware that 

 some will be ready to say, as others have said, that they fre- 

 quently had good crops of hautbois, without taking any par- 

 ticular care as to the selection of their plants. I have also 

 seen the same in a kind season, and where the plants have 

 been accidentally mixed ; but where this has been the case 

 once, I have many times seen rows of plants with scarcely any 

 thing but males ; on the other hand, I have seen beds almost 

 composed of female plants, which, though they may have been 

 impregnated for some distance round the males, yet have not 

 been productive of half a crop. The best way I have been 

 able to discover to insure a good crop (as far as cultivation is 

 concerned) is as follows : — In the spring, as soon as the 

 plants are in flower, mark out a piece of ground about two 

 yards square, as that will, with care, produce plants enough 

 for extensive plantations ; this must be done by cutting an 

 alley between them and the other part of the bed, which 

 must always be kept clear of runners, in order that they may 

 not mix. This done, look well over your plants, and pull up 

 all the females ; and when you have retained a sufficient num- 

 ber of males to occupy the ground, pull up all the others, as 

 there are frequently plants which do not flower, and which, if 

 permitted to remain, would afterwards mix them. Now, let 

 another piece be marked out for the females, pulling up all the 

 males, and leaving none but such as have fruit or fruit blos- 

 soms on ; out of these two pieces all future plantations are to 

 be made in the following manner. About March, plant out in 

 beds of three rows, each eighteen inches apart, and one foot 

 from plant to plant in the rows or in the borders round the 

 garden, of the same width. Let the two outside rows be 

 planted with females, and the middle one with males. The 

 ground this year may be sown with seeds, or planted thinly, 

 and next year (unless a very bad season) it will produce abun- 

 dantly. They may either be continued a year or two longer, 

 or planted every year from the two beds first marked out. I 

 prefer the latter method, especially where ground is scarce, as 

 the ground thus occupied may always be planted with some- 

 thing else, except the spring they are to bear fruit ; whereas 

 if the old beds remain they cannot be cropped at all, and 

 require a great deal more time to manage than it will take to 

 plant new ones. I remain, "Sir, &c. 



September, 1830. Fragaria. 



