and Co7iical-fniitcd Scarlet Alpine Stra*isoherry. 267 



fine rich-flavoured ripe fruit from the end of April to the middle 

 of November, and sometimes later, according to tlie mildness 

 of the season, in the open ground. This four seasons, or coni- 

 cal-fruited scarlet alpine strawberry, is one of the very best sorts 

 for general cultivation. The size of the fruit is from half to 

 three quarters of an inch long ; the flesh firm, of a fine shape, 

 and delicious flavour, even to the end of the season. The plant 

 is continually in flower, and produces ripe fruit till it is checked 

 by the hard frosts and cold nights of autumn. To give its bo- 

 tanical characters in this paper may be of little or no importance 

 to the cultivator, I shall therefore merely state what country 

 or place it originally came from, as near as possible. According 

 to some accounts, it is a native of Switzerland and Germany, 

 and was first cultivated in England in 1768; or, at least, some 

 strawberries bearing the same name were then introduced and 

 cultivated. But it is no easy matter to say precisely where this 

 fine sort came from. I consider it to be only obtained from 

 seed, for a short time ago it did not exist, or, if so, it was in a 

 small quantity; but it is in general cultivation at present, and 

 is greatly improving in size. There is also another sort of the 

 four seasons alpine strawberry, the fruit of which is of a com- 

 pressed oval shape, not so large as the former sort, but of a 

 good flavour, and very productive. The only difference is in 

 the shape of the fruit. I have got a new white alpine strawberry, 

 which came from seed, nearly of the same shape as the former, 

 of good flavour, but not so productive. The colour of its fruit 

 may be some inducement to its cultivation. 



During the last two winters these sorts of strawberries seem 

 to have suffered the most in the neighbourhood of Paris. This 

 last winter of 1839, or spring of 1840, in particular, they suffered 

 greatly, as most of the young plants were killed, as well as some 

 of the weak old stools, which has left the young plants rather 

 poor. The pine strawberry and Keen's seedling did not suffer 

 so much as the alpine sorts have done, which may appear re- 

 markable. 



The mode of cultivating this strawberry is as follows : — 

 When we are desirous of having large fruit, we make a new 

 plantation of the young strong runners taken off^the three-years- 

 old stools, which are the best. These we plant in beds 6 ft. 

 wide, and four rows in the bed, leaving an alley on each side of 

 the bed. The plants are placed two together, and at the dis- 

 tance in the rows of from 15 in. to 18 in. apart. The more 

 room they have the better, if the ground is poor; but they may 

 be set closer, if it is rich. They must still, however, be planted 

 wide in the rows. In planting, great care is required not to set 

 them too deep, as I find they do best when only about one third 

 of their roots is put in the ground, a small space being left 



