THE STRAWBERRY 187 



unsuitable for the purpose under consideration. Later in the season, as the 

 days lengthen and the sun increases in power, they probably would succeed 

 under pot cultivation ; possibly there are few strawberries that would not. We 

 have forced a few plants of James Veitch, and found them to do very well. 

 The flowers are large, of good substance, and set easily ; the fruit is pleasant in 

 flavour, though its colour — a rather dull red — is not of the best. 



List of varieties for first early forcing in order of merit : — Royal Sovereign, La Grosse 

 Sucrde, Vicomtesse Hericart de Thury. 



Varieties for later forcing in order of merit : — Royal Sovereign, La Grosse Sucree, 

 President, Sir Charles Napier, James Veitch, Auguste Nicaise, Sir Joseph Paxton. 



Insect Pests. — Strawberries do not suffer greatly from the attacks of insect 

 pests ; red spider and green and white fly may be said to be practically the only 

 ones. It has, however, a serious enemy in mildew, and it is more often attacked 

 by this disease than by any other. A damp, stagnant atmosphere conduces to 

 the spread of this fungoid disease, and it should therefore be avoided. Smearing 

 the hot-water pipes with sulphur or dusting the leaves with this will check its 

 progress. Great care must, however, be taken to prevent the pipes becoming 

 very hot, or the plants may suffer severely from the burning fumes that would 

 arise. Mildew will often attack the strawberry plants before they are brought 

 under glass, indeed, it often makes its appearance a few weeks after the plants 

 have been potted into their fruiting pots. Should the season be a wet one, 

 mildew is usually much more troublesome than during dry and warm weather. 

 The mildew on the strawberry plants is frequently contracted before the layers 

 are detached from the old plants ; these should be carefully examined before 

 they are transferred to the fruiting pots, and if found to be affected should be 

 heavily dredged with flowers of sulphur, and isolated from plants not affected 

 until the mildew is destroyed. An occasional fumigation with XL-All in- 

 secticide should suffice to keep down the green and white fly. 



ALPINE STRAWBERRIES 



By JAMES HUDSON 



The cultivation of Alpine strawberries in this country has not been so suc- 

 cessful as upon the Continent. To a great extent nurserymen are responsible ; 

 they have for years past persistently catalogued " runners " only, whereas 

 seeds and seedling plants should be offered in the lists of strawberries. Between 

 the seedling plants and the " runners " there is no comparison whatever, either 

 in freedom of growth, vigour of constitution, or in fruit-bearing qualities. The 

 advantage is on the side of the former in a most marked degree. Having for 

 several years past cultivated Alpine strawberries from seed, I speak with confi- 

 dence when I recommend the continental system of cultivation. It may 

 occasion a little more labour at the outset, such as pricking off the seedlings 

 into boxes or frames in order to secure strong plants. 



Culture. — By the French growers seed is recommended to be sown in 

 the autumn. I find, however, that it occasions less trouble and economises 



