248 FRUIT CULTURE UNDER GLASS. 



flat square basket, filled nearly to the top with wadding 

 and covered with tissue-paper. On this surface the 

 strawberries were laid with a small space between each. 

 Splendid fruits of any description can never have too 

 much of each fruit seen, and in this way the eye takes 

 in more of the individual fruits than when dished in the 

 usual way in a semi-globular form, the fruit laid in 

 circles with a strawberry -leaf between each, the outer 

 row of fruits being the least and those in the centre of 

 the basket the largest. 



VARIETIES FOE FOECING. 



It is not always easy to pronounce dogmatically on 

 the varieties that are best for forcing ; I have experi- 

 mented with scores of sorts, and came to the conclusion 

 that there are not very many which possess all the 

 qualities which fit them for forcing, and early forcing 

 in particular. Keen's Seedling is perhaps more exten- 

 sively grown than any other sort, and more generally 

 accounted the best to grow for a general crop. It, how- 

 ever, in some localities has proved a failure ; but so far 

 as I am aware this is the exception, not the rule. Black 

 Prince is a most prolific bearer, and for very early forc- 

 ing is decidedly the most certain, from its free bloom- 

 ing and setting qualities. I can confidently recom- 

 mend for the earliest crops — i. e., to ripen in early part 

 of March — Black Prince, and Keen's Seedling to succeed 

 it. Prince of Wales is an excellent second or rather 

 third early in the order of these three. For the latest 

 crops nothing can equal in flavour the old British Queen ; 

 but it is not very prolific, and does not succeed weU in 

 many soils. Sir Charles Napier forces well, is large 



