154 MODERN STRAWBERRY GROWING 
desirable to have each berry a thing of beauty 
when placed upon the table. To most eyes a 
rather long berry with a neck between the 
hull and shoulder is particularly pleasing. 
Good colour is also important. Some ber- 
ries, otherwise good, have a dull, dead colour 
that of itself condemns them. The brighter 
and clearer the colour, whether scarlet or 
crimson, the better. Some of the scarlet 
berries are white inside. By most people a 
berry is preferred that has a bright red flesh 
all through. 
‘Most important of all the qualities, 
however, is the flavour, but for this we can 
fix upon no uniform standard. Some per- 
sons like an acid berry and some want a dead 
sweet one, while others prefer some peculiar 
flavour like that of the old French Haut- 
bois or Alpine. ‘Every one to his own taste,’ 
but, whatever that is, the flavour must be 
good of its kind. As a rule, a sweet berry 
with a high flavour is preferred. This means 
a proper mixture of sweetness and acidity, 
which is the last analysis of the greatest 
excellence, whether in fruits or in human 
character. Fortunately the strawberry sea- 
son is lengthened by the selection of early, 
