364 THE .FLORIST AND 



parts which were formed the fall previous, the various parts thus formed 

 swell out and expand by the Vital action of the plant, and the aid of heat, 

 light, and moisture, and according as steady and healthy concentration ac- 

 cumulated until all these parts were perfected previous to expansion, so 

 will be the perfectness in formation of each -individual .part, and vice versa. 

 If we take the generality of flowers, those which are perfect contain both 

 male and female organs in a healthy state, and the Strawberry comes under, 

 this division. We know that there are many exceptions to this rule, but 

 in some, of these there are often hermaphrodite flowers produced. As 

 growth progresses these developed parts begin to act for themselves, true 

 growth is formed, and fresh stores kid up for future expansion. This after 

 growth all tends towards a central point, as is proved by each individual 

 leaf or flower bud. In the flower, which is nothing more than a bundle of 

 leaves more highly, concentrated, it is more conspicuous, we find the calyx 

 encircling the corolla, which in •its ) turn surrounds the stamens, tire stamens 

 enclose the germ, which contains the embryo seed, and which afterwards by 

 the same action ara the whole plant is endowed with, becomes a perfect bud 

 only in a more highly organized state than those which form leaves; I mean 

 here the true seed, not the receptacle which is nothing but the collected 

 juices retained, instead of as in the case of leaves are returned to the struc- 

 ture of the plant, thus adding to its bulk. A healthy and well stored 

 growth produces all these parts in proper^ order- and perfect ; but if the 

 climate be too hot and dry for awy individual family, this perfect action is 

 interfered with and the consequence must be, a deterioration of some or all 

 of the parts, which will show itself, in smaller, calyx, petals, stamens, and 

 pistils, if not entirely subdue, or render abortive some of them. This is 

 clearly shown in the Strawberry, and particularly in the changeable exam- 

 ple above given, for in the pistillate flowers there are smaller petals, and 

 although the stamens are present, they are only rudimentary. This cen- 

 tralizing principle is less likely, to affect the pistils than any other part of, 

 the flower, as it is the extreme point towards which maturation tends, but it 

 is possible to carry the thing so far as to render even the pistils defective, 

 and persevering in raising seedlings from pistillate sorts alone, would be 

 very likely to bring this about. Our burning and fervid sun is properly 

 speaking too hot, and the climate too dry for the strawberry, notwithstand- 

 ing the great crops that are often obtained. The fruit is comparatively 

 small to that of Britain, where there is more moisture and less heat during 

 the growing season; these same circumstances account for the varieties 

 raised there being almost without exception hermaphrodite. The crops 

 there are greater if w T eight and bulk are taken into account, and not so 

 acid as with us. A strawberry is considered of great size here if $ve or 

 six inches in circumference, while a parallel there would be from seven to 

 eight, and they are occasionally produced nine inches ; and they require no 

 sugar to correct the sourness. Indeed (with the exception of a few of the 

 best flavored varieties) such as are mostly grown here would only be con- 

 sidered fit for boiling as a preserve. 



I do not wish to detract from the excellence of American Strawberries, 

 as the difference in quality is the result of climate ; neither would I con- 

 tend that the British sorts prove better here than natives, if so good ; but I 



