HAUTBOIS STRAWBERRY 



677 



HAUTBOIS STRAWBERRY 



Fragaria elatior^ Ehrh. 



Fraisier capron. 



Native of Europe. — Perennial. — A stoloniferous plant, with 

 folded, dull, dark green, and somewhat hairy leaves. Flowers 

 usually dioecious through abortion ; fruit a very deep red-violet. 

 In some plants, the pistils only are developed, and in others the 

 stamens,so that fructification will not occur with certainty unless both 

 forms of the plant grow within a short distance from each other. 



Culture. — The Hautbois, like most Strawberries, is almost 

 always propagated from runners, which it produces in abundance. 

 All the cultivated varieties of this Strawberry, being derived from 

 a plant which grows wild in France, are perfectly hardy and easily 

 grown ; nevertheless, since the appearance of the large or Pine- 

 apple Strawberries which have now become so common, the 

 Hautbois Strawberries have lost much of the favour which they 

 formerly enjoyed. The peculiar and exceedingly strong flavour of 

 their fruit is disagreeable to many persons, and they have not the 

 advantage of producing a second crop in autumn, like the Alpine 

 Strawberry. Any good well-drained soil suits them, and the plants 

 may be left growing in the same place for several years, but it is 

 necessary to plant male and female plants together in order to 

 ensure complete fructification. 



Common Hautbois, or Musky, Strawberry.— This variety 

 exhibits all the characteristics of the species from which it is 

 derived, with a vigorous habit of growth and 

 abundant foliage. The fruit are very numerous, 

 nearly spherical, slightly shortened at the 

 point, elongated at the neck, and without seeds 

 on the part next the calyx. They do not 

 ripen until about the end of June, and are 

 then of a violet or wine-red colour. The flesh 

 is very solid, juicy, buttery, and melting, white 

 or faintly yellow, or sometimes greenish, and 

 with a very strong flavour, something like that 

 of Black Currants. The leaf-stalks are very 

 hairy, especially when young. Common Hautbois, or 



Belle Bordeiaise Strawberry.— A plant fna?urai 3^^^''^ 

 of smaller size than the preceding kind, but 



more thick-set and compact in growth. Leaves of a light, almost 

 gray-green ; leaflets long oval, with well-marked veins and sharp, 

 deeply cut teeth ; flower-stems erect, well raised above the leaves ; 

 flowers large, pure white, with very round petals ; fruit rather long, 

 often conical, considerably larger than that of the Common Hautbois 

 Strawberry, and ripening about the middle of June. 



