214 



buist's family kitchen gardener. 



Ross' Phatnix. — A staminate plant, producing a crop when 

 planted by itself. Fruit very large, and frequently of a cox- 

 conib-shape ; of a dark red color, with a smooth, polished sur- 

 face. Flesh firm, and of a very ricL flavor, with a delightful 

 aroma. Ripened last year about the 26th of May. 



Monthly Copii. — This variety of the Alpine Strawberry is 

 an improvement on the old sort. The fruit is larger, of a finer 

 flavor, and produces copiously the whole year, and is verita- 

 bly a monthly Strawberry. 



There are several varieties recently produced from seeds in 

 this vicinity, and other parts of the country, which will entire- 

 ly supplant every foreign sort ; and we doubt not may even 

 displace some of those we have named, though they are not yet 

 fully proven. 



Propagation of Strawberries from Seed.— Every per- 

 son who has any partiality for this fruit, that can devote 

 a few hours to th£h: culture in their season, should sow the 

 seeds of the very best kinds any time from August to 

 April, in pots of light earth ; water them regularly, and 

 they will be above ground in four or five weeks. After 

 they have attained a few leaves to each, plant them into 

 a piece of rich ground in the garden, about twenty inches 

 apart. The second season they will produce fruit to prove 

 their merits. The seed is obtained by drying the ripe fruit 

 and washing the flesh from the seeds, which are all on the out- 

 side of the berry; these seeds, when perfectly dry, will keep 

 three years. Flowers that have an entirely green centre are 

 called female, or pistilate — those that have a great many yellow 

 stamens are called male, or barren plants — those that have only 

 a portion of stamens around the base of the green, conical cen- 

 tre of the flower, are called staminate or perfect blossoms. 



Soil. — All admit that the best soil for this fruit is a deep, 

 light, rich loam, if not naturally deep to be made so by trench* 

 iag. Rich it must be, if large and good fruit is required : 



