226 



FLORA AND SYLVA, 



in crossing. We have proof in other 

 fruits that variation in kinds means very 

 often variation in quality. For instance, 

 there are Apples that are whol esome and 

 grateful in every way, whether cooked 

 or raw, and others uneatable, no matter 

 what we do to them. There is a differ- 

 ence in kind between the flavour of a 

 ripe Grosse Mignonne and the Peaches 

 now grown for the London market. If 

 Myatt of Deptford raised such a deli- 

 cious Strawberry as The Queen, why 

 should not others raise varieties of equal 

 merit and distinction? Butthefirstthing 

 to do is to cultivate The Queen. It is 

 supposed to be difficult to cultivate, but 

 I do not find it so. The London market 

 is supplied both from heavy and light 

 soils, and many of those cool soils in the 

 Wealden country round London are 

 excellent for The British Queen. The 

 late Madame ElisadeVilmorin occupied 

 herself much with the raising of Straw- 

 berries, and it is so interesting a pursuit 

 that any lady might adopt it. Let it 

 be done, not with the object of raising 

 kinds for the overstocked markets, but 

 with the single object of good flavour, 

 without regard to size or colour. The 

 Strawberries which have had most to do 

 with the flavourless kinds now in cul- 

 tivation are the Chilian and Virginian 

 Strawberries, but chiefly the Chilian, 

 which is more remarkable for its size 

 than its flavour. It is very desirable to in- 

 troduce new blood, working more from 

 the Hautbbis and crossing it with some 

 of the best kinds, and so we might arrive 

 at something better than the present 

 state of the same large sour Strawberry 

 on every table, and perhaps even get an 



" early" British Queen. The spoiling of 

 the Strawberry is not an affair of flavour 

 only, although that is the worst result so 

 far. Exaggerated size is no gain but a 

 drawback as no very large Strawberry is 

 ever well flavoured. This year some ofthe 

 Strawberries resemble the " lights" of 

 slaughtered animals rather than the pret- 

 ty fruit the Strawberry should be. In no 

 case should we raise kinds less good in 

 flavour than the wild Strawberries of the 

 mountains \ the market kinds in cultiva- 

 tion are not so good in flavour. Owners 

 of gardens must rely on themselves en- 

 tirely in this matter, and if they follow 

 the market, or even the catalogue ways, 

 they will get no forwarder. Shows, 

 equally with markets, are a hindrance, 

 size and colour being thought more of 

 than quality. 



THE CAPE FIG-WORT {Phygelius 

 cape?isis) . 



A handsome native of South Africa, 

 hardy over a large area in England and 

 Ireland. Introduced fifty years ago, it is 

 still an uncommon plant. Throughout 

 the south of England it is one of the 

 finest of late-flowering perennials for 

 gardens of warm soil, and even in Scot- 

 land it thrives in sheltered places and 

 against walls ; its first flowers open in 

 June, though September and October 

 are the months of its greatest beauty. 

 The flowers are borne in graceful spikes 

 of 9 to 1 5 inches upon crimson stems, 

 the flowers hanging in tiers with pretty 

 effect and sometimes to the number of 

 thirty or forty spikes upon a strong plant, 

 the hanging tubes of bright red showing 

 an orange-yellow throat. Many of the 



