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Modern Strawberry Growing. 



197 



nearly obsolete. It has excellent colour. " The Bedford " 

 may be tried, but on stiff soil it is showing too much of the 

 namby-pamby ism of " Dr. Hogg " to satisfy me fully. It 

 may want a warmer soil. 



" Fitlbasket." — " Fillbasket " is earning favour with many 

 shrewd growers, and is likely to grow in popularity on account 

 of its remarkable productiveness. It is the result of a cross 

 between " Royal Sovereign " and 11 Latest of All," two straw- 

 berries of marked excellence. It sets its fruit with as much 

 freedom as the former, and is as good hi flavour as the latter, 

 which is high praise. It is not quite a novelty, having been 

 before the public some few years, and it has made steady 

 progress by sheer merit. 



" Louis Gauthier," — That a strawberry may possess in the 

 highest degree the qualities of vigorous growth, abundant 

 fruitful ness, and splendid flavour, and yet never become 

 popular, is proved in the case of the variety " Louis Gauthier." 

 Here is a strawberry which combines almost every good quality, 

 yet has one defect that is fatal from the market, point of view — 

 want of colour. I most strongly urge private growers to try 

 this magnificent and inexpensive variety. It has far more of 

 the perpetual character than " ever-bearing " varieties of the 

 stamp of " St. Joseph " and " St. Antoine de Padoue," to the 

 former of which I would not give a yard of garden room. 

 " Louis Gauthier " produces an extraordinary succession of 

 fruit, which swells to a good size, and is very juicy. As to the 

 habit of the plant, it is nearly as vigorous as Cottagers' Kale. 

 Like " Royal Sovereign " and " Vicomtesse Hericart de Thury," 

 it is an excellent forcer. 



Late. Varieties. — Turning to the late varieties, the fact may 

 be -noticed that there is a growing tendency on the part of market 

 men to lengthen the strawberry season. Years ago little 

 interest was shown in late sorts. In all directions the cry 

 was for earliness. Possibly the fact that most of the late 

 varieties were either too small or too poor in colour to attract 

 the attention of the public had something to do with the cold- 

 ness of growers. Whether or not want of size and colour had 

 anything to do with it, the fact remains that late strawberries 

 have not hitherto been highly esteemed. It is equally certain 

 that they now promise to come into favour. Three varieties 



