BOOKS AND BULLETINS. 



192 



older varieties that will give good satisfaction, as Bid- 

 well, Downing, Crescent, Cumberland, and on heavy soil 

 none are better than Sharpless. " Useful tables are given 

 of the lengths of picking seasons of different varieties, 

 and of the comparative injury by leaf blight. Reports 

 upon varieties are also given by L. J. Farmer, of 

 Oswego county, N. Y., and by Green's Nursery Company, 

 of Rochester. 



Mr. Hunn has made many e.xperiments in crossing 

 strawberries, and eight plates of cross-pollinated plants, 

 grown in a greenhouse, are given in the bulletin. These 

 plates are given for the purpose of throwing some light 

 upon the vexed question as to whether there is any im- 

 mediate effect of pollination in the strawberry.' Unfor- 

 tunately, the particular methods and conditions of per- 

 forming the experiments are not stated, and we are not 

 sure but that some of the variation which appears to be 

 due to the influence of pollen may not arise 

 Strawberry from the forcing of the plants under glass. 

 Crossing. or from injury to the fruit in the manip- 

 ulation or imperfect pollination of it. It 

 is hardly possible to trace any definite influence of pol- 



lination in the eight cases discussed, however. Four 

 Crescent plants were crossed, but the resulting fruits were 

 either true Crescents or else they varied in a somewhat 

 indefinite way. The plant pollinated by Old Ironclad 

 bare fruits "more of Ironclad type than Crescent, but 

 the largest fruit was flattened much more than is typical 

 of either parent." The plant pollinated by Lennig's White 

 gave fruits of Sharpless type and color. It would be in- 

 teresting to know what these plants would have produced 

 if they had not been treated, that is, whether they were 

 true Crescent types. Three plants of Johnston's Late, 

 which is less variable than Crescent, gave no variations 

 when crossed with Lennig's White, Sharpless and 

 Dawley. Louise, crossed by Lennig's White, gave 

 Sharpless-like fruit. We shall watch with interest the 

 records of the offspring of these crosses. 



Many seedling strawberries have been grown at the 

 Station, and it is interesting to know that from a thou- 

 sand plants only five have been saved as worth further 

 trial. " Of 700 seedlings fruiting this year for the first 

 time, less than 50 have been noted as good enough to give 

 one more year's trial." L. H. B. 



" / long for the preservation of those pure, simple, holj) tastes, which have led 

 our countrymen, in all ages, to delight in the pleasant fields, in the pleasant coimtrj/ 

 houses, in the profound peace of noble woods, so favorable to high and solemn mus- 

 ings, and in all those healthful and animating sports and pursuits that belong to 

 such a lifer ' — HOWITT. 



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