342 



JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



April will be in full bearing by this time, maintaining a supply- 

 through September and October. 



Autumn-bearing Strawberries after forcing are limited. I 

 am only acquainted with two kinds — viz., Vicomtesse H6ricart 

 de Thury and La Grosse Sucr£e — that are amenable to this 

 treatment. They may truly be termed all-round varieties, and 

 as such are greatly valued by gardeners in general. 



STEAWBERRIES FOR FORCING. 



By Mr. Geoege Norman, F.R.H.S. 



Forcing Strawberries is an important section of gardening, so 

 much so that, next to Grapes, Strawberries are grown under 

 glass in a greater number of gardens than any other kind of 

 fruit. 



When the season commences for indoor Strawberries other 

 kinds of fruit are scarce, therefore they are of more importance 

 than the actual value. Most gardeners give a great deal of atten- 

 tion to them ; I do for one, and I am pleased to give my prac- 

 tical experience of them. 



Strawberries may be had in all the months of the year, but 

 the forcing season is generally considered to be as early in the year 

 as the fruits can be had, until they are ripe out of doors. Straw- 

 berries are expected in many establishments in March. I think 

 about the first of that month is as early as they can be had profit- 

 ably; if attempted much before, a greater number of plants fail 

 to throw up flowers, thus entailing a loss of room and plants. 



I have been kindly asked to name a few of the best kinds 

 for forcing. I have grown many kinds in pots ; most seasons I 

 try two or three with which I am not acquainted by the side of and 

 under the same conditions as those I have grown for many years. 

 The points that a variety should possess to be a good one are 

 flavour, size, colour, and with a constitution to set freely. 



I will name the merits of the following kinds as I have found 

 them : — 



Vicomtesse Hericart de Thury. — Good flavour, medium size, 

 good colour, and sets freely. 



La Grosse Sucree. — Good flavour, large, good colour ; does not 

 set quite so freely as the first-named kind. 



