Atr.usT 



GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



IMPROVING STRAWBERR 



•c the order of the day, and in the horticultural world the demand 

 iHrtOVBMBNT : » the or ^ ^ iously ^wn is constantly 



<~ n««lties that s* 10 ^ f and interest - m gardeting extends. Commercial 



increasing as i» 

 - rticulturists h 



-J~»inn. CrOSS 



OUl S) 31 



ensured 



j^ket w -r— ^ expense required should command. 1 ne puDiic reap 



ft tS that is probably shared by rival tradesmen, for when once a 

 tfc advantage, a ■ . .r v orooafration. the raiser's prior claim is 



lost 



•d"*?' ZZZlt is a most expensive department too, for though some prizes 

 bUS l t ^ hlanks are numerous, and it is only where the work is carried 

 ut secured, the D. anything like an adequate return can be 



- *rg££i iWv^bl. is obtain « o£ ha »£ p., ,„ , e 



; sufficient st 

 e, and expei 



hat is prob . . 

 i i« •• <eni oui, if it admits of ready propagation, the raiser s prior 

 ^ r. i< a fact familiar to many readers of the Gardeners Magazine that 

 ^rl of Plants have been put into commerce, which might have yielded their 

 KTbandsoine fortune ha<i they been retained until the stock was sufficiency 

 £T aKovelties of sterling merit have an unpleasant way of" leaking out," 

 ffiJe- sometimes, too, they are strangely duplicated in other parts of the 

 £l*Tand these risks render nurserymen shy at keeping their productions long 

 S'inhand to reap a full reward for their efforts. When however, surprise 

 r^StJsed * the prices charged for novelties, it is due to a defective knowledge 

 rf die outlay requisite to produce the results, and it is only necessary to raise the 

 wae on the field of the hybridist's labours to convince any impartial parson that 

 •he real surprise is that prices are not much higher. 



Especially do these remarks apply to the work devoted to raising new straw- 

 boriesin comparatively recent years. The late Mr. Thomas Laxton was without 

 notion one of the most skilful and successful hybridists of the present century. 

 A dose student, with a keen interest in his work, methodical and far seeing, he 



cropping qualities, buc they are subjected to a most rigorous trial before the 

 verdict is given that they may be suhmitted to the public. After a careful 

 examination, one would be inclined to the decision that a large proportion are 

 worthy of distribution, and the task of selection becomes much more difficult 

 when the seedlings are of such nearly equal though varied merits. By long-con- 

 tmued intercrossing of the best types, a very fine strain or race has been formed, 

 but it is strange to note the range of variation shown in many cases by the seed- 

 lings from one parentage. Mr. W. Laxton thinks that, as a rule, the pollen 

 parent exerts the greatest influence on the progeny, but it is not uncommon to 

 find amongst the seedlings more marked characters as regards size, colour, flavour, 

 and season, than are possessed by either of the parents. From my experience 

 and observation, It seems very difficult to even guess at what may result from a 

 certain cross amongst strawberries, for they seem «o thoroughly disturbed in con- 

 stitution that the seedlings play the strangest vagaries in their variations and 

 reversions. When a race like that at Bedford is obtained, selection is quite as 

 important as crossing, and constant watching for distinct acquisitions is needed to 

 detect the advances. Fortunately, however, when the seedling is obtained it does 

 not itself vary ; a year or two may be needed to prove it thoroughly, but then the 

 propagation by runners form suitable plants, and good cmltivation ensures its 

 constancy. Speaking from a knowledge, nearly all the varieties in cultivation, 

 I can say that few have altered materially in character by prolonged cultivation, 

 except it can be traced to neg'ect in cultivation or propagation. 



Another department of this interesting strawberry business is that where 

 runners are raised for forcing or planting, and great attention is paid to this 

 because something like one hundred thousand are required every year in pots. An 

 area of fourteen acres is occupied with plants for runners — fine open, breezy fields 

 — where young, vigorous, but fertile plants are solely employed to furnish the 

 supply. This is quite as important, as in the case of other plants, starting with 

 sturdy cuttings or well developed ripened seeds ; but it is not always recognised 

 in private cultivation, and many a failure, both with forced and outdoor plants, is 



-Jr. 



A PLANTATION OF HYBRIDISED SEEDLING STRAWBERRIES IN MESSRS. LAXTON'S TRIAL GROUNDS 



-''•C't atlul" r,\' e | pUn T S t0 ° Ur K ardens that have ^ell maintained their place 

 ^mental muz. J^t l °" g u Ved ° A ^ 1 paid my fi F St visit t0 



- ; but if u,,. 7w . i » . luc S<JUS Wll ° now cair y on the business were 

 5? •womplished ami . at 1 had the first kDowl edge of what he had attempted 

 tew ^thebesfknri g - St - awberries - Thc rows of seedlings from crosses 

 *<* " of the m??x 1CS> alwa y s maie with defin ite object in view, 

 * *• 'eversini nf 8 rif mtereSt ' and the carefuI records ke Pt <* the parent- 

 *** wnparison with ^° gether with the ^sting of the results by re- 



commercial r+*^ X vanetles » Proved that a good deal more than the mere 

 Sl^of some thl r,[ ? WaS the guidin 8 P ower in such an undertaking. In 

 ,' **S s' I " f °r>' >' ears « Mr " ***** claimed to have raised ten 

 !* 3 ? the mcKt r. . X , cross . ljreedin g. on')' nine of which were sent out ; 



E* 0 Norman s eSw^SS? Vanety obtained was Noble » » chance seedling 

 J?,"* Mr. £££ 1ft a <f Cd u ng fr ° m James Veitch > and Sharpie*. 

 Si T* y f «linelv add nT r. v , f Uch results are not altogether satisfactory, 

 ff WbUI I 1C/ Y rt had this ch ance seedling been increased 



it is now tnrr^ c ° rn J nand » a fortune might have been realised by its 

 ^ 'he foun ^7^'' acquisition. One of the best known 

 ^^Ctown Prince ,! ?i lu thc ? rm was Captain, which resulted from a cross 

 ^•^noirthi, Kj&SLl*** of . No,,le ' Forman's I 



.^.S well-marff Q " t 1. t ? rith J lts sha pe, brieht colour. 



, , . i f j„« M rp at the runner stage, rather than to after-cultivation. 



guard against the chief evils. ^ rf 



To enumerate the janet.es «toh ^ ^ 



wherever strawberries ™^*™ e a word 0 ? two. One of these is Monarch, 

 three of the newer sorts that aese f . d ^ topping qualities, 



which, ta^pO-WjraS ^NTfoMy appreciated where mildew is a 

 has an excellent constuuuon .h«* can e ^ p^ „ nce , 



source of trouble. The beds ot in / strawberry it is certain to take a 



and as a welbflavoured ^"^i.dSlned to become a favourite for forcing, 

 high place. Similarly Men more «* fbud in iu fine flavour, 



as the influence of one of Ae ^> ms + n ^ y derive d from Noble. The 

 though the colour is be ter -4 n has ^ appropria teIy named 



last of the tno is a still more rece j. from R , Soverei?n 



Fillbasket. It is extreme l ^prohfic an ^ ^ g oj rling merlt . 



and Latest of AH it pughtto oc, ^ find fc welcome place m m any 



su 7 FRAdARlA. 



gardens. 



"^ng well.niark«l„. i-»- f"?* ,tS good sha P e » bri g ht colour, and 

 ^^Sf* 1 ' ^ uahUes » though usually it does not crop so freely as 



* '"^esTty 1 ^ 11 ^ ^e father has been carried on with the keenest 

 ^ to the ex tensive . eSSrS ; Vd™*** aild William Laxton, and 

 m «nerthatthe»K g ,, trial S* 0 ™** at Bedford showed in 

 Whereas i» ak ? n ( uU ^ v&n ^ of the long experience 

 * e D °w fi nd 1 ?, tne farly days, a small area sufficed to contain t 



hundreds of ? f SCVeral devoted to the testing of t 



01 ,h « greatest Dromui crosse? - Amongst these are many whi 



v "mise, either for the size, colour, flavour, earliness, 



marie 



« „ wonderfully these beautiful hardy annuals have teenj 

 Godetlas.-How wondertu ^ y ^ ^ M Lady Albe- 



since they fi rst J^Tyg Rose f Apple Blossom, and others furnish 

 Duchess of Albany, a when vy ^ qj lanted out from the 



able masses of exceeding ^ dwarf ^ rem arkably free-flowering 

 seed bed. Last .year ^a supero J ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ HaU th h bu t 



variety, named Glon^«» j saw ft ^ ^ of this beautiful form at 



two or three P lan j s c w ", e ^ eroW ers, Reading, recently, and was pleased to find 

 Messrs. Sutton and Sons >^ c & er the stock was> This is a deep rich crimson, 



how remarkably true o t ^0 bloom produce most striking effects. It 

 and the broad dwarf p anu i » Albany. -A D. 

 i,«c o Trand companion plant iu 



