NOVEMBER. 
335 
severity of last winter. For all purposes they are the two best; there 
is nothing like Keens’ for forcing. 2. Victoria (Trollope’s). “ Beau et 
gros fruit, rond, regulier, rouge vermilion, chair un peu creuse, juteuse, 
sucree, de gout peu releve ; assez precoce et rustique.” 
Among the others, not for lorcing, there are the following English :— 
Elton Pine, British Queen, Omar Pacha, Filbert Pine, Kitley’s Goliath, 
Nimrod. 
Elton Pine is the finest colour of all Strawberries, but it is sour; it 
is highly crimsoned all over, and of fine shape. Omar Pacha is 
approved of by “ Iota.” Nimrod is approved of by some down here; 
it is a shy grower, and slow to “ run.” Filbert Pine is thought good. 
The other two are firm, and much alike in flavour, habit, and appear¬ 
ance. Their faults are the same—tender crowns, and not coloured 
enough at the tips. The Rival Queen is much like them in flavour, 
but is hardier ; her other faults being the same. They are all shy 
bearers, but most excellent if you can grow them. You may lay it 
down as a rule that any Strawberry that is shy to throw runners, or 
throws weak ones, is a difficult one to manage. I wintered them all 
three well, but, with all my high culture, I could not perfect their 
berries; I imagine the frost must have damaged their roots. Mr. 
Hector, brewer, near Blandford, sent me a large flat dish of Queens 
(the only other Strawberry he grows is the above Victoria), which were 
nearly the size of Myatt’s Surprise. Mr. May and Mr. Ingram, both 
usually successful growers of the Queen, entirely failed this year. I 
am giving her one more year’s trial under my hot south wall. I 
bought 100 plants of Tiley in the spring, and I hope by giving the 
plants a year’s run that I shall yet succeed. The plants are, of course, 
now very strong. If Kitley’s Goliath, the Rival Queen, and Queen 
fail again, away they shall go altogether. There is one thing certain, 
that such tender-crowned Strawberries do not like their crowns buried. 
Victoria is my greatest favourite. I can grow them from five to six 
inches ; they never require sugar, crop in detail, never lose a plant, and 
get better up to four years. I sent a plant of this and Keens’ Seed¬ 
ling, with the earth on, to Sir Edward Baker (both July runners of the 
preceding year), and great was his surpoise. He has since been here 
to see the plants and wall-fruit, and falling in love with my Roses, he 
has begged me to write him a list, and accept a guinea for the 
“ National” next year. Wherever you go, put Prince Leon, or Paul 
Dupuy, or Jules Margottin, in your button-hole; they are the decoy 
ducks of the “ National.” Let us now ramble back to the “ Fraisiers 
nouvelle,” 39 in number. 
1. The ones for forcing:—Admiral Dundas, Belle Paris, Belle Bour- 
delaise, Sir W. Scott, Triomphe de Liege. 
2. Not for forcing : Amazon, Aigburth Seedling, Cole’s Prolific, 
Ferdinande, Hendries, Hovey’s Seedling, La Reine, Filbert Pine (good 
flavoured, but delicate, I think), Cook’s Hybrid, Prince Alfred 
(Ingram), Triomphe, Celineau, Vesuvius, Adair (making most bold 
plants here), Malakoff, Exhibition, Empress Eugenie, le pied en petit 
pot, 2 francs 50—(if it is as good and handsome as the Empress it is 
worth all the money)—Incomparable, Improved Black Prince, Mistress 
