THE STRAWBERRY QUESTION.
Mr. Editor:—Who among horticulturists has not heard of the “Strawberry Question”—has not wondered at the opposite opinions held by eminent cultivators, and perhaps like myself has been surprised that the spirit of inquiry has not been more generally diffused concerning a subject of so much importance. Is it because our instructors cannot come to a unanimous conclusion upon it, that we pupils in horticulture have been doubtful about expressing our opinions upon it, or have we never studied the subject for ourselves but left them in their wisdom to decide it for us? I was in this position waiting for their decision, but as it was not likely to be forthcoming, I resolved to study the subject for myself, have done so this season, and will give you my experience in connection with the “Strawberry Question.”
The points of difference between a staminate and pistillate strawberry flower are so marked that a very casual observer cannot fail to notice them at once, for in staminate varieties the flowers are lax, the sepals of the calyx appear alternately with the petals of the corolla, the stamens occupy the most prominent place in the flower, rising half their length above the central pistils, are very much swelled at the base, and very large compared with the other parts of the flower, anthers broadly heart shaped, large, and producing abundance of pollen. Pistils, loose, long, and having a barren appearance, which is soon proved by their withering away, and leaving the stamens masters of the field. The embryo receptacle when it does exist at all is very much flattened, and in the most of cases cannot be said to exist at all, the pistils being inserted in the thickened cup of the calyx. All flowers that have this appearance in these varieties, very soon wither away and leave this impression on the mind of the observer, that they were surely staminate varieties. But as all staminate varieties do not thus wither away, but many of them produce fruit, it may be asked are the flowers all the same in appearance. It is here where the peculiarities in this class are met with, for there are few but what produce some fruit, and as real staminate flowers could not produce this fruit, it would readily be seen that staminate varieties produce two sorts of flowers; the one where the organs are unequally balanced which produce no fruit, the other where the flowers are perfect and are fruit bearing. The appearance of the flower that will produce fruit is markedly different from the other—by the shortness of the stamens, the conical shaped receptacle, the pistils stiff and thickly set thereon. The flower is altogether more compact, and is as perfect in its organs as any of the Alpine varieties. The following sorts have proved staminate with me.
Cuthill’s Black Prince, Boston Pine, Kittley’s Goliath, Alice Maud, British Queen, Ross’s Phœnix, and Victoria.
Among pistillate varieties, the flowers are cup shaped, compact, with the sepals of the calyx scarcely perceptible between the petals of the corolla. Stamens seldom visible, and when seen at all they are very minute, not longer than the pistils at the base of receptacle, never showing signs of having fertilizing powers, as the anthers never expand; the whole remains perfectly abortive. Pistils very numerous, uniform, stout, longer than in perfect flowers, and have not such a feathery appearance as in staminate sorts. Receptacle large, conical, always coming to perfection, and the instances where pistillate flowers do not produce berries are very rare, in fact scarcely ever to be met with; at least my sorts have proved so; and it is reasonable to conclude that this has been occasioned by the sorts growing together. The following sorts have proved pistillate with me.
Bourbon Pine, Hudson, Swanson, Burr’s Pine, Hovey’s Seedling, Iowa, and Moyamensing.
The varieties enumerated, I have growing together (both pistillate and staminate) under what might be called the ordinary mode of cultivation in one place; and in another completely isolated from them, I have a collection of the same sorts which have stood some years longer, and are almost worn out. But this difference of situation, culture, &c. don’t at all seem to have affected or in the least degree altered the organs of re-production in any variety; for to me it seems that the character of pistillate or staminate is as permanent and unchangeable as in any other deciduous plant.
A writer in one of the periodicals of the day, supposes it possible that the receptacle of the strawberry might enlarge, or even come to perfection without staminate influence having at all been required. That the experiment of planting a pistillate strawberry in a situation where staminate influence could not reach it and that plant produce no berry, is the fact; as was proved by a cultivator in this neighborhood: but it is to be hoped that the coming season will be taken advantage of by many of your correspondents, for making experiments that will place this question in such a clear and forcible manner before the public, so that all may be convinced, and those interested in the culture of this fruit may take advantage of, and turn to good account the information received.
F.