In the consideration of the cultivation of the Strawberry, under this heading, the first requisite is to form a clear conception of what the vegetative and reproductive organs are, and wherein their ultimate natural Junctions differ.

The vegetative organs are known as the root, the stem and the leaves, serving the purpose of an individual life to each plant; such a plant after a while produces a different set of organs, subservient to a different purpose; that is, the increase in number or the continuance of the species - namely, the flower, fruit and seed, called the organs of reproduction.

In the ordinary culture of the Strawberry little or no attention is given to the inquiry, whether there is any natural conflict between these two classes of organs, or if the vegetative will succeed and flourish on the same nutriment applied in the same proportion to the land as the reproductive organs.

Is it not a fact, almost without exception, the individual life and the reproductive part of the plant are blended into onegrand whole, and the cultivator, blind as it were, forgets to examine the effect manures have on the essential organs of the flower, stamens and pistils, resting content so long as the eye is pleased with the appearance of the vegetative growth.

The importance of close observation in perfect flowering plants wherein both classes of organs are or should be in perfection is apparent at once, yet how much more important is it in pistillates, where the blossoms are already imperfect, performing their functions of fruitation only by the aid of pollen from some other plant, and in which plant growth can be measured only by comparison with other perfect flowering plants.

Since vegetative growth is the criterion by which the individual life of each plant is to be measured, a proper nutriment is necessary to the health and vigor of that life; the reproductive organs would seem to be somewhat dependent on the life so far as a suitable nutriment of plant growth is had, yet in many cases the highest development of the flower needs nutriment of other kinds.

The experiments of four years on twelve varieties of perfect flowering plants, under different manures, where close observation has been had as to the individual life, and that of the blossom and fruit, may suggest some thoughts for reflection and experiment.

For convenience the cultivation of the plants is divided into three classes, based upon the action of the manures employed upon the growth.

First. Those in which the highest type of vegetative, flower and fruit growth would seem to result from mixed barnyard manures, or commercial fertilizers poor in potash. The Primo, Triomphe de Gand, Bidwell and Sharpless are representative plants herein.

The Primo, named first in the list, makes in poor soil a vigorous plant-growth, flowers with irregular stamens, little pollen, fruit small and irregular in shape; with good culture a notable increase in the number of leaves, flower perfect, fruit medium to large, regular in shape, productive; high culture, increased vigor of plant-growth, stamens fewer in number, many bastard blossoms, tending to double flowers, berries few in number, very large, irregular. In this variety high culture would correspond nearly with good culture as to the Sharpless.

Omitting the Triomphe and Bidwell, we come to the Sharpless. In poor culture, corresponding to good culture in Primo, leaves three to five in number, medium plant vigor, bloom abundant, stamens imperfect, little pollen, fruit small and very imperfect; with good culture, corresponding to high culture in the Primo, vigorous to very vigorous plant growth, stamens abundant - perfect, pollen plenty, fruit systematic in shape, medium to large, prolific. Observe here, that in soil where the Primo begins to develop a failure as to growth of stamens and amount of pollen the Sharpless is at its best in these respects. With high culture, which may be defined as the point at which the prepondency of the pollen is at its height. It is at this point that Manchester, or Primo, planted near to the Sharpless, partakes the most in all respects of the Sharpless on my soil. The Sharpless as to plant-growth vigorous to very vigorous, leaves three to five in number. The reproductive organs begin to show signs of weakness, the character and number of stamens variable; many of the blossoms have a tendency to become double, pollen somewhat diminished in quality, some blossoms nearly or quite pistillate, fruit large to very large, inclining to coxcomb.

Increase the height of culture, plant-growth still maintains its healthy appearance, the stamens disappear, blossoms few in number, pistillate, fruit will partake of the characteristics of variety planted near, provided the species be such that it maintains its perfect blossoms under this extremely high culture.

The Manchester, on my soil, shows the best results, so far as fruit blossoms and plant-growth is to be had, at what may be called high culture in the Sharpless. This is the culture when the Manchester developes the highest characteristics of any of the perfect flowering varieties that may be employed as a fertilizer.

Second. Those in which the highest type of vegetative, flower and fruit-growth would seem to result from the use of potash, in addition to the manures already named in the first class.

The Miner is a representative plant of this class. While a good vigorous plant-growth can be obtained without a liberal supply of potash the stamens will be imperfect and pollen very scanty; the fruit although abundant, small and imperfect. In soil having potash the blossoms become perfect; fruit large to very large, productive. It would seem to require about the same nutriment as the Primo to give a good plant-growth.

Seth Boyden, No. 30, is gross and rank in potash. Its roots will withstand the carbonizing effects of potash the best of any plant I have ever experimented with. The vegetative organs thrive best in the same relative nutriment as the Sharpless, yet to fully develop the productive organs an addition of potash is required; use abundance of potash, and the white tip, so frequent in this variety, disappears.

With me any great amount of potash in the soil carbonizes the roots of the Manchester, causing the plant to die, hence cannot employ any plants of the second class as fertilizers.

Along the Hudson river the Manchester succeeds best in soil where the Sharpless is a poor pollen producer and the Miner is a good one; in all such localities the best result in fertilization is had with plants which on my soil would come under class second.

The third class includes the Cumberland. In the use of forty different manures the plant-growth has been remarkable as a resistant to the evil effects of so diversified nutriment. The blossoms remain very constant as to stamen and pistils. Many of the plants have few blossoms - some none. On those where an abundant crop is had the texture of the fruit varies greatly.

Charles Downing is another illustration. The same general characteristics are observed as to plant-growth as in the Cumberland, though a much larger proportion of plants are not fruitful. Small changes in the component parts of the manures employed to enrich the land would seem to be very preceptible, seen in variation of color and texture of the fruit.

These two I have ever found very uncertain as to results and apt to work harm in experimental beds, planted too close to other varieties.

These results would seem to suggest more careful attention be given to the nutriment of the Strawberry, and that a closer inspection be had of the results of such nutriment on the flower and fruit of the plant. Milbum, N. J.

[This is a very suggestive paper. There is no doubt some kinds of manure, and some kinds of treatment, under the general idea of " cultivation," will affect the vegetative, at the expense of the re-productive energies of the plant, and again, the re-productive will be unduly stimulated. This fact is very liable to be forgotten when reading the often contradictory experiences of people with the same variety. Still, there is the same difficulty with special fertilizers. There are soils abundantly supplied with potash in which these contradictory experiences occur all the same. A soil may have all the elements in abundance which analysis shows the plant to require and yet not do well, because it requires vital force to make use of them; and there are innumerable influences outside of mere soils that will often render a plant unable to make use of the food most desirable when the life power is in a different mood. - Ed, G. M].