The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-06-29
Cultivation of Alpine Strawberries.

Cultivation of Alpine Strawberries
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: These small,
sweet, delicious strawberries require to Be
planted closer in the rows than the common
varieties. They ara not such tall growers, but
they will spread over an immense surface Of
ground during season.
1t is doubtful whether they will ever become
profitable market variety, on account of their
size; they are small, but very highly colored
and favored. and immense bearers. They can
be picked quite rapidly, as the vines hang
pretty thick with ripe fruit during their bear
ing season. The wood Alpine strawberries are
said to preserve their beautiful coloriDg and
exquisite woodland flavor when canned, aud
are therefore Of extreme value for canning
purposes. They are the most delicious of all
strawberries for table use, and in Europe are
very extensively grown for that purpose.
The Honey strawberry Red AIpine) Is
highly-fragrant berry, and q few lunches
placed in a room will quickly I'LL it with .
spicy, strawberry aroma. These Alpine straw
berries are very attractive and snowy in bOu-
quets, as they are very glOwingly and bril-
liantly colored the Honey strawberry, when
first gathered, is such 3 bright crimson color
as to almost glisten.
The soil for these Alpine strawberries should
be very rich, and, if possible, they should be
planted in damp location, as they require an
abundance of water to do their best Allow
them to form in matted rows, about II inches
wide, as they will do better this way than in
hill culture
The two best varieties, so far as / know of,
is the red and white Alpines, which are Of
small to medium size, of splendid flavor, and
very heavy troopers, bearing in favorable eli
mates all season long. As table variety they
are unrivaled.
The wood Alpines are round-shaped straw
berries; there are also two varieties of them,
one of which is red coOred the other white;
these are very sweet and delicious, and are
very highly spoken of for table use.
Bush Aipines are remarkable for their total
restitution of runners, and are propagsted by
dividing the roots, or by sewing the seedsI
they are enormous bearers, very sweet and de-
licious, and extremely valuable for border and
ornamental plants. There are also white and
red varieties of this species.
Mill City, a wild strawberry OF California, il
perfection in delicious sweetness and high aro-
matte flavor; undoubtedly the best strawberry
as regards high flavor OF any variety known.
Alpine Strawberries are the best of ali for table
use. For near markets they might possibly
pay well, because they bear immense crops
after most other varieties are gone. By raising
Alpine strawberries the strawberry season -
continued until the hard frosts come. An
editor of New York State horticultural and
farming paper stated that he once picked pint
dish of ripe strawberries from one bush in Mo-
vember; this was of the bush Alpine variety.
The wood Alpines and Swiss Alpines are aboas
the same as regards prolifcness. Still, as pre-
viously stated, the only thing against these.
Alpine strawberries is their size; but as they
are such great yielders, and are so deliciOusly
favored, size is only secondary matter-S.Ls
WATKINS, Grizzly Flats, Cal.