[page] 672

CROSS-BREEDS OF STRAWBERRIES.

WILL any of your correspondents who have attended to the history of the Strawberry, kindly inform me whether any of the kinds now, or formerly, cultivated have been raised from a cross between any of the Woods or Alpines with the Scarlets, Pines, and Chilis? Also, whether any one has succeeded in getting any good from a cross between the Hautbois and any other kind? I am aware that Mr. Williams,¹ of Pitmaston, succeeded in getting some sterile hybrids from the Hautbois and Woods; but whether these were ever at all largely propagated, I cannot find out. I am, also, aware that Mr. Knight and Mr. Williams raised many seedlings by crossing Scarlets, Pines, and Chilis; but what I want to know is, whether any one has crossed these three latter kinds with the Wood or Alpine. I should feel greatly indebted to any one who would take the trouble to inform me on this head.²—C. DARWIN, Down, Bromley, Kent.

¹ John Williams (1773-1853), Worcester nurseryman noted for his apple and pear varieties. His observations are given in Knight 1824, p. 294. Darwin cited this in Variation 1: 352. See Correspondence vol. 10, p. 559.

²Three replies appeared in the Journal of Horticulture: 9 December 1862, p. 721; 30 December 1862, p. 779 (with a note by the editors "Mr Darwin, to whom we forwarded all the runners, is very much obliged, and has planted them."; 20 January 1863, pp. 45-6.