The War and the Strawberry The War proved the truth
of this most lamentably. How wide and lasting was the degeneration in this sort of produce no one can well estimate, but there is one- outstanding example into which I have previously made close enquiry. The garden strawberry is one of the best fruits ; but it demands, at least in general reputation, a deal of sugar ; and in the War sugar was scarce. Strawberry culture was therefore discouraged. Gardeners no longer troubled to get their new plants from the first runners and the race was kept alive by perfunctory means. When the War was over it was found that the strawberry plants quite refused to bear their old weight of fruit. The whole stock in the country had most miserably degenerated. The work of recreation of course began again, but though it is nearly sixteen years since the War ended, the strawberry has not yet come back to its former quality, except here and there, though improvement has been continuous. If this happens with a plant chiefly multiplied from roots, what is likely to happen to a plant grown from seed ?
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