Strawberry Varieties in the United States Page: 2
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ORIGIN OF CULTIVATED STRAWBERRIES
Modern strawberry varieties have been derived chiefly from two
American species-the wild meadow strawberry of eastern North
America (Fragaria virginiana) and the beach strawberry found along
the beaches of the Pacific coast from Alaska to California and along the
coast of Chile (F. chiloensis). The beach strawberry is also found on
the mountains of the Hawaiian Islands. These two species were taken
to Europe and hybridized there to produce the forerunners of the
modern strawberry varieties.
Both wild species show many variations, and cultivated sorts show
even more. Some varieties produce no runners; others have five
leaflets to each leaf; and still others have fruit of various shapes, sizes,
colors, and flavors. There are, however, no pure-white cultivated
varieties, though some are white with a slight pink color on one side.
Nor is there a "bush strawberry," though the old crowns of most varie-
ties may become woody.
No fertile hybrids of the strawberry with other fruits have been
produced. The so-called "strawberry-raspberry" is a raspberry species
from Asia, and the "strawberry bushes" or "trees" are various plants
that are not strawberries at all.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE STRAWBERRY INDUSTRY
Commercial strawberry growing began in the United States about
1800. At that time the principal interest was in the vicinity of the four
largest cities, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. The
industry remained largely in those districts until about 1860, when
the growing of the Wilson variety, which originated in 1851, became
general. During this period several varieties were popular at one
time or another. The Large Early Scarlet was the principal one;
others, such as the Early Hudson, Hudson's Bay, Crimson Cone, Red
Wood, and Hovey, were also grown to some extent.
From 1860 to about 1885 the Wilson was the princil)al variety grown.
This was a much better shipping variety than any previously known;
with its introduction commercial strawberry growing developed rap-
idly. As early as 1835 strawberry growing had reached commercial
importance in the vicinity of Rochester, N. Y. In this district the
Wilson first became generally grown, and until about 1930 it was
grown there for canning. With the introduction of the Wilson, straw-
berry growing in New Jersey first began to shift from the vicinity of
New York to southern New Jersey. After the Civil War, boat ship-
ments of strawberries from the vicinity of Norfolk, Va., were sent to
the New York market. At this time strawberry growing also began to
develop rapidly on the Delmarva Peninsula, and southwestern Michi-
gan and southern Illinois began supplying the Chicago market with
strawberries.
The rapid extension of railroads and the introduction of refrigera-
tion in transit led to the further extension of strawberry growing into
Tennessee, central Arkansas, Louisiana, and northern Florida between
1870 and 1890. Since 1890 North Carolina, central Florida, Alabama,
the Ozark section of Arkansas and Missouri, the Santa Clara Valley
of California, and the Pacific Nortllhwest have become important straw-
berry-growing sections.
Until the Dunlap, which was originated at Urbana, Ill., was
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Darrow, George M. (George McMillan), 1889- & Waldo, George F. (George Fordyce), b. 1898. Strawberry Varieties in the United States, pamphlet, 1948; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc85874/m1/4/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.