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COMPLETE MANUAL 
 
 FOR THE 
 
 ' Aliiktk of % ^inilDkrrg; 
 
 WITH A 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE BEST VARIETIES. 
 
 ALSO, NOTICES OF THE 
 
 RASPBERRY, BLACKBERRY, CRAxXBERRY, CURRANT 
 GOOSEBERRY. AXD GRAPE; 
 
 WITH DIRECTIONS FOR THEIR CULTIVATION. AND THE SELECTION 01 
 
 THE BEST VARIETIES. 
 
 Pf..e» n«. r.comm«d,d b« been proTed, .h. plan, of other. UM. .„d the ro.ult I. heregir*- 
 
 SIXTH EDITION. 
 
 BY R. G. PARDEE. 
 
 WITH A VALVABLB APPINDIX, 
 
 0O.TA,»ma TH, OM.BTATrONP A«0 .XH.„,.Kcc OP ,0M. o, THE HO.T .UCC.,8FUt 
 
 COLTIVATOB8 or TH«.S« FHWlTg IK OUB COUHTiiy. 
 
 r ■F"! 
 
 NEW YORK : 
 
 0. M. SAXTON, BARICER & CO., 
 
 No. 25 PA IK HOW. 
 
 1860. 
 
Entered according to Act of Congrew, in the year ISiS, by 
 
 C. M. SAXTON k CO. 
 
 In the Cl«rk'. Office of the District Court of the United State, for the Southern Di.trlcUf 
 
 New York. 
 
 iitJuarU ©. Jmftina, JjJrintfr, 
 No. 26 Frankfort Strut. 
 
€o\\tt\\is. 
 
 I 
 
 Preface to tub Third Revised Edition. ^^^^ 
 
 Preface 
 
 9 
 
 The Strawberry 
 
 Situation 
 
 17 
 
 Selection of Soil 
 
 Preparation of Soil 
 
 Manures 
 
 * 21 
 
 Transplanting (Time and Alanner of) 25 
 
 Mulching * ' * ^^ 
 
 "Watering ^ 
 
 Cultivation „„ 
 
 Field Culture „, 
 
 3* 
 
 Production oq 
 
 Renewal of Beds .„ 
 
 Winter Protection ^3 
 
 Sexuality ._ 
 
 Forcing ^^ 
 
 Seedlings -- 
 
 Classification -g 
 
 Selection of Varieties gQ 
 
 McAvoy's Superior— Hovey's Seedling— Monroe Scarlet- 
 Burr's New Pine— Longworth's Prolific— Walker's Seed- 
 ling— McAvoy's Extra Red-Jenncy 's Seedling- Moyaraen- 
 Bing Pine— Large Early Scarlet— Crimson Cone-Iowa— 
 Rival Hudson— Genesee Seedling— Willcy— Princess Alice 
 JIaude— Boston Pino— Black Prince— Lizzie Randolph— 
 Swalnstone Seedling — Myatt's British Queen — Large 
 White Bicton Pine— Barr's New White- Prolific Hautboy. 
 
I 
 
 ^■^ CONTENTS. 
 
 Analysis of the Strawberry Fruit and Plant ^"^7^ 
 
 KASPBKRnV _ , 
 
 • ••#..•..,..4 Ol 
 
 Fastolf-Francoui — Red and Yellow Antwerp — Knevett'a 
 Giant — Large-fruited Monthly — Ohio Erer-bearing. 
 
 BlaCKDEKBY gg 
 
 White— Improved High Bush— New Rochelle. 
 
 Crandeubv Q, 
 
 Black. 
 
 CCKRANT g- 
 
 Black Naples— White and Red Dutch— White and Red Grape 
 
 —Cherry— May Victoria— KnigLt's Sweet Red— Largest 
 White Provence. 
 
 Gooseberry og 
 
 Crornpton's Sheba Queen— Woodward's AVhiteemith— Roar- 
 ing Lion— Crown Bob— Houghton's Seedling, &c. 
 Geape jQ^ 
 
 Isabella — Catawba — Clinton — Concord — Diana — Black 
 Madeira, &c. 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 Pcabody on Ever-bearing Strawberries m 
 
 Pcabody 's Letter to R. G. Pardee HI 
 
 Huntsman's Experiments 121 
 
 Longworth's Letter to R. G. Pardee 124 
 
 Report of Cincinnati Horticultural Society 126 
 
 Barry's Directions for Cultivation of Strawberry 129 
 
 Mead's « " u ^^^^ -.^q 
 
 Fruit and Vegetable Garden 150 
 
 m 
 
 f 
 
 tSi 
 
81 
 
 I'HEFA.CE 
 
 TO THE THIRD REVISED EDITION 
 
 f 
 
 In responding to the 'call of the public for another 
 edition of the "Manual," we have taken occasion in 
 the light of the thoughts, suggestions, observation, 
 and experience of another year to give it a most thor- 
 ough revision, and perfect it for a more permanent 
 form. 
 
 Quite a number of new, and it is thought valuable, 
 articles have been added, among which we will specify 
 those on ^^ Production;^ ^^ Field Culture- ^^ Manures'^ 
 and on the Blackberry. Several have been almost 
 entirely re-written, and all amended so as to particu- 
 larly guard against being misunderstood, even where 
 the whole article is not read in the same connection. 
 
 We did hope by an extended correspondence with 
 many of our best horticulturists to gather more exact 
 and reliable statistics. But it appears to be a fact that 
 most things connected with strawberry culture in our 
 country is yet in a lax and unsettled condition. 
 
Ti 
 
 rilEJACE. 
 
 Few, even among our best grou-ers, cultivate ^vcU 
 for more thau one season in succession ; one good crop 
 is gatliered, and the next season all is too often neo-. 
 lected, and the crop is a flxilure; the result is that the 
 testimony of many of our prominent horticulturists is 
 too often so changeable as to be of little permanent 
 value. One year one thing, and the next year just 
 the reverse, because by neglect one season there was 
 no trial. Too many weeds or too many plants have 
 rendered good varieties unproductive. 
 
 The past season has been prolific of fruit, but rather 
 barren in the testia^g of varieties, or improvements iu 
 modes of culture. 
 
 Hovoijs Seedling has well sustained itself, and even 
 gained upon its reputation in the vicinity of Cincinnati. 
 McAvoy^s Superior has only sustained its reputation in 
 some favored localities. LongwortNs Prolific has gamed 
 m reputation among some of our most intcTlio-ent 
 amateurs. Walker^s Seedling, Jennyh Seedling, nlrr^s 
 New Pine, Monroe Scarlet, Genesee, Moyamensing, Bos- 
 Ion Pine and While Bicton Pine have not at least lost 
 ground. Among the new varieties ScotCs Seedling, 
 Hooherh Seedling, Jenny Lind, Pennsylvania, and Lucy 
 Fitch from the West have attracted considerable atten- 
 tion, and are all now in various localities under experi- 
 ment. The Lawton Blackberry is exciting deservedly 
 increased interest. 
 
 i1 
 
 I 
 
 „l 
 
 % 
 
, PREFACE. yjj 
 
 ^ Tlie Fruits of America are so line as to claim more 
 tmic, more care, more intelligent observation, and per- 
 sonal attention than has hitherto been given to them, 
 for in no other Avaj can old mother earth be made to 
 yield a more sure and ample reward. We shall do well 
 always to remember, as quoted bj Mr. Downing, that 
 " Fme fruit is the flower of commodities." 
 
 JVew rorkj January^ 1856. 
 
 f 
 
 M 
 
PIIEFA.CE. 
 
 This work has been prepared for the press, in tho 
 belief that it was wanted by the pubhc. 
 
 The author has, in a direct, phnin manner, simply 
 given his own experience. 
 
 Every process here recommended has been proved ; 
 the plans of others tried, and tlie result is here given. 
 
 Every variety of fruit here introduced — except the 
 Lawton Blackberry and two or three small, unimpor- 
 tant fruits— has been planted, fertilized, watered, cul- 
 tivated, and carefully watched daily for months, and 
 in most cases, for years; so that it is not mere theory, or 
 second-hand information from amateurs or gardeners, 
 however superior, that is here recorded. 
 
 With proper cultivation, a large crop of strawberries 
 may be expected every year with as much certainty 
 as a crop of corn, and in flict, more so, for our direc- 
 tions embrace a protection from drought, which so 
 frequently lessens the corn crop. 
 
 It will be readily seen that the author has not fol- 
 lowed the rules and order usually observed in treating 
 1^ 8 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 IX 
 
 upon these subjects; but has aimed to say what he 
 means, in a condensed, business-like way, so that ho 
 may be understood by the mass of readers. 
 
 It docs not by any means follou-, that every one who 
 reads this book will at once raise the largest and most 
 luscious strawberries and other choice fruits here named, 
 in the greatest abundance. Few persons are thorough 
 enough to do any thing well at first. 
 
 Place a new recipe for making premium bread in 
 the hands of six cooks, and it would be quite remark- 
 able if half of them were so particular as to make good 
 bread on the first trial. Some little thing which seems 
 to the unskilled to be unimportant, may in fact bo 
 essential. 
 
 It is pleasant to know tliat so many intolligent cul- 
 tivators are now turning their attention to the produc- 
 tion of these flne fruits, and wo may reasonably expect 
 much additional light will bo thrown upon some 
 points, which shall bo included in subsequent editions 
 of this work. 
 
 The writer is happy to acknowledge his obligations 
 to a large number of cultivators of these fruits during 
 the last few years, for valuable suggestions which he 
 has become so familiar with in practice, that doubtless 
 even their precise language has been sometimes uncon- 
 sciously woven into the text of this work. If it were 
 possible, he would be more specific in his acknowledg. 
 
i$ 
 
 X PREFACE. 
 
 ments, for it is pleascint to speak of sucli authors as A. 
 J. Downing, John J. Thomas, P. Barry, C. M. Ilovey, 
 and latterly F. li. Elliott, who has politely assented to 
 our use of some of the accurate drawings of fruits from 
 his new Fruit Book and Guide. 
 
 Our Appendix embraces much valuable original as 
 veil as selected matter, which will place before our 
 readers the views of others, beside our own, and in 
 some points diverse, and which will enable them to 
 exercise their own intelligent judgment, and we hope 
 lead to successful practice. 
 
 , The Author. 
 
 «' 
 
 !i! 
 
I^REFACli: 
 
 
 TO THE SIXTH EDITIOW. 
 
 After two years more of experience otservnrrnn 
 and intcreourse with intelligent cultiv.t?f;., tl e aS 
 in review, can onl.y re-affirm all tl,e sp.ciPc direct ons 
 here^given for the successful c-Utivatio'L of tile stoT 
 
 Considerable progress car be reported, from the 
 n^wSief " """" °° "^'^ 1-'"- <^f "^« best 
 
 halfs'^of "',L '■'"'i7- ''' "!■'''"' "'P™'-''' f"^'<'>- «t the 
 Albany, Ilookr', &edh,,g of R,v,I,ester, and Jennv 
 
 first n^n";? %'V''?' """' '"P™!"! «-'-"«'•««• The 
 nrst named, Thfcon's, serms to surpass all oistillnfo 
 
 SlnM-T '? ,P™'l"^ti^-«"'V«s, thus intei^^ ng wft long! 
 
 one Phnt ole'"'"' ?? "''*, ^"^■'^«*- We counted on 
 T W 1 u' T ?'■''• "'''' "" "'° t'*!'-'^ of 'he New York 
 Ilorlicnltural Society, 260 bemrs! and on several 
 
 which «"er?%r'''" •^''^ *"^ 200 berries! man^of 
 It , , o^ "''S" ^'^e-and this on single plaut? 
 not stools of plants. The second, Ihohr'Xirlry 
 
 nn^R„''"\P™'^i??"^? """^ °f W««fe flavor, rwlf 
 ing Burrs New Pine in this regard. The third Jcmlv 
 Lvul, promises to supercede °Large Kary Scarlet 
 
 a °r_„,^'!'' "^o.^f. J'st comiirise.'., we think, a, list .f • 
 tl^e ^,v« SIX varieties, and it is somewhat remarkable 
 
Zll 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 that all but Iloveijs are staminates. AFcAvoy's Super- 
 ior appears to have lost ground, but it may be, b( cause 
 It has b en extensively confounded with McAvoy'a 
 Extra Red, a similar variety, but having an inferior 
 brisk acid flavor. ' 
 
 Peabody's Seedling has not been sufficiently tested 
 at the North as yet to warrant a special notice. 
 
 Several English varieties are spoken of favorably 
 •such as Trollope's Victoria, Sir Harry, Sir Charles 
 JNapier, &c.; but we apprehend they will nn.istly 
 remain as pets in the amateur's gardens like the 
 imj)orted varieties heretofore introduced. 
 
 Crimson Cone is yet the principle market fruit 
 •around New York. It is handsome, ftiir size, brisk 
 acid bears carriage well, is easily cultivated, and 
 moderat ly productive. 
 
 Among the Baspberries, BnncUe's Orange is gaining 
 ftivor, and the same may be said of the Dorchester or 
 Improved High Bush Blackberry of Massachusetts. 
 
 I he Cherry Currant is objected to, on account of its 
 ^severe acidity. 
 
 Tlio Delaware and Rebecca Grapes are creatine no 
 little furore in the Horticultural world. They are 
 certainly of delicious flavor, and if y^rj early, hardy 
 and productive as represented, will prove' to be 
 decided acquisitions. Several other new varieties are 
 spoken of. but their precise value is so uncertain, that 
 we can afford to wait. 
 
 There is great encouragement at the present time to 
 raise seedlings for the purpose of introducing new and 
 improved varieties of all our smaller fruits, and not 
 only cultivators generally, but amateurs, if they have 
 but a small garden, will find much pleasure in these 
 experiments. 
 
 New York^ March, 1858. 
 
 The Author. 
 
it 
 
 '«♦ 
 
 THE STRAWBERRY. 
 
 This is the most beautiful and delicious of all our 
 early fruits, and so easily cultivated and so uniformly 
 productive, that every housekeeper possessing a few 
 rods of ground can have no excuse for not supplying 
 his table with an abundance. 
 
 Mr. A. J. Downing said truly, "Eipe, blushing 
 strawberries eaten from the plant, or served with suglir 
 and cream, are certainly Arcadian dainties witli a true 
 paradisiacal flavor, and, fortunately, they are so easily 
 grown that the poorest owner of a few feet of ground 
 may have them in abundance." 
 
 In the language of Mr. P. Barry — "To grow large, 
 handsome, fine-flavored fruit in abundance, it is not 
 necessary to employ a chemist to furnish us with a 
 long list of specifics, nor even to employ a gardener 
 by profession who can boast of long years of experi- 
 ence. Any one who can manage a crop of corn or 
 potatoes can, if he will, grow strawberries." 
 
 During many seasons we have had on trial in cup 
 
 (18) 
 
r' 
 
 14 
 
 THE STI?AWBERRY. 
 
 garden from twenty to sixty varieties at a time, and 
 although some were comparatively unproductive, yel 
 the average cost of producing them for years has been 
 less than fifty cents per bushel; beside the cost of 
 gathering and value of plants, which were taken from 
 our own garden. Others can, and have done, the same. 
 "We can refer to amateurs, market-men, fiirmers, and 
 nurserymen in Western New York, who have raised 
 them at even a smaller cost, both on a large and small 
 scale. On a plot of ground fifty by sixty feet, we have 
 repeatedly gathered over fifteen bushels in a season, 
 under all the disadvantage of many varieties. With a 
 good selection of lands, and good attention, it is cer- 
 tain that one hundred and fifty bushels can easily be 
 produced on an acre. We have on small beds grown 
 at the rate of two hundred and fifty bushels to the 
 acre, and we are assured that, on a larger plot, at the 
 rate of two hundred bushels per acre has been gathered. 
 It is almost as easy to raise extra-large, fine fruit, as it 
 is small, indifi'ercnt berries ; and it is a decided object. 
 Fruit of high flavor, measuring from three to four 
 inches in circumference, will command fifty cents per 
 quart in New York or any other good market, as 
 readily as small fruit will ten cents ; while the labor 
 of picking such large fruit is very small, and the pro- 
 duct much larger. The demand for extraordinary 
 iruit is everywhere increasing. 
 
 1 1 ' i 
 
THE STRAWBERRY. 
 
 15 
 
 Of tlio many varieties on our own grounds one sea- 
 son, more than twenty different kinds, without special 
 effort, jDroduccd specimens four inches in circumference, 
 while the largest were six. There is a positive plea- 
 sure in raising such fruit, and our aim in this work is 
 to enable many persons to make that pleasure their 
 own. The interest on this subject has so increased and 
 become so well-niga universal, that every village and 
 neighborhood can call out a little company who will 
 be glad to know how easily it can be done. 
 
 Mr. Downing says, " The strawberry is perhaps the 
 most wholesome of all fruits, being very easy of diges- 
 tion, and never growing acid by fermentation, as most 
 other fruits do. The oft-quoted instance of the great 
 Linn;ous curing himself of the gout by partaking 
 freely of strawberries — a proof of its great wholesome- 
 ness — is a letter of credit which this tempting fruit has 
 long enjoy edj for the consolation of those who are 
 looking for a, bitter concealed under every sweet." 
 
 An unknown writer in the last Patent Office Report 
 says, "The strawberr\ was described by Juan di Cuba 
 in his ' Ortus Sanitatis,'' in 1485; in which its medical 
 and other properties arc treated at length." He also 
 eloqiiently says : — " When we contemplate the rela- 
 tions which the strawberry plant bears to other parts of 
 nature — to the sun which expands its blossom — to the 
 winds which sow its seeds — to the brocxs whose banks 
 
16 
 
 THE STKAAVBERRY. 
 
 it embellishes; wlicii we contemplate how it is pre- 
 served during a winter's cold, capable of cleaving 
 stones— how it appears verdant in the spring, without 
 any pains employed to preserve it from frost and snow 
 —how, feeble and trailing along the ground, it should 
 be able to migrate from the deepest valleys to Alpine 
 heights— to traverse the globe from north to south, 
 from mountain to mountain, forming, on its passage 
 over prairie and plain, a thousand mingled patches of 
 checker-work of its fair flowers and scarlet or rose- 
 colored fruit, with the plants of every clime— how it 
 has been able to scatter itself from the mountains of 
 Cashmere to Archangel, from Kamschatka to Spain- 
 how, in a word, we find it in equal abundance on tho 
 continent of America, from the bleak fields of Tierra 
 del Fuego to Oregon and Hudson's Bay, though 
 myriads of animals are making incessant and universal 
 havoc upon it, yet no gardener is necessary to sow it 
 again— we are struck with wonder and admiration at 
 so precious a gift." 
 
SITUATION. 
 
 17 
 
 SITUATION. 
 
 A warm, exposed, and yet rather moist location is 
 the best for a strawberry plantation. 
 
 If very early fruit be an object, select a side-hill 
 gently sloping towards the south, with a liberal ad- 
 mixture of small stones or coarse gravel in the soil. 
 This should then be protected on the north, west, and 
 east by a liigh closed board fence, or a live hcdo-e in 
 order to be very early; we have seen an artificial 
 hedge of withered evergreen boughs that had answered 
 an excellent purpose, and enabled the owner to realize 
 fifty cents per quart for the crop, when otherwise he 
 could not have so much anticipated the usual season, 
 and would have been compelled to take twelve and a 
 half cents for the same fruit. 
 
 If late fruit be desired, then select a piece of land 
 facing the north, and exposed. Low land is usually 
 preferable to high, hilly land for the strawberry, yet 
 it can easily be raised on both ; a little knowledge of 
 its character will enable us to remedy the defects of 
 the high ground. If the situation is near a spring of 
 water, where it can be irrigated, and is also susceptible 
 of drainjige, it is very desirable. 
 
 Though they will sometimes succeed when partially 
 shaded with trees or shrubbery, yet they are best 
 
18 
 
 SELECTION OF SOIL. 
 
 flavored in an open garden, with no shade but their 
 leaves. Alpines, and some other kinds, planted in the 
 northern shade of a fence or dwelling, will commence 
 later and continue longer in their bearing season. 
 
 
 SELECTION OF SOIL. 
 
 New land, recently disrobed of its forest, if of a 
 deep gravelly loam, we think is the best adapted to 
 the strawberry, and next, a sandy loam ; but almost 
 any soil, even the heaviest clay, can be prepared, by* 
 a liberal admixture of sand or gravel, so as to produce 
 the finest quality and a large crop of fruit. 
 
 As has been intimated, as low, soft, moist, cool soil 
 as can be procured, consistently with depth and thorough 
 drainage, is best adapted to the strawberry ; and yet 
 elevated knolls, and even sand-hills, with the precau- 
 tions above-named, have often succeeded well. 
 
 Wet, spongy lands, except with a porous subsoil 
 susceptible of drainage ; and high, barren hills, with 
 a thin, flinty soil, are alike to be avoided. 
 
 The strawberry, however, is so retentive of life, that 
 it will live in almost any soil ; but it will not produce 
 much fruit, unless the remedies are in some -vay ap- 
 plied to the ungenial soils. 
 
PREPARATION OF THE SOIL. 
 
 19 
 
 PREPARATION OF THE SOIL. 
 
 Clear the ground of weeds, roots, and seeds of all 
 kinds, as far as possible, iu preparation for thorough 
 drainnge, wliicli in most soils should be attended to the 
 first thing. The best drains are the earthen tile drains, 
 from two to four rods apart, which should be so con- 
 structed as to be left open at both ends for the circula- 
 tion of the air, as well as the release of stagnant water. 
 A brush or coarse stone drain is beneficial as a tempo- 
 rary expedient. 
 
 The strawberry is so sensitive to both drought and 
 stagnant water that most of the best land in our coun- 
 try should be well drained and trenched, if we would 
 receive in return uniformly large crops of fruit in all 
 seasons. After draining, break up the soil as deep and 
 thoroughly as possible with a subsoil plougli, or trench, 
 it with a spade to the depth of full twenty inches. 
 By this process the strawberry roots can penetrate far 
 below tlie effects of our severest droughts, which never 
 extend, in good soil, it is said, more than from five to 
 seven inches below the surface. Where the ground is 
 properly prepared, the roots penetrate to a much 
 greater depth than is generally supposed. 
 
 The late Mr. A. J. Downing assured ua that he had 
 traced the roots of a strawberry plant in one instance 
 
20 
 
 PREPARATION OF TUE SOIL. 
 
 through a shelving of rock and earth a distance of 
 between four and five feet in length, in its search for 
 water. 
 
 Inasmuch as the fruit is composed of so Large a pro* 
 portion of potash, soda, and Ume — sixty-two parts in 
 every hundred, as wdl be seen by the tables in this 
 work giving the analysis of the strawberry and plant 
 —we recommend next, that an application to the acre 
 be made of twenty to thirty bushels of unleachcd or 
 leached ashes, ten to twelve bushels of lime— either 
 stone or oystershcll— with two or three bushels of salt, 
 which should be thoroughly mixed with the soil, if 
 possible some Aveeks before the plants are set out. It 
 should never be forgotten that a frequent breaking up 
 of the soil with the spade or fork before planting and 
 stirring it up with a long tooth rake afterwards as long 
 as it can be done without disturbing tlie roots ; laying 
 every part of it open to the ad ion of frost, air, and 
 light, so that a portion of the soil, at least eight to 
 twelve per cent, is reduced to the finest powder, is in- 
 dispensable to the healthy action of the many thou- 
 sands, yea, millions of visible and invisible fibrous roots 
 of the strawberry ; neither can we too strongly insist 
 upon the fact that while the strawberry fruit loves a 
 pure finely pulverized virgin soil, it loathes the whole 
 class of rich sthnulating manures. 
 
MANUKE3. 
 
 21 
 
 MANUHES, 
 
 Leaf- mould, decomposed turf or peat, bog earth, new 
 Buifiice soil or muck, wood ashes and lime with a 
 little salt well composted are, we think, the best manures 
 for the strawberiy. 
 
 On old or exhausted lands deficient in life as well as 
 nutriment, barn-yard and other animal manures are 
 often used, we know with comparative success, but we 
 much prefer the above manures where thej can be 
 obtained. In our garden soils or good conditioned 
 fields we would simply apply ashes, lime, and salt. 
 Plaster is injurious to the strawberry, but ashes leached 
 or unleached are generally beneficial. 
 
 We have not used any barnyard animal manure dur- 
 ing the last six or eight years in the cultivation of the 
 strawberry in our own garden, and it was simply a 
 a matter of careful experiment which induced us to 
 eschew them altogether and adopt vegetable in prefer- 
 ence. The animal manures were found to be too 
 heating and stimulating in their character, forcing out 
 a rank, strong growth of vines and runners, quit-^ un- 
 favorable to fruitfulness. It should always be borne 
 111 mind that the strawberry plant does not produce 
 runners, leaves, and fruit, as a general thing, at the 
 same time, When the runners start, it will brnoticed 
 
22 
 
 MANURES. 
 
 ,1 
 
 If 
 ■ 
 
 I 
 
 ' i! 
 
 1r 
 
 that tho fruit-bearing propensity of tlic plant soon 
 ceases. On the c^jntrary, wo have had strawberry 
 plants in the open garden, nortli, in a soil two-thirds 
 river sand with on^i-third finely pulverized garden 
 soil, tliat continued in flower and fruit from June until 
 September without showing any disposition to start a 
 runner, untd, by the addition of a little guano-water 
 in September, the runners started, and the blossoms 
 and fruit, as usual, then ceased to appear. 
 
 The usual application of barn-yard, especially horse 
 manures, without compost on strawberry plantations, 
 besides producing an over-growth of runners and 
 leaves, even before the earliest fruit is perfected, heats 
 the earth where a cool moist soil is required| and also 
 fills the ground with seels producing troublesome 
 weeds, and mingles the soil with undecomposed por- 
 tions of the straw, which, coming into injurioas con- 
 tact with the fibrous roots of the plants produces disas- 
 trous results. 
 
 Our first successful experiment with the strawberry 
 was on new land, which gave ns an enormous crop of 
 fruit. In order to increase the crop still more, the 
 next year, we forked in rich manure between the rows 
 and gave them the best of care, and obtained mon- 
 strous vines and blossoms but not even a pint of fruit 
 in the place of bushels— a perfect failure. We then 
 trenched a soil three feet de^^p, irade it rich and set 
 
1 
 
 MAN17UE3. 
 
 23 
 
 41 
 4 
 
 out some splendid plants from a bearing bed of TTovey'a 
 Seedlings, with an abundance of staniinates withiu 
 four feet. Tiie vines were very largo and fine, but 
 alas I did not produee one quart of fruit when fourteen 
 mouths old. We then removed most of the rich soil 
 and replaced it with sand, and the same bed bore us 
 three bushels of overgrown llovey's the next season. 
 With the soil thus reduced, the plants very slowly and 
 reluctantly threw out any runners, but continued bear- 
 ing largely without change for four successive seasons. 
 On or about the first of May, and again ten days or 
 two weeks later, three times each spring, it has been 
 our custom liberally to sprinkle our choicest beds with 
 a solution in six gallons of water, of one quarter of a 
 pound each of sulphate of potash, sulphate of soda 
 (glauber salts) and nitrate of soda, with one and a half 
 ounce of sulphate of ammonia. 
 
 AVe would not represent this application to be essen- 
 tial to the production of good fruit, but a continued 
 scries of experiments has proved to our satisfaction 
 that it is valuable for amateurs, especially in increas- 
 ing tlie size, quantity and superiority of the fruit. 
 
 Thj apparent effect seemed to be to arouse the 
 plants from the torpor of winter and give them in the 
 early spring a strong, vigorous impetus, and aiding in 
 the development of healthy plants for the production 
 of laro;e fruit. 
 
f ! 
 
 24 
 
 MAXUIiES. 
 
 We have often seen Uovey's Seedlings nearly twice 
 the size of adjoining beds that were neglected in the 
 application. The most favorable time for the sprink- 
 ling seems to be at the close of a warm fine day when 
 the crown of the plants are fully exposed. 
 
 Where tlie above solution cannot be conveniently 
 obtained, one-quarter of a pound of sulphate potash, 
 sal soda, glauber salts, and one and a half ounce of 
 sulphate or muriate of ammonia in six gallons of 
 water, or either of them applied alone, we have found 
 useful as a substitute. 
 
 Liquid manures composed of cow or hen droppings, 
 or even soap-suds, we have not found good fertilizers 
 for the fruitfulness of the strawberry, but they will 
 increase the runners and promote the growth of the 
 plants. 
 
 It is expected that these Uquid applications will be 
 mainly confined to garden or amateur culture where 
 there is an especial ambition to raise superior fruit. 
 
 It will be seen from the interesting articles in our 
 appendix A, from C. F. Peabody, Esq, near Columbus, 
 Georgia, that his own observations and extended ex- 
 perience have led him to similar conclusions in regard 
 to manures that are here presented. 
 
 Various other intelligent observers and successful 
 cultivators, might be named in different parts of our 
 country, who have been led to adopt the same conclu- 
 
TJJAX.SPLAXTIXG. 
 
 25 
 
 sions. AVc thercf(>r . say, cmpluiticall,7, do not overfeed 
 your .strawberry plantations with rich manures, for we 
 are contident the great majority of the crops in our 
 country are greatly lessened in so doing. 
 
 It cannot bo too often repeated, that if yoa give 
 them the best— not the richest— pure soil, very finely, 
 deeply pulverize it, and place it in the lightest, cleanest 
 condition, and keep it so; get good plants of good 
 varieties, and never let any single plants be nearer 
 than ten inches to any other, the results will surpass 
 your largest expectations. 
 
 TKANSPLANTINa. 
 
 This is a process to which the strawberry is most 
 sensitive. The plant will live under almost any treat- 
 ment, or any manner or time of transplanting, but will 
 not always yield a full supply of good fruit unle.^^s this 
 process is appropriately performed. First we speak as 
 
 to TIME. 
 
 For large plantations, or for ordinary cultivator^, 
 the eaily spring is perhaps the best season; certainly 
 it IS Llie time when it can be the easiest and most sue- 
 cessfully accomplished. The ground is soft and moist 
 at that time, and the weather is usually favorable. • 
 
 The next season generally recommended is the 
 month of September. Plants can then be easily ob- 
 
I' % 
 
 26 
 
 TRANSPLANllNG. 
 
 tained, and after the cool, moist fall weather has com- 
 menced, the ground works easily, and there is not 
 much difficulty in making them live. There is one 
 danger, however, to be especially guarded against in 
 fall transplanting ; that is, the plants may not get so 
 firmly rooted as to be enabled to withstand successfully 
 the severe frosts of winter. A liberal covering of 
 straw will assist in remedying this matter. The ad- 
 vantages gained over spring transplanting will be, the 
 earth will not pack so very hard around the plants in 
 the fall, as under the hot summer's sun and rains, and 
 the plants will not be so likely to be checked in their 
 growth as in 1:he droughts which often occur in June 
 and July or August ; weeds will not so multiply- 
 only a partial crop however can be gathered the next 
 season. 
 
 We have transplanted strawberry plants successfully 
 for years, every month, from March until the 20th of 
 October, without difficulty. With mulching, shade, 
 and water, judiciously applied, it can be well done at 
 any time. For our own planting, we prefer the 1st of 
 July for several reasons. The ground, if thoroughly 
 prepared then, will not be subject to become so hard 
 packed. The weeds will not be so troublesome. If 
 the plants get well started, and are not checked in their 
 growth, they will produce very nearly a full crop of 
 fruJfc the fbUowing spring. We have found that theso 
 
-r-,^ 
 
 JrANXEIl OF TRAXSPLAN'll^G. 
 
 27 
 
 advantages will amply repay tlio little extra care in 
 mulching, shading and watering. Ten or fifteen days' 
 latei- planting will, seriously lessen the first crop, accord- 
 ing to our observation. In sprin ^r planting, J^farch will 
 answer south of Philadelphia, and last of April and 
 first of .May for the north. None but careful, skilful 
 cultivators however should transplant in midsummer. 
 
 MANNER OF TRANSPLANTING. 
 
 The hesi way undoubtedly is, to take the first runners 
 as soon as fairly set, and remove them with a trans- 
 planting trowel, with the roots and earth undisturbed. 
 This however cannot be conveniently done, except the 
 plants are in the same garden with the new bed. Neither 
 have we ever found the first runners more productive 
 than the subsequent ones, unless they are stronger. 
 
 In most cases, i)lants come fi-om a distance, and 
 great care should be taken to get as large a proportion 
 of the numerous fibrous roots as possible ; and in 
 order to do this, the ground should always be well 
 saturated with water, either artificially or other\\qse, 
 before the i)lants are taken up, and then the first 
 thing to be done, is to mud tlie roots, by dipping 
 tliem in a little mud-hole made in the gardeii soil° 
 where tlie water has been poured and stirred, until it 
 has become sufficiently thickened with the soil to 
 leave a good coating of mud on the roots of the plants 
 
28 
 
 DISTANCE Ili ITRANSPLANlIJ^-'a 
 
 
 \ 
 
 as ihcy are withdrawn. This greatly protects the 
 plants on a short or a longer transportation. 
 
 For transplanting, the cartl- should be levelled and 
 made as flat as possible. If raised into beds or hills, 
 it will invite tlie drought, to which the strawberry 
 plant has a decided aversion. The plants should then 
 be set out, leaving the roots in as nearly their natural 
 S])rcading condition as possible ; with the fingers press 
 the pure earth comj^actly around the body of the 
 plant, being careful not to set the plant too deep. If 
 there is any old bark or decayed portion of the leaves 
 on the plant, remove it before setting out: an old plant 
 will usually renew itself by sending out a new set of 
 roots on being transplanted, and it should be remem- 
 bered that the strawberry plant, while it places its 
 roots, mainly, near the surface of the ground, yet a 
 portion of its larger roots penetrate flivorable soils to 
 the depth of from two to four feet, and even a greater 
 depth in some cases, as has been stated. 
 
 DISTANCE IN TKANSPLANTING, 
 
 The Alpines and smaller varieties should always be 
 eight to ten inches apart, while the larger varieties 
 should be allowed ten or twelve to eighteen inches. 
 Put one plant in a place, and let no other remain nearer 
 than the above distances, and it is not material to suc- 
 cess in cultivation v^hether you plant in rows, beds, or 
 
DISTANX'E IX TllAXSPLAXTING. 
 
 29 
 
 bills, if jou do not bill tliein up. We often set out ia 
 rows, two fbcfc apart, and leave tlio plants one foot from 
 each other in the rows; or a method by which wc have 
 ciijoj-ed great success in producing tlie finest fruit, has 
 been to |)jepai-e a plot of ground, and cover it with 
 .strong plants one yard apart, and stimulate these tern- 
 porarily, by a liberal application of liquid manures or 
 soap-suds from the wash, to send out runners, which 
 will soon supply the intermediate ground with jDlanta 
 of nature's own planting, which is a little better done 
 than any one else can do it ; care should, however, be 
 taken to spread the runners so that the above distance 
 of from eight to twelve inches can be preserved. Al- 
 lo^^■mg plants to fill the ground too closely with runners, 
 and permitting those runners to remain, defeats more 
 good crops of fruit than almost any other error. 
 
 For^fleld cHUure, set one plant in a place, eight inches 
 to one foot from the next, in rows three feet apart, 
 so as to leave room for a horse-cultivator to pass be- 
 tu-een the rows, care being requisite not to appix)ach 
 nearer than eight inches to full grown plants, partieu- 
 hirly when approoxihing the fruiting season. This whole 
 pr..cess of field culture is the same in is general prin- 
 ciples with that in the garden ; except, for the convc 
 nienee of a horse-cultivator to pass between them, the 
 rows should one way be planted the same distance 
 apart as corn ; then the sajiie treatment as to clean 
 
Ii^ 
 
 
 1 ^ 
 
 11 
 
 80 
 
 MULCEIING. 
 
 cultivation, and even water and mulching, as far as con 
 nient, is desirable. (See our article on that subject.) 
 
 MULCHINa. 
 
 This consists in covering the surface of the ground 
 with something that is not injurious to the ijlaiit, to 
 protect it from tlie intense heat of the sun or extreme 
 cold. From one to four inches in depth is the usual 
 custom ; the latter depth for pear, peach, and other 
 fruit trees. 
 
 For the strawberry, Av^refer, as soon as the plants 
 are set, at whatever season of the year, to cover the 
 entire surface of the ground, including the walks, with 
 tanbark, new or old, to the depth of half an inch or 
 one inch, care being taken that it is left very thin — 
 only a slight coating— immediately around the crown 
 of the plant. We have pursued this plan, and have 
 never known a single plant injured by it ; on the con- 
 trary, all the plants have been decidedly benefited. 
 When using sawdust, we have sometimes been a little 
 troubled with mildew^, but never with tanbark. Some 
 of our most intelligent horticulturists say it is a specific 
 manure for the strawberry, which otliers deny ; we find 
 it, at least, the best thing brought to our notice as a 
 mulch. It is excellent to retain moisture and keep the 
 earth in fine condition under it ; very few weeds will 
 
*Sfei 
 
 WATEK, 
 
 31 
 
 ordinarily tfouble us, where tlie tan is one incli in 
 thickness, and altogether it is excellent. Where tan 
 cannot be (obtained, sawdust will do, if not applied 
 too thick. Leaf-mould is very good, if the soil is not 
 already too rich. Straw is good, but green rowen or 
 fresh-cut grass, if the seeds are not ripe, is better still ; 
 any thing, in fact, not injurious, that is convenient and 
 adapted, can be used. 
 
 WATER. 
 
 The strawberry has a great relish for good, clear, 
 cold water. We have often seen them take a strong 
 shower-bath at midday, in the face of the hottest sun 
 in July, without skrinking. A slight sprinkle, just to 
 lay the dust, does not satisfy them, but a thorough 
 soaking is what they delight in— say a pailful of water 
 to every six or eight plants, or every four feet square 
 of earth. If you say *'this calls for a great deal of 
 hard work," we answer then, do not repeat it so often, 
 but do it thoroughly whenever attempted. A few 
 weeks since, we sent a friend some plants of new and 
 rare kinds. A drought prevailed, and we feared he 
 would neglect them, so we called to see them, and 
 found he had set out and sprinkled them in the light- 
 est, most delicate manner possible, and lost the most 
 of them. Another friend to whom we gave a few 
 
32 
 
 CL'I/nVATIOX. 
 
 plants at the same dry time, gave them a tliorough 
 and repeated drenching, and saved all his plants. 
 
 A garden engine is very convenient in a strawberry 
 plot, for watering purposes, or a stream of water so 
 situated as to irrigate, is better still. A water-ram, 
 and water brought up in pipes, will accomplish the 
 same thing. Ordinarily, during the bearing season, 
 sufficient rain falls, so that very little Avatering is 
 needed: some seasons are so wet that no water is 
 needed until the bearing season is over, and then tlio 
 plants do not particularly ]-equire it; but a drought 
 will soon compel the strawberry to cease bearing in 
 ordinary soils. ? The remedy or preventive is deep soil 
 and water, w^ater, eYcry day, and sometimes every 
 night and morning. The evening, just at sundown, is 
 the best time to water plants ; and in some cases it is 
 desirable that the water should have been exposed to 
 the sun and air before being applied, but we do not 
 think this is necessary for the strawberry. 
 
 ^ 
 
 CULTIVATION. 
 
 Most persons bestow, erroneously, most of their 
 labor in raising strawberries on their cultivation. On 
 the contrary, if our directions so far are strictly fol 
 lowed, the work is mostly done, except gathering the 
 fruit. We have very little vv^ork to do in the way oP 
 
CULTIVATION. 
 
 S8 
 
 tlio 
 
 caltivation after planting, except watering and occa- 
 sional pulling of weeds which appear through the tan, 
 and neither of these ordinarily requires much time or 
 hibor. Tiiey must be kept clean and in good order, 
 but we are very careful not to allow the hoe to be used 
 nearer than eight inches to any full-grown plant, and, 
 consequently, it is seldom or never used about the 
 beds after the first month's planting. The reason is, 
 the numerous fibrous roots so interlace and fill the 
 ground for a space of six or eight inches around the 
 plant, coming so completely to the surface, that the use 
 of the hoe will cut off great numbers of those little 
 roots, and we are unwilling to have our plants maimed 
 in this way. It certainly greatly injures their bearing. 
 The fork or spade should be kept at the same distance, 
 for the same reason. The only time during the year 
 we loosen the soil in our beds with the fork, is imme- 
 diately at the close of the season of bcarin;?, selecting 
 the time when the ground is moist. And yet, we re- 
 peat, the strawberries must be kept clean; and the 
 reader may here se3 a reason for all the minute and par- 
 ticular description we have given in the preparation. 
 It needs to be thoroughly done, because it cannot well 
 be remedied afterwards. The plants will not admit of 
 fj-eely working among them, except with the hand, if 
 not kept at an unusual distance from each other, with- 
 2* 
 
34 
 
 FIELD CULTURE. 
 
 out reducing the crop of fruit. If our object is largo 
 and abundant fruit, the roots must not be disturbed. 
 
 One quaUiicaticMi to the above : V/hen new plants 
 are sot, unless prevented by mulching immediately, 
 we, as (jften as every three days or week, for a month 
 or so, hoc or rake the ground freely, and always stir 
 ;the soil as close to the plants, as often] and as much as 
 possible, only being cautious not to disturb the roots. 
 On no account hill up the plants in the cultivation, or 
 •elevate the beds in good soil. 
 
 t ! 
 
 m . 
 
 FIELD CULTURE. 
 
 Although most of the processes -herein detailed for 
 the garden are equally appropriate for those who are 
 largely cultivating for market purposes, yet that class 
 of persons are now becoming so numerous and impor- 
 tant, particularly in the vicinity of our cities, that a 
 general article, summing up the whole matter, may well 
 be prepared for their especial convenience and benefit. 
 Some points are so essential as to bear a distinct repe- 
 Sition. 
 
 Select from your farm as far as convenient a rather 
 ow, cool, moist spot of ground, with an open, genial, 
 oure soil ; somewhat like that we often find on the 
 fliargin of streams of water or muck swamps, or bog 
 
FIELD CULTUllE. 
 
 85 
 
 meadows, or get soinctliing as near to this as you eaii 
 find. A fine gravelly loam is 2)referable, and it is bet- 
 ter if the land has botu thoroughly cultivated with 
 corn or ]x>tatoes for a year or two previous, so as to 
 leave the land in a light good condition, with the 
 weeds, roots, and seeds mostly decom2)osed. The land 
 sliould be well drained at once^ for it will pay to do so. 
 In September, on the removal of the crop of corn or 
 potatoes, plough the ground well and subsoil it deep. 
 Early in December apply to each acre of land ten or 
 twelve bushels of lime — old will do — and two or three 
 Dushcls of common salt, and then with deep ploughing 
 break up the soil again, throwing it up into ridges as 
 far as the plough wall do it, so that in the most exposed 
 condition it may be well prepared for the combined 
 action of the snow, frost, air and light of the approach- 
 ing winter. 
 
 In the spring, as soon as the ground is in order to 
 work to advantage, apply thirty bushels leached or 
 unleaehcd ashes to the acre. If the soil is poor, or not 
 in tolerably good condition, wc would the fall previous 
 take the lime, salt, and ashes with an equal quantity 
 of good muck, or marl, or woods' mould, or good turf 
 or surfiicc soil and make a compost heap. Keep it moist 
 and often stir it, and apply it all to the ground iu 
 the spring instead of putting on the lime and salt 
 with the December ploughing. Perhaps it might be 
 
i 
 
 36 
 
 nVAA) CULTLTltK. 
 
 well, however, to divide tlio limo and salt and put 
 half of it oil tlio land previous to the DccembLT })l()U"-li- 
 ing, and tlie rcmaiuder put into the compost heap. 
 
 If the laud is too light and saudy it will be benefited 
 by an additional moderate a[)plication of clay. If tho 
 soil is too heavy add sand or bog earth; if heavy 
 and poor, put on a light coating of g(wd loam or muck, 
 and if you prefer animal manure, choose that of tho 
 cow or hog, instead of the horse which is too heating. 
 If coarse gravel, add loam. It will be the best econo- 
 my to attend thoroughly to all these things, for they 
 will pay well. Nothing unnecessary is here specified. 
 The products pier acre from a field of market straw- 
 berries vary from $100, $200, $400, $1,000, $1,300 or 
 more iku- acre, and the difference is so great as amply 
 to remunerate for a most liberal application to the soil 
 or of labor in the preparation. 
 
 As we have said, as early in the spring as the ground 
 is in good working order, apply compost, &c., as above 
 directed, and then immediately plough deep and aa 
 well as possible. Then harrow and cross harrow until 
 the soil is well pulverized, and level the ground and set 
 out the strawberry plants, as has been stated, one in a 
 place ciglit or ten inches apart, in rows three feet dis- 
 tant, so that they can be cultivated with a horse culti- 
 vator between the rows ; beside, while the plants are 
 young all the weeds sliould be removed with a hoe, 
 
t ri:r.r) culture. 
 
 87 
 
 care bcin^ hilo-n, ;is often stated, not to disturl) tlio 
 sniiill libnuis roots ul" the pljuit. We know some per- 
 soMH may tliink we insist too inucli on tliis jjoiiit, and 
 wo also know Uiere are those who have gathered fair 
 but not hirge crops witliout mucli regard to tlie eai-eless 
 use of the hoj. Tiie erop, liowevcr, will be so nuicli 
 inereas(^d that we shall bo excused fcjr so often repeat- 
 ing that it will well repay to weed by hand for 1 ho 
 space of a few inches around each plant, instead of the 
 more destructive and rai)id process with the hoe. Let 
 it never be forgotten, however, that a strawberry plan- 
 tation Hiud be kept drun throughout the entire scjison. 
 As we Lave said, a slight covering of straw in winter, 
 an(l a mulch of tanbark, straw, or grass, just i)revious 
 to fruiting, will increase the crop. 
 
 Some persons, the first spring after the strawberry 
 plants are set out, fill up the intervals of three feet 
 between the rows with a row or two of beets. Inas- 
 much as the phuits are not expected to produce much, 
 if any, fruit the same season wlien set in the spring • 
 therofjre the cccupation of the ground in this way is°a 
 very good one. 
 
 AVhen the plants get an early strong growth in the 
 spring as we have recommendeil, care should be taken 
 to remove the greater portion of the numerous runners 
 which will strike previous to the coming winter. It 
 is a very common and destructive ' error to allow too 
 
iSiiKii 
 
 58 
 
 FIELD CULTURE. 
 
 I I 
 
 many plants to occupy the ground in the bearing sea- 
 son. Often from five to fifty times as many plants 
 can be seen on our strawberry plantati(nis around the 
 county as can bear fruit to advantage. It not unfre- 
 quently occurs that twenty plants on a foot square will 
 scarcely ripen forty diminutive berries, whereas two 
 well selected and cultivated plants on the same spaco 
 will yield us one hundred noble berries of twice the 
 average size; we repeat, the strawberry must have 
 plenty of room, light, and air, to yield its full supply 
 of fruit. The low, short, stout plants are the best to 
 select and leave for fruiting. Prepare the ground by 
 clearing it, and prepare the plants by thinning them 
 out in the full for the crop of fruit the next season, so 
 that in the spring the latter will not be disturbed in 
 the process of perfecting the fruit. 
 
 At the close of .the fruit season stir up the ground 
 with the cultivator, and prepare it for new plants 
 whenever a renewal is necessary, and in such case, 
 when the plants have become strong, run the cultiva- 
 tor through the old rows, destroying them and leaving 
 the plants ^n the intermediate spaces for bearing fruit 
 the next season. Each year the plant should be as 
 thoroughly prepared for fruiting as in the new bed. 
 The popular varieties for market cultivation aro 
 Ilovey's Seedling and Crimson Cone among the pistil- 
 late and Xiargc jLarly bcarlci; anci iovra among tjo 
 
rRODUCTION. 
 
 39 
 
 stammntes. We recommend a trial for market pur- 
 poses, and at first of course in a small way, of Monroj 
 Sciirlet, McAvoy's Extra Eed, Moyamensing Pino, 
 and Jenny's Seedling. 
 
 PRODUCTION. 
 
 The past year, 1855, was, on account of the fj-e- 
 quent early rains, an unusually favorable one for the 
 strawberry. 
 
 The crops were larger than usual, and tbe markets 
 generally were well supplied. 
 
 An extended correspondence, personal examination 
 and inquhy has been undertaken to ascertain, or at 
 least approximate to, the consumption during the last 
 season in some of our principal cities. From all that 
 has been accumulated on the subject our estimates are as 
 follows : 
 
 New York City 47 to 64,000 bushels. 
 
 Philadelphia 10 to 14,000 
 
 Boston 9 to 11,000 
 
 Cincinnati 11 to 14,000 
 
 We are assured that New York City received many 
 days more than 500,000 baskets, or over 3,000 bushels 
 for its own consumption ,and for the supply of its sub- 
 urbs. A single county in New Jersey from a single 
 port, over twenty.five miles distant, sent us by steam- 
 
 u 
 
 <( 
 
 (( 
 
BKIttH^lMMiaM^ 
 
 iO 
 
 rilODLXTION. 
 
 I ■ ' 
 
 boats during one d-iy last season 200,000 baskets ; and 
 several jears ago the su])erintcndent of the Eric 11. E. 
 cci-tified to the seeretary, Mr. Marsh, that the evening 
 train of that day brouglit in 803 bushels strawberries. 
 
 From all sources during the season we could have 
 received scarcely less than 8,000,000 baskets, which at 
 an average wholesale price of 2 J- cents per basket, (five 
 baskets to the quart) would make an aggregate of 
 $200,000. It should be remembered that much of the 
 sui)ply of Brooklyn comes through the New York 
 market. 
 
 Some single farmers around New York are cultivat- 
 ing thirty or mbre acres. Cincinnati reported 9,000 
 bushels strawberries in their market in 1851 or '52. 
 
 We cannot learn that the common crop of the straw- 
 b(?rry either around New York, Philadelphia, Boston or 
 Cincinnati actually exceeds twenty -five to fifty bushels 
 per acre, altliough we have instances reported around 
 all the cities of 100 bushels, and even 130 to 140 
 bushels having been produced on an acre, or in that 
 proportion ; so that the returns given in to us of the 
 avails varies from $100 to $800 per acre, and the 
 prices obtained ranges from 12^ cents up to $1 50 per 
 quart. The latter price for the very earliest taken into 
 Washington City fi'om the vicinity. The ordinary re* 
 turn for an acre, in order to be satisfactory to the 
 growers, we are told is $200 ; and the expense of cuJ- 
 
PKODrCTIOX. 
 
 41 
 
 tivating $15 to $25 per acre, Avitli an additional expense 
 of one cent per basket, or $1 50 per busiiel for picking. 
 It will tlius be seen that in order to supply New 
 York and vicinity with strawberries, about 1,500 acres 
 of the clioicest land in the vicinity is at present re- 
 quired, and the other cities named about 500 acres 
 eadi in proportion ; which is at least four times as 
 much land as is cither appropriate or necessary for the 
 object, if tlie nature and cultivation of the strawberry 
 was only as well understood as the raising of corn. 
 A crop of 30 bushels of strawberries to the acre, is 
 only about equal in proportion to a corn crop of 'lO 
 bushels on the same ground. We seldom see a large 
 strawberry plantation which after the first year has not 
 many more plants on the ground than can get light and 
 air sufficient to fruit well. The consequence is, that 
 our city markets are mainly supplied with inferior fruit, 
 simply because some of the commonest kinds ^^^7? pro- 
 duce a little, dwarfed, sour fruit, even under the worst 
 treatment. Superior well-grown fruit will easily pro- 
 (luce twice and four times as much to the acre and 
 command from twice to four times larger prices in 
 our c.ty markets. Making the avails and the dif. 
 ference from the same land, to be 25 bushels at lo. 
 cents per quart, or at least 125 bushels at 25 cents per 
 quart, or $1,000 or $100 per acre. In one instance the 
 net profits exceed $800, and in the others very little if 
 
.;f>>i» ifmi 
 
 42 
 
 RENEWAL OF BEDS. 
 
 i 
 ifi 
 
 ill! 
 
 \ 
 
 any. Oneliundred and twenty-five bushels ought to 
 be only an ordinary crop, and $1,000 the product of 
 any fair acre of land. 
 
 We have often had small plots of ground produce in 
 tlic ratio of twice that amount. 
 
 A writer in 1 854 in the May number of the Albany 
 Cultivator, from the old soil of West Haven, Connec- 
 ticut, certifies to having realized $215 from the sales of 
 strawberries from 25 rods of ground, or at the rate of 
 $1,300 per acre! 
 
 In Ilo^^ey's Magazine, 1852, it is stated that Mr. 
 Gore, of Maine, raised on a bed 11 by 43 feet at the rate 
 of full 300 bi^shels per acre, IIow long in common 
 fairness ought men to enjoy the stewardship of our 
 choice land that is capable of producing such results, 
 when they only equal one-thirteenth part of that 
 amount! We Avould not dispossess them of their 
 rights, but we beg of them to place the occupation of 
 the land by sale or otherwise in more capable and effi- 
 cient hands. 
 
 L 1 
 
 KENEWAL OF BEDS, 
 
 This should be done once in three or four years^ 
 and the same ground should be planted with corn or 
 potatoes for one season, and receive an application of 
 limn nshps- mid solt, as adviscd in the article on the 
 
■\VIXTEll PROTECTIOX, 
 
 43 
 
 preparation of tlie ground, before it is again used for 
 strawberries. The bed might be made to bear well, 
 by a careful renewal of the old plants by their run^ 
 ners, for ten or a dozen years, but this would require 
 rather more skill in cultivation than most persons 
 possess. 
 
 Every year or two, if a strong runner has struck 
 itself beside an old plant, we pull up the old plant in- 
 stead of the runner, and are constantly thus renewing 
 them. We always leave the best plants. The field 
 cultivator has only to clean oif the weeds, and prepare 
 the soil in the spaces of three feet between the rows ; 
 allow the runners to cover that ground; then drive 
 the cultivator or plough through, turning under the 
 old row of plants ; thin out the new ones to proper 
 distances, and his system of renewal is complete. 
 
 'i.*~\ 
 ib 
 
 tar ' 
 
 I v 
 
 kZ 
 
 WINTER PROTECTION. 
 
 Our experience is in favor of a slight winter protec- 
 tion. It costs comparatively but little time or expense, 
 on the approach of severe winter weather, to hastily 
 scatter a thin coat of straw or old leaves over the 
 plants ; and they come out in so much better condition 
 in the spring, and e\en the hardiest kinds bear so 
 much better crops fir it, that we never neglect it. 
 like mulching, almost any thing free from weeds, that 
 
 i 
 
^ I M i 'MHail i 
 
 mStmmmKimllm 
 
 •I I 
 
 1! 
 
 •!'i 
 
 ii 
 
 WINTER PIIOTECTION". 
 
 will not sniotlicr tlieiii or mildew, will answer tlie 
 purpose, but clean straw is preferable, except they 
 need the decaying leaves. 
 
 Some years ago, we had an aged neighbor, who 
 stood iihnost unrivalled in the cidtivation of the straw- 
 beny. One season he set out, on the first of July, 
 about one-fourth of an acre of fine Ilovey's Seedli ■ , .- 
 He almost constantly and carefully worked amoi _i 
 them with the hoc, the rake, and Avater-pot. and I 
 never saw a plot of so line strawberry-plants as these 
 had become on the approach of winter. 
 
 The old man was " very much set in his way," and 
 among the things his creed discarded, was mulching 
 strawberries; so, against my repeated remonstrances, 
 he left them for the winter without mulching, with his 
 usual preparation, which consisted in placi.ig a half- 
 inch deep of good earth around each plant, in a circuit, 
 to the width of six or eight inches, leaving the surfoce, 
 scolloped inwards towards the centre of the plant. 
 The vdnter proved a severe one, and the old man was 
 saddened in the spring, to fmd his fine plants drawn 
 out of the ground to the length of three and four 
 inches, and laid flat on the earth. One-tenth part of 
 the labor he bestowed in hilling his plants for winter, 
 appropriated to covering them with a little loose straw, 
 would have saved them all. 
 
EVKIMilCAIilVG SriiAWBEJUJIES. 
 
 45 
 
 EVKIl-BEAIinNQ STRAWBERRIES. 
 
 The Bush Alpines have always borne a succession 
 of crops during the season, when planted in the north- 
 ern shade of a fence, and well taken care of, watered 
 mulched, &e. ' ' 
 
 Some three or four years ago, the New Orleans 7>/m- 
 yune announced that Mr. Henry Lawrence, a gentle- 
 nuan of that city, had succeeded in ohtaining a seed- 
 ling, called the " Orescent ^eedUng;^ which bore an 
 abundance of large fruit for a continuous period of six- 
 er eight months oi more, from March to Decendx-r 
 We wrote to Mr. Lawrence, and his answer confirmed 
 all the paper had stated; and he sent us in succession 
 four or five diiferent importations of plants of the 
 Crescent Seedling, by the steamer and otherwise, until 
 at last we succeeded in causing them to grow, and 
 awaited their bearing season, when, alas I they only 
 bore a moderate crop, and ceased bearing as early as 
 any other variety in our ground; thus proving a 
 failure, as far as perpetual bearing was concerred, 
 under our ordinary mode of cultivation. The i)lant 
 has extraordinary vigor, a rampant staminate, exceed- 
 ing all varieties we hr^e ever seen in multiplying its 
 runners. The experiment convinced us that it" vas 
 
4 1 
 
 m 
 
 43 EVKlt-IiKAKlxVC STIiA\VJ5KKi{I^. 
 
 nut ihe variety, so mucli as the cultivation, ami soil 
 and cliiiiate, wliicli gave it its continual bearing pro- 
 pei'tics. SoniG cxperimeut.s since made witli this va- 
 riety, in soils so reduced as to be little else than coarse 
 sand, favor this idea. Mr. Lawrence wrote me at the 
 first, that he reduced his soil by three-fourths of j)iirc 
 river-sand ; and, although I reduced my garden-soil 
 considerably, yet it remained still V(>ry much too rich 
 for tlie Crescent Seedling to develop its perpetual pro- 
 perties. The various experiments, however, were by 
 no means lost. 
 
 About this time, it was announced by the press that 
 Charles A. Peabody, Esq., the horticultural editor of 
 the Soil of the South, near Columbus, Geoi-gia, had sue- 
 cceded, by reducing the soil, and with plenty of water, 
 in marking two well-known northern varieties— the 
 Large Early Scarlet, and Hovey's Seedling— develop 
 perpetual bearing qualities under the hot summer's sun 
 in Georgia, furnishing fruit in quantities, from ]\rarch 
 till January. If this was the case in Georgia and I^ew 
 Orleans, could we not hope, by similar means, to 
 extend our strawberry season north, during the months 
 of July, August, into September ? In October last, in 
 an ^ inten-iew with Mr. Peabody, he gave it as his 
 deliberate opinion tbat, by the process he detailed and 
 pursued, we could easily have an abundance of fruit 
 from our strawberry vines until frost came. We take 
 
pleasii 
 
 in full, in liis 
 
 rein inserting .A r.Peabodv'sp] 
 
 RIMKS. 
 
 47 
 
 On the 20tli Deccmbe 
 
 interesting artieics, in tl 
 
 J -^ I^lnn and directions 
 
 ', ni the Ajipendix, A. 
 
 i'ew plants in fruit from Lis 
 
 1- ^ast, Mi-. I\^abodj tooJc 
 
 ..^.. ^lojn Ills gii 
 With the .soil attached, in a ba: 
 
 arden, and placed tl 
 
 n]) a 
 
 I em. 
 
 P^ess to Messrs. J. M. Thorb 
 
 ■'"^J^et, and sent them hy 
 
 .street, New York. On their 
 
 Bay, th 
 
 ''^^^ & Co, 13 John 
 arrival, on Christ 
 
 >^y, they „ere wcH loaded .vith la,-.; 'nrJr'"^ 
 and FotItt c? 1 . "^'o^ Jipc llovovH 
 
 ana ±.aijj Scarle s, too-cther w,-fi. i -^ 
 
 ^reen fruit nf ii • . "^ ^^''^^^ ^^'^^■i^^V of 
 
 ^ittn iiuit, of all siises, from th-it nf o 
 
 full-grown berries T .. ^'"^ ''^'^^'^^^'^^^ *^ 
 
 o ^Jtrries. J-hej remamed on e\l,iln+^ 
 
 tUeur .indo.., .o^e tu-o .eek, who. 1 '" 
 
 politely handed to u,, and wo had ^ ''"''' 
 
 .-hou..,..h.,oH;o.po::r:i:;::r 
 
 Pl»"t« «" grew finely; in March they e.n ' , 
 
 wnhont sending out a single runn; •'!^ J f '•'' 
 
 plants at the present tin.e (the 14AVt t "" 
 t'osson, and have not sta tel a ^l^T "" " 
 «'e pot. which had no runno>. 3 ,," °7"° "^ 
 -3-h.t.erieh.oiUndina,;:e^^S^^^^ 
 
 sro;i--^^-^'^^--rt= 
 
 The infocnec we draw from all this is that no 
 } "■' — beanng under our usual >nanner oi 
 
 
 ■fl 
 
, 'fmmmmitmmttttll 
 
 48 
 
 SKXr.Mi CHAKACTKJl. 
 
 :1! 
 
 -■ i 
 
 treatment, but that most kiiuls can be so trained, that, 
 with a soil reduced hirgely enough with sand, and 
 only vegetable manures a^jplied, imd plenty of water, 
 and mulching when needed, they will continue to pr<:)- 
 duco fruit until the a[)proach of frost. The whole 
 tendency of our experiments in strawberries is in tliis 
 direction. Professor Page has, in Washington City, it 
 is stated, induced the Alice ^faudc to ndopt tlie (over- 
 bearing habit. E. P. Brooks, Esq., of Ehnira, N. Y., 
 had the IJautboys in bearing in the open garden in 
 Seplcmber and even in December, 1855. 
 
 Amateurs and others will do well to try the experi- 
 ment on a small scale, until they perfectly succeed ; 
 auLl then the large price of a dollLr or more i^cr (puirt, 
 which the markets of New Yo^'k, Boston, and Pliila- 
 delphia will pay for such fruits in August, will amply 
 repay for the production on a large scale. Leain well, 
 by observation, all the habits and tendencies oi the 
 strawberry in this regard, and we think the thing can 
 be easily accomplished. 
 
 SEXUAL CHARACTER. 
 
 We now come to the great battle-ground of the 
 giants, but will not enter the lists, if we may be per- 
 mitted to quietly state a few things as our o|)inion, 
 without intending to reflect upon, or having even re- 
 
SEXUAL CIIARACTKR. 
 
 49 
 
 mote reference to, any persons. It is very easy to see 
 the manner in which some have been led into error, 
 viz. : the mixture, well-nigh universal, of different kinds 
 of strawberries-an error productive of untold injury 
 to successful cultivation. We have never seen two 
 kinds of strawberry that might safely run in the same 
 bed. On no account suffer it. The poorest kind will 
 multiply its runners the most rapidly, and drive the 
 well-bearing plants from the bed; particularly is this 
 the case, where that poor kind is a staminate. We 
 think the direction given by the late Mr. Downing and 
 others, to place the staminates on each end of the^same 
 bed, with the pistillates in the centre, an unfortunate 
 one, for the beds and the plants are usually very soon 
 destroyed in thaf way. We are very particular to 
 place our staminates a greater distance from the pistil- 
 lates: if 30 feet to 60 feet off, it is better. The bees 
 and wind carry the pollen, and opposite sides of the 
 garden, if the distance is 100 feet, will, we think, be 
 found near enough to answer the same purpose. 
 Neither would we allow pistillates, such as Ilovey's 
 Seedling and Burr's New Pine, to run together, but 
 be very particular to keep each kind distinct and 
 apart. ^Ve think it is Mr. Longworth who has stated, 
 that if we place q, single staminate plant, like the Large 
 Early Scarlet, in the centre of a productive bed of a 
 pure pistillate variety, in less than two or three vears 
 
50 
 
 SEXUAL CHARACTER. 
 
 iii 
 
 f 
 
 that one plant will drive every good fruit-bearing plant 
 out of the bed. 
 
 This is one reason why so many strawberry beds 
 fail after the first bearing season ; so we repeat in the 
 strongest manner, get pure plants— difficult, we know 
 — and on no account permit awj two kinds to run 
 together; place boards on edge between them, or in 
 some way protect them from each other. 
 
 After this episode on a yqtj practical point, we may 
 be permitted to say, there are strawberry plants we 
 call staminate, because they exhibit to the eye very 
 distinct stamens. Our plate will illustrate this. An- 
 other kind we call pistillate, because the naked eye 
 can discover developed in the blossom only the pistils. 
 Most of our intelligent horticulturists assure us, that 
 the best staminates will only produce a part of a Mi 
 crop of fruit, while the pistillate varieties will produce 
 no perfect fruit at all, without being impregnated by 
 some staminates in the vicinity ; but when thus im- 
 pregnated, the pistillates produce an abundance of the 
 finest fruit. 
 
 The interesting and accurate experiment of Mr. 
 Huntsman, in the Appendix, C, sets this matter in a 
 very clear light. 
 
 Some of the staminates of recent introduction, like 
 Walker's Seedling and Longworth's Prolific, are so 
 very desirable, that every cultivator should have one 
 
SEXUAL CIIAIUCTER. |jj 
 
 or both: it i,, thorefore, only i„,j„„tant to „„,ico tho 
 
 to, Uep them d«t.,.ct, and no .sacrifice is roquircl 
 
 o -nfo,™ to this t,,cory, which soon, to be nZ 
 u.uvo,..s„l„ c.,tabli.hcc,. Mr. Longwo.h'.s a,,i lo ^ 
 
 it:X" "' ^'^^^ ""^ '"*---S --'" of it. 
 Anotl,er scries of plants are called Ilermaphroditc- 
 
 P^^t,ls a,e m a greater or less extent developed, and 
 thc^r a.'c represented to bear well, being alone. 
 
 Ihe gxoat war that has raged so fiercely on the bor- 
 , of "'« strawberry kingdom during the past year 
 or two, has been on the point, whether staminate ev 
 cnange to pi,stil,ates, or .ice «,.,. p,, \'2 
 
 7 ''"-."o&cd, with scrnpulous care, these distn" 
 cuaractenstics of the various ,trawb, rics when 7n 
 blossom, and we have never seen the first symptom 
 
 Fio. 1. 
 
 Fro. 2. 
 
 Pis 8. 
 
 Fig. t. A perfect flower ftimlshpfl.ttHfi, «* 
 «^. tho pistils hermaphrodite '"'^ '*'"'°' ""<^ ?'««'«• «• the stnmens. 
 
 Fig. 2. A staminate or malo flo,..^,. 
 Fig. 3. A pistillate or female floTrer. 
 
 I 
 
 ill'- 
 
 M 
 
 6tl 
 
■l I 
 
 52 
 
 SEXUAL CHAKACTEB. 
 
 p 
 
 
 Fio. 4 
 
 Fig 4 A peTfecl flower, with a etamen and pistil detached, a, the anther. 
 b, the aiament p, the pistil. 
 
 of change in any variety. We do not know that a 
 change in open-air oultivation is now much contended 
 for from an quarter. We think the mixing of plants 
 causes staminate and pistillate blossoms to be seen 
 together. In forcing, we are told, by high authority, 
 that some plants, like the melon, &c., change their 
 sexual character, and why not the strawberry ? We 
 do not know that this point, that the strawberry does 
 so, has yet been fully, established. 
 
 The English varieties are mostly staminates, and 
 bear fruit of extraordinary size and flavor ; but we 
 think not in so large quantities as some of our pistil- 
 lates. Certainly all the English staminates prove com- 
 paratively only second-rate in our soil and climate. 
 
 ill 
 
FOECING. 
 
 63 
 
 FORCING, 
 
 On this point our experience is very limited, having 
 been confined to small experiments during the past 
 wmter : we therefore give the best information we 
 have been able to obtain, from the highest English 
 authorities. 
 
 In the London Gardener's Chronicle, edited in the 
 Horticultural Department by Professor Lindley, we 
 find the following directions from that most eminent 
 horticulturist, Mr. Paxton: 
 
 ^'Select for this purpose, in the middle of Aucrust, 
 a sufficient number of the best runners from approved 
 kmds to have choice from, and plant them six inches 
 apart, m beds, upon a strong border in a dry and shel- 
 tered situation. As soon as the leaves have withered 
 mulch them lightly with well-rotted manure, and if 
 very severe weather occur, protect them for the time 
 with fern or litter. They must be kept the folbwinff 
 sprmg free from weeds and runners, removing dso 
 any flowers as they ..ppear. Towards the latter end 
 of May or beginning of June, whenever dull or rainy 
 weather may occur, remove them carefully into forty- 
 eight-sized pots. It is optional 
 whether one, tv 
 
 rrfni 
 
 f ■ 
 V 
 
 k 
 
 or 
 
 three plants are put in one pot, 
 
64 
 
 FORCING. 
 
 according to his object being quality or quantity ; but 
 we, desiring fine fruit in preference to number, only 
 place one of the strongest or two of the weaker in one 
 pot, using enriched melon soil or turfy loam. Place 
 them, when potted, in a situation where they can bo 
 readily shaded for a short time, and receive reonlar 
 supplies of water if necessary. About the latter end 
 of July, or early in August, these pots will be filled 
 with roots, when the plants must be repotted into flat 
 thirty-two-sized pots, usually termed strawberry pots, 
 and at this time plunged in old tan or coal ashes. The 
 best manner of plunging them we find to be, forming 
 beds wide enough to contain five rows of pots, when 
 plunged, upon a hard or gravelly surface, to prevent 
 them rooting through, the sides supported by slabs of 
 the same width as the de^Dth of the pots, and filling 
 them up with old tan or ashes ; the plants remain here 
 until ^vanted to take in, and are easily protected from 
 severe frosts. It will be found an excellent plan to 
 prd^erve the latest forced plants, which are not much 
 exhausted, for forcing the first the next season ; these, 
 from their long period of rest, and well-ripened buds, 
 aie predisposed to break earlier and stronger than the 
 others ; some of them, if the autumn is moist, will be 
 excited, and produce flowers, which must be imme- 
 diately pinched out; they should have their balls 
 carefully reduced, and be repotted in larger pots early 
 
FORCING. 
 
 65 
 
 in August, protecting them from the late autumnal 
 rams, and from frost," 
 
 " For succession," Mr. Paxton says, "strong runners 
 are taken up iu September, and planted about six 
 inches ,,paH, in manured and well-prepared beds, four 
 feet wide, in a somewhat sheltered situation ; there 
 they are allowed to remain until the following J„W 
 dunng which period they must be kept very clean 
 from weeds, have the flowers and runners regularly 
 pinched cS, and be watered whenever likely to suffer 
 from drought. About the middle of July they are 
 potted in small thirtytwo-sized pots, two plants in a 
 pot, taking the greatest care that neither roots nor 
 leaves are dm^aged in the operation, and an important 
 part of It IS to press tne earth firmly about them ; the 
 «>.! used is two parts loam to one of well-rotted dung. 
 Beds which will hold five or six rows of pots are then 
 formed in the following manner : level the surface of 
 the ground, and spread upon it a layer of eoal ashes • 
 above whieh must be nailed iirmly slabs, or any rough 
 boards, as wide as the depth of the pots, which are 
 then to be plunged to the rim in spent bark or ashes. 
 All that they will here require is attention to watering 
 when necessary, and a slight protection with fern or 
 other hght covering, during severe frosty weather.' I 
 always preserved from 300 to 400 of the latest forced 
 plants of the above description, and after having care- 
 
 > -I 
 
 n 
 
 k 
 
66 
 
 FORCING. 
 
 ! f 
 
 fully reduced their balls, repot them in large thirty- 
 two-sized pots in July, treating them afterwards pre- 
 cisely as the others. I find these, by having their buds 
 formed early, (through the slightest forcing they have 
 received), and beconung very strong, are admirably 
 adapted for the first crop, and always repay me for the 
 extra trouble. Begin forcing with a temperature of 
 40°, increasing to 50"^ when in bloom, and to 55" when 
 ripening." 
 
 "Mr. Brown, gardener to Lord Southampton, at 
 Whittlebury Lodge, near Towcester, says, that Mr. 
 Paxton's method of preparing strawberry plants for 
 forcing is a good one where time and trouble are of 
 no consequence : but for the last fifteen years he has 
 adopted a plan which answers well, and by which 
 good strong plants are procured in one month from 
 the present year's runners. 
 
 *' The compost used in good strong loam, well mixed 
 with rotten dung from the hot-bed linings; twenty- 
 four-sized pots are the best for Keene's Seedlings, and 
 thirty-twos for Grrove End Scarlets. The latter variety 
 answers for early forcing better than any other sort, 
 when strawberries are wanted by the end of March. 
 
 " Having filled the pots with the compost, tliey are 
 removed at once to the strawberry quarters, and ar- 
 ranged on ei^^" side of the rows, among the runners. 
 The middle ♦ July, when the plants are emitting 
 
SEEDLINGS. 
 
 67 
 
 roots IS the proper time to begin the operation of layer- 
 •ng: having previously prepared a quantity of pegs the 
 runners that are rooted into the ground are careMly 
 removed and their roots inserted in the pots and 
 pegged down. Put three plants into the twenty-four 
 pots, and one in the thirtytwoa; they immediately 
 begin giwxng, being supported by the mother plant, 
 
 weathir ''*^"™ '^""'""'^ """''''"^ ™ '^^ 
 
 " When the plants are well rooted, which is in 
 about one month, detach them fi.,m the old plants 
 and remove to their winter-quarters. ' 
 
 "Beds are prepared for them with a bottom of coal 
 ashes and they are plunged in old tan ; each bed sur- 
 rounded with a stratum of coal ashe. six inches wide 
 and as h,gh as the top of the pote, which prevent^ 
 worms from working amongst them." 
 
 ?1 
 
 SEEDLINGS. 
 
 Since the introduction of Ilovey's Seedling, this 
 department of strawberry culture has had new m and 
 vagor mfused into it, and has resulted in affording 
 Y^ grafiication to those engaged in it, and proved 
 of decided benefit to our countiy. 
 
 rWs fruit is so soon and so easily raised from seed, 
 that the proc^ess invites to a very attractive series of 
 
 H 
 
 
58 
 
 CLASSIFICATION. 
 
 experiments. Almost any one can experiment in a 
 small way; and the person wlio sliall produce a 
 strawberry of tlie size of Hovey's Seedling, or of the 
 size and productiveness of McAvoy's Extra Red, oom- 
 Tained with the exquisite flavor of Burr's New Pine, 
 will be a benefactor. 
 
 Perhaps the easiest way is to select the largest ripe 
 •berries of the best class of pistillates, raised in close 
 proximity to one of the best stamin .s, and crush 
 'them in a bed of pure sand, mix them, and let the 
 seeds dry and ripen for two weeks or a month ; then 
 sow them in light soil, in a partially shaded spot in the 
 garden, carefully water, and in winter protect them 
 with a covering of straw; in spring transplant them, 
 one plant in a place two feet apart ; carefully remove 
 •all runners until the plants have borne ; select the best 
 for further trial, and throw the rest away. A better 
 way, if convenient, is to sow the seeds and sand in a 
 cold frame, provided in a northern exposure, and 
 transplant as above directed. 
 
 ii 
 
 i 
 
 CLASSIFICATION. 
 
 Mr. Elliott says, " Authors have classed the straw- 
 berry as Scarlets, tho original type being our wild- 
 strawberry ; Pines originating from the Pine or 
 Surinam strawberry ; Woods and Alpines from the 
 
69 
 
 CLASSIFICATION. 
 
 ^mmon wood strawberry of Europe ; Hautbois or 
 High-wood from Bohemia; Chili, from South America. 
 "The Scarlets are designated in their character by 
 small flowers ; long, thin, light-green, sharply serrate 
 leaves ; acid or sub-acid fruit, of bright scarlet color 
 with seeds deeply imbedded." The Large Early Soar- 
 let, Methven, Duke of Kent, and others, are of this 
 class, and yetthe flowers of the first two are rather large 
 "The Pines are designated by large flowers; broad, 
 dark-green leavts; fruit of pineapple flavor, and gene- 
 rally soft in texture; seeds slightly imbedded" 
 Hovey's, Black Prince, Burr's New Pine, British 
 Queen. &c., are of this class, and yet Hovey's and 
 New Pme have quite small flowers: the two others 
 are large. 
 
 " The Alpines and Woods have small flowers per- 
 fect m their organs; small, tlun, light-green leaves; 
 trmt small, sweet, and separating freely from the 
 caljx. 
 
 "The Hautbois have large, pale-green leaves, on 
 -oil foot-stalks, the fruit-stalk taU and erect, the fruit 
 of a dull red or purplish color. 
 
 "The Chili, designated by hairy, thick, obtusely 
 serrate leaves, fruit pale red and insipid. 
 
 " The Green Strawberries have light-green foliage, 
 plaited fruit, solid flesh, so unworthy cultivation a^ 
 rarely to be found in this country. 
 
 f u' 
 
QO 
 
 SELECTION OF VARIETIES. 
 
 
 " We have dropped the arrangement into classes in 
 order." 
 
 The above classification is a distinct one, but we do 
 not think quite correct, neither can ^^e find or make 
 one tliat is both distinct and correct. 
 
 SELECTION OF VARIETIES. 
 
 This is a point of no small difficulty. One person 
 wishes only the finest fl^ivored varieties for his own 
 •table, of v.hich E.rr's New Pine and Swainstone's 
 Seedling are the head ; another wishes all the showy 
 and fancy varieties, such as the Bicton Pine, Black 
 Prince, Alice Maude, &c.; another, still, cultivates for 
 market, and wants large, bright-colored,' solid-fleshed 
 productive fruit, like McAvoy's Extra Red, MoyJ 
 men.ing Pine, and Walker's Seedling. Again, the 
 manner of the cultivation of some persons will con- 
 form to some varieties, and be opposed to others, per- 
 haps superior; or some soils and climates are natu'rally 
 adapted to some varieties, and unadapted to others, so 
 that the custom we have adopted in years past,'wc 
 would recommend to those going into the cultivation 
 of the strawberry, viz. : Obtain a plant or two of 
 several of the best varieties named, and cultivate them 
 expenmentally for two or three years, and then select 
 the most successful ones and discard the others. 
 
 r ^ 
 
CULT1VATI0.V OF VAWBTttS. Ql 
 
 Another difficulty arises from the new developmenf. 
 eonsta„,I, making, .hich teuds to exalt a tZted 
 - !7"f ■" --" -''- of our country, and d ^ ' 
 fevontc one ,n other part., so that we shal], it Tp « 
 
 or changing our opinion, respecting some of the differ 
 
 Another point of delicacy still arises, from the fact 
 
 wkch they thrnk and speak in the highest terms but 
 from what httle we have seen of them! and thei 'trii 
 ben,g almost exclusively in the hands of the or la 
 
 o on besides, many seedlings are constantly pro- 
 
 duced by our nurserymen, some good, and manyCt 
 
 so good, who cultivate them frequently, as they do 
 
 yr plants for sale, in crowded beds or ten in com! 
 
 pa^ n>ass^, or in the partial shade of trees or sh::: 
 be>y o„ old so>l, so that their mode of trial is often 
 of httle value m developing or determining the Z 
 character of the plant. 
 
 Some varieties we do not name wiU doubtless prove 
 Bupenor, and we would not intimate that some of the 
 
 rreir-^'-^-^-'^'^^-otprovet^ 
 
 We shall speak mainly and freely our own experi- 
 
 Si 
 
62 
 
 SELECTION OF VAlllETIES. 
 
 ence and observations of tlic peculiarities of tlie differ- 
 ent kinds as manifested to us during the last ten or 
 twelve years or less, and in a plain, distinct manner, 
 give our present views of them, not being confined to 
 or having much reference to the usual condensed po- 
 mological descriptions or classifications, which we think 
 arc not so important to the popular mind, and we are 
 not wiiting a work to instruct botanists or learned 
 pomologists. 
 
 The first six varieties named and described would, 
 all things considered, be our first choice in a selection 
 confmed to that number. The next twelve will follow 
 very nearly, not entirely, in their regular order as our 
 next choice, reference being had to the particular de- 
 scriptions for the prominent characteristics of each, as 
 fitted for the amateur, the family, or the market-man. 
 
 moavoy's superior, 
 
 The new $100 prize seedling of the Cincinnati Horti- 
 cultural Society in 1851. It was originated in that 
 city by Mr. D. McAvoy, in 1848, on loamy clay 
 soil underlaid with limestone, and was called out by 
 the offer of a premium of $100 by that Society, at 
 the instance of that energetic horticulturist, Nicholas 
 Long worth, Esq., for a pistillate strawberry which 
 should prove, on a four years' trial, to surpass all other 
 know n varieties in size, flavor, an i productivcneag. 
 
SE/JX'TIOX OF VAlilETIES. 
 MCAVOY'S SUPERIOR. 
 
 63 
 
 Fia. 1 
 
 Fio. 2 
 
 The committee concluding that this fulfilled the condi- 
 tions, reported in its fayor, and the report wa^ adopted 
 by the Society. In September, 1851, we obtained two 
 plants and in so far as our observation of it has ex- 
 tended m our own and several other gardens, in differ- 
 ent portions of our country it is superior, in average 
 .size and productiveness, to any other variety we have 
 seen ; and while it is good, and when properly ripened 
 of h.gh flavor and delicious, yet we do not think it 
 equals, much less surpasses. Burr's KewPine in flavor 
 It is pistdlate, hardy, vigorous, dark serrated leaf, long 
 foot-stalks, trusses of fruit full and usually well formed 
 but occasionally a berry not entirely filled nut- th^ 
 runners are not so numerous as to be troublesome^ 
 
ti 
 
 si:Li:crioN of vauietiks. 
 
 fruit verylarg(3, often over five inches in circumference, 
 rich dark color until over-ripe; irregular, conical, 
 roundisli ; large seeds, slightly sunk; flesh crimson and 
 white, tender, juicy, with a core of rather open and 
 coarse texture. 
 
 Kipcns medium season, and rather too tender for a 
 market fruit, except for short carriage distance. 
 
 iiovey's seedling. 
 
 Tliis has been truly called a noble fruit, and is an 
 honor to the originator, Mr. C. M. Ilovey, of Boston. 
 It has undoubtedly taken more prizes in the various 
 Horticultural Exhibitions of our country, from Maine 
 to Louisiana, than any other variety, and it retains the 
 same position at the present time, although it is not 
 equal in flavor to Burr's New Pine and others, or of 
 the average size of McAvoy's Superior and some other 
 varieties ; and in almost every quarter, we hear more 
 or less complaints of its fickleness in bearing, mingled 
 with the strongest approvals of its productiveness. ° 
 
 Kotwithstanding all murmurs, its flavor is good 
 when well ripened; it is too often picked and tasted 
 when first colored and unripe; and some of its berries 
 BO surpass all other varieties in size— often five and 
 Bix and sometimes over eighi inchesin circumference— 
 as to carry along the judges at our exhibitions ; and the 
 size under good cultivation always proves satisfactory. 
 
SELKCTION OF VARIETIES. 
 
 65 
 
 "V^. 
 
 Fio. 3. 
 
 fail™ inTe'l<!'rt '"'' ''^^^ -"^a^sod by its 
 
 oeanng, but we are inel ned to thinV ;/ 
 ii a great measure owin- to our ww If i , ''' 
 
 its habits, uud coDseauPutW """^ ^^ '^n' °f k""«'!eclge of 
 , "iu consequently erroneous cultivation It 
 
 !i i 
 ti 
 
 r 
 
 ii 
 
66 
 
 SELECTION OF VAIlIETT^i:S. 
 
 requires a great deal of water, or moist soil, and will 
 
 not bear so-ricli soil as Boston Pine and many oilier 
 
 kinds ; and the simple reduction of the soil to the com- 
 
 mon grade has sometimes changed the barren into pro- 
 
 ductive plants. It originated in 1834. The vines are 
 
 vigorous, leaves large in rich soil, rather light grocn, 
 
 and fruit-stalks are of good length. Fruit is very 
 
 large, roundish-oval, conical ; color, rich scarlet ; seeds 
 
 slightly imbedded; firm flesh; well adapted for market, 
 
 and of medium season; flowers pistillate. 
 
 irONROE SCARLET. 
 
 This variety has not been so extensively known or 
 so largely tested as Hovey's Seedling and Burr's New 
 Pine. It originated in Eochester by those enterprising 
 nurseP/men, Messrs. Elwanger & Barry, and was firs^t 
 exhibited by them at the June meeting of the "Ilorti- 
 cultural Society of the Valley of the Genesee," we 
 think in 1850, where we first saw it, and took a plant 
 home with us. 
 
 We introduce it in this connection, because we think 
 it will prove remarkably productive. Such has been 
 the case in our trials of it ; it has uniformly surpassed 
 all others in bearing. We have counted over seventy 
 ripe berries of good size, the largest measuring four 
 and thrce-fourtlis inches in circumference at one time, 
 on a single plant less than one year old. A friend 
 
SKLKCTIOX OF VARIETIES. gy 
 
 south of WasWngtou City, to who. we sent a fe. gen- 
 
 an nearly eovored ,ho entire sur&ee of the ground 
 
 wUh.r„.se. of fruit. It i. a decKled acquisition' Wo 
 
 - a.a. that the Alpine, and some other icinl 
 v.n produce n.any berries in a single hill, but the; 
 
 r"':, • ^^''^•'''"''^^^"•yvigorous: pistillate • 
 
 fruxt largo, roundish short neck, and beautifu' of g^od 
 fa.r flavor, hard flesh, a long bearer, and good for 
 market; does well partially shaded. 
 
 burr's new pine. 
 This variety originated in Colum- 
 
 bus, Ohio, in 1846, on a clay soil, 
 
 and IS remarkable for its agreeable, 
 
 dehcous, aromatic flavor, surpassing 
 
 all other varieties; and also for its 
 
 early bearing and uniform pro- 
 
 tlucfiveness. It i, usually of larc^o 
 
 medium size, although we have seln 
 
 on exhibition large dishes of fruit -..,„.„ „„. 
 
 measuring nearly four inches in circumference and 
 
 ^^^ -^ ^"'"'■'«'' mohes; and when thus well 
 
 biteb's new PINB. 
 
 -Ji, 
 
68 
 
 SELECTION OF VARIETIES. 
 
 grown, and on exhibition, it will bear off the first 
 prize from Hovej's SeedHng, and all other varieties; 
 yet it is, under ordinary cultivation, nearer the size of 
 three inches in circumference. It is a great favorite 
 with families of exquisite taste, either forthe hand or 
 for the tabic, and we have proved it to be the eailiest 
 of sixty varieties in the same garden to ripen its fruit, 
 and one of the latest to cease bearing; and occasional 
 plants have produced a small second crop in the au- 
 tumn, while standing without watering in the open 
 garden. The fruit is large, round, conical and even; 
 color, pale red ; seeds very slightly sunk; flesh, whitish- 
 pmk, sweet, and too tender for a market fruH; quite 
 productive, and berries perfect; the foliage is' large, 
 and the plant is vigorous and hardy. It is indispens' 
 able for private gardens. Pistillate. 
 
 longworth's prolific. 
 The two remaining plants of the first six are stami- 
 nate, or hermaphrodite. This variety originated in 
 Cincinnati at the same time with McAvoy's Superior. 
 Mr. Longworth furnished the seed for both plants to 
 two cultivators, McAvoy and Schnecke, the former 
 of whom produced the Superior, and the latter this 
 variety, which at first was called "Schnecke's Ilerma. 
 phrodite," but afterwards named by the Cincinnati 
 Horticultural Society, "Longworth's Prolific," in 
 
 I 
 
 a 
 
 
 
 d 
 w 
 
SELECTION OF VARIETIES. 
 
 ionor of Nicholas Longworth, 
 
 Esq. It is a great favorite with 
 
 tlie gentleman whose name it 
 
 bears, who says "it will do 
 
 what no other variety in this 
 
 country or Europe has ever 
 
 done-^bear a full crop of good 
 
 fruit standing alone." In a -^^_^' 
 
 note to Mr. Barry in the fall of ^o^^^onm^s pkoli^c. 
 
 of more value ZUoZZ^^' "V" ''^'^^"^ ^' 
 
 excellenee ^^ ""^ "^'S"^ ^^^--^ to its 
 
 It has been almost imDossibl<> +^ * .i. 
 
 variety. In our atte^..^ . ^'* *^' ^'^^"^« 
 
 y -iu our attempts, we have had repeated f.il 
 ures, until, at last, Mr D MoAvn ^^ 
 
 Jo seen the genuine in . fe. other gardens, Zltl 
 of miles apart, during the last two seasons • LT 
 where we have seen it, if it ,,d a" Lee ^T 
 done well. Many will, doubtless, di card" Lo 
 worth's Prolific " ^vhn J,o , • ^""S" 
 
 Our nJT:^^^' '"'' T~ '-d^- 
 
 -^perien.e wxlx not enable us to speak 
 
 69 
 
 1 .1 
 
70 
 
 SELECTION OF VARIETIES. 
 
 i 
 
 H 
 
 SO decidedly as some of tliose we liave quoted, yet we 
 can say we are much pleased with it, and hope it will 
 equal the high expectations excited ; so far, it seems 
 to excel any hermaphrodite of our acquaintance in 
 size and productiveness, and is of good flavor. The 
 Pennsylvania Horticultural Society had it on exhibi- 
 tion from the garden of Caleb Cope, Esq., in 1853, and 
 speak of it as " very large, roundish obovate, brilliant 
 crimson ; seed of the same color, sometimes yellowish, 
 set in rather deep indentations, with rounded inter- 
 vals ; flesh red, flavor fine, quality * very good,' a 
 variety of great excellence, perfect in its sexual organ- 
 ization, and remarkably productive, a rare circum- 
 stance with staminate varieties of large size." The 
 plant is very vigorous and hardy ; large broad leaf, 
 long foot-stalks, setting the fruit well up in large full 
 trusses, productive and sure bearer; ripens at the 
 medium season, and only loses its fine color when 
 over-ripe. We have seen the fruit from four to five 
 inches in circumference. 
 
 n 
 
 walker's seedling. 
 
 The last of the six we name above is also one of the 
 new berries, not so extensively proved as yet. The Hon. 
 Samuel Walker, ex-President of the Massachusetts 
 Horticultural Society, originated and sent it out some 
 two or three years ago, when he politely sent us a 
 
fiKLECTIOX OF VAIIIETIES. 
 
 71 
 
 dozen plants for trial, which trial has been very satis- 
 factory. The society above-named has during the last 
 season renewed its endorsement of it, and Mr. Barry, 
 of Eochester, also approves it there. It is entirely 
 distinct from all other kinds, and is a good honest fruit 
 In form it resembles the Large Early Scarlet, or more 
 nearly the Crimson Cone, but rather larger than either- 
 m color it is as dark crimson or purple as the Biack 
 Prmce. A vigorous, hardy, good staminate, of excel- 
 lent flavor, " best" quality, and productive; of medium 
 season. 
 
 MoAvoy's extra eed. 
 
 This is another of the new Ohio strawberries, ori<ri. 
 nated by Mr. Longworth in his garden, or by his tenant 
 and gardener, Mr. D. McAvoy, at the same time with 
 the Superior, which variety it appears in every respect 
 to equal, except in flavor. The Fruit-Committee in 
 Cincmnati report it as "large, beautiful and verv pro- 
 Mc; quality medium, sub-acid not l,igh-fla.;red." 
 We thmk it will prove a valuable market fruit • it is 
 ve^ vgorous and hardy; fruit large and handsome 
 and keeps well. We have seen it exhibited for forty^ 
 eight hoars, after twenty miles land-carringe, when it 
 mnained the brightest and most showy fruit of forty 
 choice varieties. The Pennsylvania HortieuItur.nl .So- 
 c.e.yml853 pronounced it " extraordinarily produo- 
 
72 
 
 SELECTION OF VARIETIES. 
 
 tive," and quality " good." It is pistillate, and its only 
 faults, as fur as wc arc aware, arc its acidity and its lack 
 of high flavor, which we do not consider indispensable 
 for a market fruit. 
 
 
 jenney's seedling. 
 
 This originated in New Bedford, 
 about the year 1845 : is of good 
 size, high flavor ; and has been 
 highly recommended by the ^Massa- 
 chusetts and other Horticultural 
 Societies. We hrne successfully 
 cultivated it for four or five years, 
 and think its advantages are, its 
 good fair size, bright handsome 
 color and form, sprightly rich flavor, lateness of season in 
 bearing, and sound flesh, fitting it for a first-rate market 
 fruit, or for preserving ; its defects are, its not being 
 the largest size and only a medium bearer. The plant 
 is vigorous, and blossoms pistillate. 
 
 ntNNKY'8 BEEDLIKO. 
 
 moyamensing pine 
 
 It bore off the premium offered by the Pennsylvania 
 Horticultural Society in 1848 for the best seedling 
 strawberry exhibited that year, and is described as fol- 
 lows : " Fruit rather large ; roundish conical ; deep 
 crimson ; seeds crimson, set in rather deep depressions, 
 
SELECTION OF VARIETIES. 73 
 
 With rounded intervals; flesh red; flavor verv fine- 
 
 ures. We should not place the quality as hi^h as 
 best," although it is good. In Kew Je^ and ^en" 
 
 W "V '" *'^ '^^' ^^P^'»«- - » fine rnarket 
 ftu t, and our experience confirms it. In £.,ct, we ^ 
 
 2-<i to think that this varietyandMcAvo/'si:: 
 Eec ,na,j prove among our lest market kinds, and aa 
 such, a groat acquisition. Thit t>o- ,t J,, 
 yet established. ^ ' ''°"^'^^''' "^ "°' 
 
 LABGE EARLY SCARLET. 
 
 This has long been the standard staminate. It beaw 
 alnaost everywhere a tolerable crop with fairtreatm^ 
 B s ea.,, an as we see from Mr. Peabod/s arti^e 
 m the Appendix, under his treatment has become a 
 perpetual bearer. It is of medium si., hands oeL 
 
 marivet tolerably well. 
 
 Bs good qualities are its uniform, al^ough not large 
 productiveness, early season and good flavor; its de 
 
 fects, Its want of size and of large productiven'e ana 
 ^ tendency to throw out an overgrowth of run^e.. 
 " ^ valuable as an impregnator. 
 
 CRIMSOK CONE. 
 
 A verv brio-Tit iion^a-— - i, • i 
 
 , -i-^nt, „andsun,e, brisk, acid fruit of me- 
 
 <t«>n s.e, uniformly conic..,, rich dark erimsoi, ."d 
 
«^ 
 
 74 
 
 SELECTION OF VARIETIES. 
 
 quite productive. Its seeds lie deeply imbedded, gi ving 
 the surface a beautiful rasp-like appearance. Its de- 
 fects are, its second-rate size and acid flavor. It was 
 always a favorite of Mr. Downing's, who preferred its 
 acid flavor for the table, bringing it to its proper tone 
 by a liberal addition of sugar. 
 
 It has supplied the New York market with more 
 fruit the past season, we think, than all other varieties 
 combined. 
 
 The plant is very vigorous— blossoms pistillata. 
 
 IOWA. 
 
 The Iowa, or Washington as it is familiarly called in 
 Cincinnati, is a wonderfully productive variety, good 
 size, and well adapted for the market. Its lack of high 
 flavor, and pale color, will prevent its becoming a favor- 
 ite among amateurs. 
 
 RIVAL HUDSON. 
 
 A very productive market fruit, of only medium 
 size, and rather acid flavor : popular near Rochester. 
 A great bearer. A writer in the Cultivator reports 133 
 ripe berries from a single root— pistillate. 
 
 GENESEE SEEDLING. 
 
 A large and very handsome fruit. It originated with 
 Messrs. Elwanger & Barry. The plant is vigorous, 
 with long stout foot-stalks, productive for a staminate, # 
 
 «&« 
 
t 
 
 «* 
 
 SELECTION OF VAHIETIES. 
 
 75 
 
 and of good medium flavor. It seems to bo growing 
 in favor for private gardens. 
 
 WILLEY. 
 
 This is a great bearer of round, medium-sized fruit 
 
 of pleasant, .sprightly, although not high flavor. Thi.s 
 
 and Monroe Scarlet are the only strawberries I have 
 
 ever seen that bear apparently in clusters. It is not 
 
 nnusual for the Willey to produce sixty and seventy 
 
 berries on a plant, and should never be cultivated in 
 
 masses. It is solid enough for market, and its main 
 
 detect js Its size and second-rate ilavor. 
 
 PWNOESS ALICE MAUDE. 
 
 A handsome, long, oval, English fruit, of large size, 
 fair productiveness, and medium flavor. It is unique 
 m appearance, very early, and in the vicinity of 
 WaAiugtoa City it has become very popular, piofes- 
 sor Page having succeeded in inducing it to adopt tho 
 ever-bsaring habit. Its main defects are moderate pro- 
 ducuvencss and want of high flavor. Staminate, and 
 good for market. .. 
 
 BOSTON PINE. 
 
 A good staminate seedling of xAIr. Hovey, of Boston, 
 
 and for our own cultivation we should give it a very 
 
 early place in our list; but ^vith the mass of cultiva- 
 
 tors It IS not so popular. It wants the best clean culti- 
 
 i.*»ltfS^tfi:,r!-iv< 
 
76 
 
 SELECTION OF VARIETIES. 
 
 |i ' 
 
 vation, with every plant two fe-t apart from all others, 
 and will bear richer soil than almost any other variety ; 
 with such treatment it will produce n good crop of 
 Uiiiform^jr large, round, handsome fruit of high flavor. 
 
 BLACK PRINCE. 
 A large, handsome, very dark crimson or blackish- 
 purple fruit, of English parentage and pistillate flowers. 
 The plants are vigorous and hardy, quite productive, 
 usually too watery and insipid in flavor, but some- 
 times we have found it to be of the richest flavor. A 
 few plants are worthy of a place in most private 
 gardens. 
 
 LIZZIE RANDOLPH. 
 
 A very large, showy fruit, quite productive, but of 
 such inferior flavor as to discourage its dissemination. 
 It is pistillate, and originated in Philadelphia. 
 
 SWAINSTONE SEEDLING. 
 
 An English staminate of the highest flavor and 
 great beauty, but unfortunately so fickle in its bearing 
 habits as to drive it from all but the " amateurs' and a 
 few of the best nurserymen's gardens. 
 
 MYATT's BRITISH QUEEN 
 
 A splendid English variety of the largest size and 
 rielicst flavor, but unfortunately, in this country, so 
 
 
 •t' 
 
■• 
 
 SELECTION OF VAIUETIES. 7}. 
 
 few of the bloHsom, ordinarily produce fruit, that it i, 
 in mo.st ,,I,«.es despaired of It need, tlie best eultiva- 
 ton, and the olunte should U) allowed plenty of room 
 
 r.AHOE WHITE BICTON PINE. 
 
 ,7" /"'"^ '""S °^»' '^'-P^S sometimes flattened, of 
 the nghest flavor, white color, with a bright blush 
 
 ohcelcononeside. Itis<iuitcanovelty,a„d'provcsto 
 be n>ore productive than ,vas expected. It will find a 
 place .„ :nost amateurs' gardens in limited quantitie.<. 
 
 BAJiJi^S NEW WHITE 
 
 Is said to be u,perior to the above, but we have not 
 ya tned It. In Boston it is spoken well o£ A friend 
 assures us it is superior to the Bicfon Pine. 
 
 PKOLIFIC HAUTBOV. 
 
 «^ val. . If rt had no other defect ; is a very vigorous 
 plant, p,, ,,„„„g i„„^^ ^^_^,_ ^^^^.^^^ ^^^ ^^^^^^ ^^ 
 
 a nch but very peculiar flav .r, agreeable to some, hut 
 the revers( to others Tf ;. * • , 
 
 desirable. " ''''■''"'"'' "^^ ^^^^^7 
 
 Jo „,ig,u continue this list, and enumerate full 
 one hu.Klred other varieties ™,V,; ., .... u,... . , 
 opportunity Of personally testing; i;^^ ^ 
 
78 
 
 SELECTION OF VARIETIES. 
 
 name any variety possessing any superior quality, not 
 possessed in an equal or larger degree by some of iho 
 best of those we have named ; in fact, some of the 
 varieties wc have noticed are not equal to other varie- 
 ties we might name, of our own seedlings and others ; 
 and wc have only referred to them because they are 
 popular in many parts of the country, and sui)posed 
 there to be a first-class fruit. 
 
 Many of our horticultural friends and nurserymen 
 may be disappointed that we have not referred more 
 extensively to their favorites ; in answer we say, wc 
 do not suppose them superior to some of those de- 
 scribed. If they are, they will soon be extensively 
 proved and noticed. Otlicrs, we do not personally 
 know anything about, which are not merely recom- 
 mended by individual originators, but Horticultural 
 Societies of the highest authority; for instance, the 
 new seedling " Pennsylvania," of Philadelphia, and 
 Scott's Seedling, &c., of Boston, Hooker's seedling of 
 Eochester, and Lucy Fitch in the West. A seedling 
 that will surpass McAvoy's Superior in average size, 
 productiveness, and good flavor, or Hovey's Seedling 
 in size and beauty, or Burr's New Pine in flavor, pro- 
 ductiveness, and early fruit, and Longwortb's Prolific 
 in size, beauty, productiveness and flavor as an herma- 
 phrodite, has got to be an extraordinary fine berry, 
 
 ./Ua t/iiLiL i.3 ii\^pc iua>i lb iuaiy DC uuLUllieu. 
 
 
 1 
 
I 
 
 ANALYSIS. 79 
 
 The following analysis of the strawberry plant 
 (vines) was made by Mr. Bilius, Kirtland, Ohio. 
 
 In IIG grains of the ashes of the Gaudex Straw- 
 EERHY he found : 
 
 ^^^-^^^ 33.154 
 
 ^'"'^ 26.519 
 
 Carbonic Acid 23.008 
 
 ^^^Snesia ggog 
 
 PhospLoric Acid g 97(j 
 
 ^^^^«^ '. 6.117 
 
 Charcoal and Sand 3 1Q3 
 
 ^'^'^^ !!!!!!'. 2.1U 
 
 Perphosphate of Iron 1 515 
 
 Sulphuric Acid j ^go 
 
 Chlorine », g 
 
 Organic Matter and Loss 1^39 
 
 116.000 
 
 In the Annual report of the Progress of Chemistry 
 and allied Sciences for 1847 and 1848, we find the 
 following analysis of the Strawberry by Thomas 
 Richardson : 
 
 THE PLANT. 
 
 ^''''^ 38.65 
 
 ^'"^^ 12.20 
 
 ^'"«* 2.68 
 
 Perphosphate of Iron ggg 
 
 Magnesia _ o- 
 
 • 0.00 
 
 Phosphoric Acid. , , « -o 
 
 I0.00 
 
 ^^^^^'"'^ 1.2s 
 
 
w 
 
 ®^ ANALYSIS. 
 
 Soda 
 
 Organic Matter, Loss, &c ' ,^'^^ 
 
 89 per centw of Ash. 
 
 100.00 
 
 THE FRUIT. 
 
 Potash 
 
 Lime.... ^'■'>' 
 
 Soda.. "-^O 
 
 Silica....; "■»» 
 
 p„ , ^ 12.05 
 
 I'erphosphate Iron 
 
 Phosphoric Acid [ ^^'^^ 
 
 Sulphuric Acid .'.' ^^' 
 
 Chlorine '"" ^^^ 
 
 Magnesia ^"^^ 
 
 Trwe 
 
 41 per cent, of Ash. ' 
 
 lOi/.OO 
 
 jae great variation ia these analyses is probably n-aial. owin. 
 
 te greater .ge „, the vines ia one case than the other . perl^ 
 
 .omething ,s also due to soil and cIim«te._ED 
 
THE EASPBERRY. 
 
 W well-grov^n, and of the best varieties, this is 
 one of our most wholesome and excellent fraits It 
 deserves a far more general and better eultivation than 
 ^usually given to it; and its free use, succeeding the 
 strawberry, as it does, would doubtless conduce to the 
 general health as well as luxury of the community 
 If grown without care, it -is often small, hard, and 
 
 IT M« good flavor; but when highly e„ltivat;d, it 
 s large, meltmg, and delicious. It will repay the b st 
 
 ca e and to very few fruits is thi. so indispensable as 
 
 to the raspberry. 
 
 A rather moi.t, coo! location, on the north slope cf 
 
 asme-n, or3hadeofafence,istobechosen,and 
 the so. should be deep and rich. A deep lo.^m ^ 
 P.eferable, but other soils by the addition of bog earth 
 or muck can be made to answer the purpose ; it should 
 be well broken „p, trenched and pulverized to the depth 
 
 vegetable, if convenient. 
 4* 
 
82 
 
 THE RASPBERRY. 
 
 in ; 
 
 w 
 
 The plants should be shortened ten or twelve inches 
 at the top, and set out very earlj in the spring, at a 
 distance of three to four feet apart, not too deep, in pure 
 earth, witli a good proportion of the, roots lying near 
 the surface. Keep them clean, and well stakecl^ with 
 not more than three or four canes in a hill. On gather- 
 ing of the fruit, cut out all the old decayed canes and 
 leave not more than six, eight, or ten of the strongest 
 ones in a hill to ripen for another season of bearing, 
 one-half of which should be transplanted in the fol' 
 lowing spring. 
 
 On the first of September pinch back the most 
 vigorous shoots, so as to check the flow of sap and 
 ripen the wood. 
 
 # 
 
 WINTER PBOTECTION. 
 
 The question of winter protection is a difficult and 
 important one. The ordinary custom is to leave them 
 exposed in the garden to the severity of winter, and, 
 as a consequence, the Fastolf, Franconia, and True 
 Antweim's, are rendered almost worthless. Even in 
 Kentucky, those choice varieties require winter protec- 
 tion. The easiest way is to bend the canes down and 
 cover thcin slightly with earth. Some tie them up 
 m a withe of straw, or evergreen boughs, but these 
 are not always sufficient. 
 
WINTER PROTECTION. 50 
 
 We have sometimes taken up the plants m the fall, * 
 and buried them in sand, and on the earliest opening 
 of spring set them out with care, and in this way have 
 raised extraordinary crops ; but we have not proved 
 - this last process so fully as to incur the responsibility of 
 recommending it. It would require to be very care- 
 fully done, so as to preserve all the fibrous roots, to- 
 gether with the advantage of favorable soil, for it to 
 fiuccced soAvell. 
 
 The raspberry is used in a variety of ways, viz. : for 
 the hand, the table, pies, tarts, jelly, jam, ices, syrups, 
 brandy, wine, and vinegar. 
 
 The profits of production are very large ; often, in 
 the vicinity of New York, selling for from $500 to 
 $G00 per acre. From Milton, Ulster County, it is said 
 $10,000 worth is sent everyyear to New York market. 
 The usual price is about one shilling per pint. 
 
 They will continue in bearing some five or six years, 
 but will not be in perfection, ordinarily, until the third 
 year after planting. 
 
 We will name but a few established varieties. Dr. 
 Brinckle, of Philadelphia, and some others, have gained 
 much credit with their fine seedlings, but how exten- 
 sively they have been proved, or if any of them sur- 
 pass the FcM/, Franconia, Aiitwerp, &c., we are unable 
 to say. The - Colonel Wilder- and some other seed- 
 Ungs are said to be Derfoctly hardy ; and if that is the 
 
84 
 
 III) 
 
 
 I'UE EASPBEIiny. 
 
 FASTOLF. 
 
 "*' '=°^'="^''' -^-^-^ '' attained a Ligh rlputa- 
 
 THE FASTOLP. 
 
 Hon, which it has nobly sustained in this countr, 
 
 we^Tut it'""' T. '"' '"' ^ ™*' '™^' - "^«'^t. 
 v^eq., but U ,s rather soft, and of rich high flavor, and 
 
 I 
 
Ill 
 
 L- 
 
 VARIETIES. 
 
 ehe f.ait is very large, of a bright purplish red and 
 a largo bearer. It requires winter proLtion. 
 
 85 
 
 IS 
 
 FRANCONI. 
 
 was no ih i H ""' T "'^' "^' "^ '•'^-"^ 
 leaves rathernarrow. ^' ^ 
 
 RED ANTWERP. 
 
 This variety has long 
 
 been the standard sort, 
 
 both in this country and 
 
 Europe, and is 'a very 
 fine fruit. So many 
 spumous sorts are now 
 «oId under this name, 
 that it is difficult to ob. 
 tain the genuine, in 
 »iany places The Com > 
 "^'0^ Ked Antwerp is 
 
86 
 
 THE RASPBERRY. 
 
 smaller and round ; while the true is large, regularly 
 long conical, dull red, with a rich sweet flavor. 
 
 The canes are of good strength when well cultivated, 
 and the fruit ripens early in July. 
 
 It also requires winter protection. ■ 
 
 YELLOW ANTWERP. 
 
 Much resembles the Ked Antwerp except in color, 
 and is a very handsome and excellent fruit. Whether 
 Dr. Brinckle's new seedlings, Colonel Wilder, and 
 Orange, will supersede it or not, as Mr. Elliott sug 
 gests, we are unable to say. 
 
 knevett's giant 
 We have sometimes thought this -Variety a better 
 bearer than the Red Antwerp^ but we do not know as 
 
 knevett's giant. 
 
 it has any superiority other than being more hardy. 
 
 f 
 
 ^■^f'i^vS:": 
 
VARIETIES. 
 
 87 
 
 
 This, liowevcr, bears a mucli larger crop, in consc- 
 quence of winter protection. 
 
 LARGE-FRUITED MONTHLY. 
 
 This is a new variety, that we have had in bearing 
 in our garden some years, and have often gathered a 
 moderate amount of fruit from it in S-^ptember and 
 October, is well as in tlie early summer. With good 
 cultivation and thorough pruning, it produces "full 
 crops of fruit of the character, but not equal to, the 
 Antwerps. 
 
 OHIO EVER-BEARJNG„ 
 
 A variety of the American Black, which has for 
 years borne us several crops during the season, of 
 large, good fruit, ripening its last crop amidst the 
 snows and frosts of November. Some of our New 
 Jersey markets are realizing on small plots at the rate 
 of from six to eight hundred dollars per acre. 
 
THE BLACKBERRY 
 
 The production of this fruit has heretofore been 
 mostly confined to the woods and new lands of our 
 couiitrj. In our former residence, Palmyra, Western 
 N( sv Y ork, from time immemorial, almost, the market- 
 women have made their appearance every two or three 
 days during the season, with wagon-loads of from 
 fifuCim to thirty bushels of blackberries, which they 
 sold at the prices of three, four, to five cents per quart. 
 The fruit was often small, hard, and nnripe, similar to 
 much that is sold in the New York markets. Some 
 of this fruit is larger and finer than others, and for 
 many years persons have been trying to cultivate and 
 improve upon the best specimens of field blackberries. 
 Our agricultural friends in Massachusetts — particularly 
 the late Captain Lovett, of Beverly — have been among 
 the most enterprising and successful in this direction. 
 The ^^ Improved High Bush Blaclcherry^^ of Captain 
 Lovett has often been noticed with marked favor by 
 the Massachuseits Horticultural fSocieiij, as being a long, 
 egg-shaped, shining, black, juicy, and rich fruit, with 
 specimens often an inch and a half long. "We have 
 
 (88) 
 
THE BLACKBERRY. 
 
 89 
 
 seen handsome and excellent fruit of this variety, not 
 only in New England, but also in Western New York, 
 but there is a complaint in some quarters that it has a 
 tendency, like most other kinds, to deteriorate. Many 
 promising varieties from the woods or seedlings, on 
 being cultivated, have scarcely produced a '.jle per- 
 fect berry. We personally know of but one decided 
 exception. 
 
 THE LAWTON BLACKBERRY, 
 
 Or New Rochelle, which is said to be a chance seed- 
 Hng first picked up by the wayside, and has been most 
 successfully cultivated for many years in the pleasant 
 village of New Eochelle, near New York, where it 
 was discovered to have extraordinary vigor, growth, 
 size and uniform productiveness. 
 
 Our attention was first called to it by some baskets 
 of the fruit presented to the Farmers' Club of the 
 American Institute in the city of New York at their 
 regular meetings in August, 1852 and 1853, by Wil- 
 liam Lawton, Esq., an amateur cultivator, of Ne^ 
 Eochelle, who stated that it was familiarly known in 
 the vicinity as the "New Rochelle Blackberry." 
 
 The fruit was found to be of great size, uniformly 
 so, sixty to seventy of the berries filling a quart meai- 
 sure-very few seeds, light melting pulp, and of a 
 delicious flavor. 
 
90 
 
 TUE BLACKBERRY. 
 
 THE LAWTON BLACKBERET. 
 
 It was well known that not only in New Roclielle, 
 but also in Morrisania, and the open lands of Long 
 Island were filled with seedlings of greater or less 
 excellence, but this variety so far surpassed all others 
 known to the Club as to excite their admiration. On 
 account of the liability of the numerous other wild 
 

 THE BLACKBElv UY. 
 
 91 
 
 varieties in New ochclle becoming confounded witli 
 this, the Clul^ Ivcd to name it, distinctively, "The 
 Lawtou Blackl -rrj," in honor of the gentleman intro- 
 ducing it to them. 
 
 AVe havt; had frc'C[uent opportuiiuies of giving this 
 variety a personal examintion in various places and 
 under different trciameh., and particularly in the 
 grounds of Mr. Lawton, where there arc some three 
 acres in bearing. 
 
 THE CHAEACTERISTJ 
 
 Of it are a hardy vigorous growth, the canes are often 
 an inch in diameter, and eight to twelve feet long, 
 covered with laterals well loaded with fruit; so that a 
 single stalk will produce from four to six and even 
 eight quarts, and the canes are uniformly full of large 
 perfect fruit in different exposures and locations. 
 
 Tlie Fruit is of regular, large size, oval shape, hand- 
 some, and superior flavor, so that our best pomologists, 
 after a trial of several years, do not hesitate to pro- 
 nounce it " the greatest acquisition." It is quite certain 
 it has not deteriorated in the last eight or ten years 
 and it proves to be entirely hardy 
 
 CULTIVATION. 
 The blackberry rejoices in a moist, loamy soil, but 
 will grow well in higher exposures, and is rather bene- 
 fited by a little shade and a cool northern aspect. 
 
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 (716) 872-4503 
 
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 THE BLACKBERRY. 
 
 When thus favored, it will i)rolong its period of bear- 
 ing from four to six weeks. Usual good garden soil is 
 favorable for the blackberry, and it will bear being 
 made pretty rich with manures a^tor the first year and 
 especially with muck or woods'-mould. It should be 
 transplanted as early in the spring as possible, or in 
 the fall, and especial care should betaken of its fibrous 
 roots and its whole general culture the first year, and 
 then it will gi-ow, produce fruit, and propagate itself 
 rapidly. 
 
 The canes which come up one season will bear 
 fruit the next and then die in the autumn, and the 
 dead branches must be carefully removed early every 
 spring, in order to make room for the new ones to 
 take their place, and this beautiful process of reproduc- 
 tion thus goes on ; so that a single plant set out in a 
 good free soU will send up two, three, or four plants, 
 and those will increase to a score or more the follow- 
 ing season if carefully pruned and kept clean. 
 
 The ends of the canes should be shortened about 
 one quarter early in the spriug, when the old decayed 
 ones are removed, and if the laterals are too long clip 
 them also. They usually require no support. 
 
 TRANSPLANTING. 
 
 Particular care, we think, is needed in transplantmg 
 the blackberry. It should not be attempted late in Iho 
 spring, otherwise a great share of the plants will hardly 
 
 I 
 
THE BLACKBKREV. 
 
 93 
 
 ^urvive the proeos. Mulcbin. a.d watering arc often 
 useful and even necessary when transplantin-. 
 
 It IS well to set the plants four or five fee^ apart in 
 rows that are eight to ten feet distant, and they will 
 soon cover the ground, and thus 500 plants will .set an 
 acre Some large growers in the vicinity of New 
 York have readily contracted their entire crop for the 
 season at 25 cents to 37i cents per quart. We have 
 given a large space to this variety, not only because it is 
 Dew, hut because we believe it to be worthy of exten- 
 ^ve cultivation by the public, both as amateurs and for 
 the market. 
 
 NEEDHAM'S IMPBOVED WHITE BLACKBERRY 
 
 Is a great bearer, not white, but with a blush cheek 
 and not of good quality or size when compared with 
 the Lawton; sometimes it fails, but wc are certified tc 
 .^stances of single canes producing eight, ten, and even 
 eleven quartsof fruit, such as it is 
 
 We have seen the wild white blackberry growing 
 m the woods, on the southern shore of Lake Ontario 
 m the town of Ontario, AVayne County, but on cult.-' 
 va ing them they have failed to produce a single per- 
 feet berry. This has been the case also with L L 
 i'pec.mens of black ones grown in the vicinity 
 
 or 
 O 
 
THE CRANBERRY. 
 
 The culture of the American Cranberry lias become 
 an object of much interest and importance. It grows 
 freely and produces its fruit readily in any damp situa- 
 tion. Pare off the surface of a swamp or bog-incadow, 
 then cover the surface with a few inches of sand, set 
 out the plants 12 or 18 inches apart, keep them clean, 
 and in two or three years they will cover the surface 
 of the ground, and produce, say 60 bushels the first 
 year, 100 the second, and after that a regular crop of 
 150 to 400 bushels per acre. 
 
 They can be raised upon poor uplands by first cover- 
 ing the surface with sand ; set them out and keep the 
 ground free from weeds. Planting can be done from 
 March until middle of May, or from September until the 
 ground freezes. The black cranberry has formerly been 
 considered the best variety, but some new seedlings exhi- 
 bited the past season promise decidedly to surpass it. 
 
 A new work just issued from the prolific agricultu- 
 ral publication house of C. M. Saxton & Co., New York, 
 by the Eev. B. Eastwood " On the Cranberry," ren- 
 ders a more extended notice unnecessary in this place 
 
 (94) 
 
THE CURRANT. 
 
 Tins ,s one of the most valuable of all our small 
 fruits. It can be used to such advantage in a variety 
 of ways, whether in a green or ripe state, and it is so 
 easily grown, that it is indispensable in every small 
 garden. 
 
 It is a native of Great Britain, and therefore per- 
 fectly hardy. In a green stato it is used in pies, tarts, 
 &e. stewed like goosebemes. When ripe, it is much 
 used as a table fruit, with plenty of sugar; but it is 
 almost universally used in a jelly that is both delicious 
 and wholesome. It also makes an excellent wine, at a 
 cost of not more than two or three shillings a gallon. 
 The Black Currant is chiefly used in a jam or jelly 
 Currants ripen in midsummer, and if protected from 
 the sun will remain on the bushes until October. 
 
 This fruit is very easily cultivated, and it will grow 
 and bear in almost any fair soil; fresh maiden earth is 
 best for treatment. The usual way is to allow the 
 suckers to spring up around the original plant, until 
 It has become a matted clamp of bushes, but this is a 
 bad practice every way. The suckers uniformly pro- 
 
 (M) 
 
 I 
 
■RE 
 
 96 
 
 THE CURRANT. 
 
 duce poor and small fruit, and should never bo per- 
 mitted to grow. 
 
 The best way of propagating the currant is to cut 
 off in the early spring, before the buds swell, the 
 growth of the last year, close to the old wood ; make 
 the cuttings one foot long ; remove all the eyes except 
 some three or four at the top of the cutting, to prevent 
 suckers; then place it compactly in good sandy soil to 
 half its depth, or six inches, and by good care in one 
 year it will be sufficiently established for transplant- 
 ing. In new, rare varieties, it can be more rapidly 
 increased by layering, where the first branches have 
 been allowed to grow near the surface of the earth. It 
 should always be cultivated in the form of small bush 
 trees, and by a skilful hand can be easily made to 
 assume a handsome pyramidal or espalier form. All 
 supci-fluous wood should be carefully pruned out every 
 winter, and the plant invigorated with rich manure in 
 the spring. The currant and gooseberry can hardly be 
 over-fed. Each bush should be renewed ever six or 
 eight years, as young vigorous plants of most fruits 
 produce the largest and best specimens. It will bear 
 very well partially shaded by trees or shrubbery, yet 
 the fruit will be the richest and best flavored with plenty 
 of air and sun, and therefore a southern aspect is 
 desirable. 
 
 I 
 
VARIETIES. 
 
 97 
 
 VARIETIES. 
 
 be^ Black Crrants, of excellent flavor, and bL large 
 ^ustcrs of fru,t, often five-eightha of an inch in dia.; 
 
 Tn ■ Z"'" '^'° ^"'^'"''^^'- Tiie Black English 
 
 IS quite inferior. ° 
 
 The WuiTE and Bed Dutch are our most popular 
 vanet.es They are large, good flavor and proluott 
 The whUe .s the mildest. They are decidedly better 
 tiian the common currant. 
 
 The White and Bed Gi,^pe do not vary but a little 
 trom the above. 
 
 CiiERRj OtTRRAKT.-The largest Of all redevurants: 
 qmte ..cid; short clusters; moderate bearer; color 
 dark-red; strong grower; thick, dark-green foliage-' 
 new, from Italy. Somethnes seven-eighths of an inch 
 m diameter. 
 
 May's Victoria, or Houghton Castle; large and 
 very long bunches; late, and rather acid; moderate 
 bearer; plant vigorous. 
 
 Knig„t's Sweet Bed, cMefly valuable for its mild 
 pleasant flavor, similar in quahty to the White Dutch, 
 and productive. 
 
 ' n 
 
T 
 
 98 
 
 THE CURRANT. 
 
 Li.RGEST White Provence, the largest White 
 Currant, often full five-eighths of an inch in diame- 
 ter; short bunches, and quite acid; a good bearer; 
 quite attractive ; new, from France. We are pleased 
 with it in our own garden. 
 
 * I 
 
THE GOOSEBERRY. 
 
 Ko fruit is easier of propagation than the goose- 
 berry, and it should find its place in every garden. 
 
 It should be protected from suckers, like the currant, 
 and like that it loves a fresh, deep, rich, moist soil of 
 a soft, loamy texture ; it can scarcely be too much en- 
 riched with cooling manures. The north side of an 
 open fence or hedge wiU do well for it, but it should 
 not be placed under the shade of trees ; open ground 
 IS far better. It should be so carefully and thoroughly 
 pruned as to admit the air and light freely, and it is 
 well to train it up into little upright bushes or small 
 trees. Summer as well as winter pruning is often 
 necessary to admit sun and air. 
 
 The English varieties are much subject to mildew in 
 this country. Mr. WUliam Newcomb, of Pittstown, 
 N. Y., a very successful horticulturist, wrote me that 
 he always in the spring placed three inches of hog- 
 manure under every bush, and raised the best English 
 varieties in that way in the greatest abundance and 
 
 ■j-f; 
 
 '■, ''J 
 
 
. w- 
 
 100 
 
 TlIJi G00SEI3ERRr. 
 
 perfection, without its being affected in the least by 
 the mildew. 
 
 Mr. D. Haines, near Elizabethtown, N. J., informs 
 me that he cultivates Woodward's Whitesmith most 
 successfully by removing a few inches of the surface- 
 earth, cwery spring, under every bush, and filling the 
 space with salt hay, which he covers with the earth ; 
 thus affording protection from drought, and perfectly 
 exempting the fruit from mildew. Others find a remedy 
 in sprinkling ashes on the bushes when the dew is oa. 
 The ashes also benefit the plant. Any good mulch of 
 tan bark, saw-dust, &c., of three inches deep, would 
 answer nearly the same purpose as salt hay. Sprink- 
 ling the bushes in the spring freely with soap-suds also 
 has a good effect on their growth, and often protects 
 them from mildew. The bushes should be transplanted 
 in April or late in October or November, and pruned 
 back and set at a distance of about three feet, like the 
 currant. If any large fruit is wanted, the fruit must 
 be thinned out. The Encijdopoedia of Gardening says 
 of the famous growers in Lancashire, England, who 
 produce the largest fruit in the world : " To effect this 
 increased size, every stimulant is applied that their 
 ingenuity can suggest ; they not only annually manure 
 the soil richly, but also surround the plants with 
 trenches of manure for the extremities of the roots to 
 strike into, and form around the stem of each plant a 
 
THE GOOSEBEKKY. jqj 
 
 basin, to be mulehed, or manured, or watered, as ma, 
 be necessary. * ^^y 
 
 prize's '"n "■"'" "'"' *^^ "^"^ ^"^'''-^ *oir 
 pnze fru.t. By prepanng a very rich, cool soil, and by 
 
 atonng, and by the use of liquid manure, shadin. and 
 
 tootl T T"' "'"' "^'"'"^ "' ™<" -d over the 
 top the Lancashire connoisseur, when he is growing for 
 exh,bu,o„, places a small saucer of water under ea^ 
 gooseberry only three or four of which he leaves la 
 
 tree , this he technically calls suckling " 
 The gooseberry tree needs to be kept constanUy in 
 
 « vigorous condition, and then it wm.produce an 
 
 abundance of good fruit 
 
 It should be propagated from cuttings of the wood 
 of the present year, prepared and set out early in Sep 
 tember, and transplanted in October of next year or 
 
 Z' T' T *« ^°'-™S ^P^g; and should b 
 pruned in June and November, and renewed ever, 
 five or sux years. The short stout growth from the 
 
 "^t^hsxr^"^^^-^----- 
 
 :~::rrr:i-i— :: 
 
 -|d „po are very excellent and acceptable for the 
 T - i^and. Says Mr Downing : "As a luxury fo 
 the poor, Mr. Loudon considers this the most valu^able 
 
102 
 
 TIIK GOOSEBERUr. 
 
 \ y 
 
 of all fruits, since it can be grown in less space, in 
 more unfavorable circumstances, and brought sooner 
 into bearing than any other." 
 
 Books and catalogues arc fdled with the longest lista 
 of names of different kinds of the gooseberry, but 
 afte/ expeiimenting with many of them for years, and 
 observing them under various circumstances, wo We 
 prepared to narrow our list down to a very few kinds, 
 — as we have studied to do with the other fruits — 
 which we think combine the size, flavor, and produc- 
 tiveness of allj at least for ordinary cultivation. 
 
 crompton's siieba queen. 
 
 This is the largest and best flavored of all the 
 Englirih varieties we have seen. Our attention was at- 
 tracted to it some years since by the favorable reports 
 and first premium of the Albany Horticultural Society, 
 through the accurate chairman of its Fruit Committee, 
 Dr. Ilerman L. Wendell, who says of it, " This is de- 
 cidedly the richest and most delicious, as well as one 
 of the most beautiful berries we have. It is larger in 
 size than any of the others ; obovate form ; white, clear 
 color ; very pleasant, rich, and luscious in its flavor, 
 and erect in its growth. It requires a deep, rich, and 
 
VARIETIES. 
 
 108 
 
 well-drained, as well as cool soil" In other locaticns it 
 sustains the same high character there given of it, and 
 we have found it decidedly the best in our own garden. 
 
 woodward's whitesmith. 
 This is another large, beautiful, and excellent Eng- 
 lish variety— very productive, and is usually over one 
 inch in length. The color is white, and tree of erect 
 habit. 
 
 Roaring Lion and Crown Bob Warrington are r lio 
 large, good varieties of red color. 
 
 Golden Drop and Yellow Lion are fine yellow kinds. 
 
 Green Laurel, Conquering Hero, and Green Willow, 
 green varieties. 
 
 We might name a great number of varieties nearly 
 as good, but do not know that any benefit could be 
 derived from it. 
 
 Houghton's seedling. 
 
 An American seedling of very vigorous habit, great 
 bearer, and said never to mildew. It is of pale red 
 color, rather under medium size ; of good, rich flavor, 
 and well worthy of cultivation. 
 
 We have also cultivated for some years an American 
 seedling variety resembling Houghton's Seedling in 
 every respect, except being of larger size, and greenish- 
 white color. It, is very valuable. 
 
 t 
 
 ! '! 
 
THE GRAPE. 
 
 It has often been asserted— -we know not with how 
 much of truth— that in the vine districts of France, 
 lung disenses are unknown; but this we do now, that 
 the free use of well-grown and well-ripened grapes 
 would be decidedly beneficial to the general health. 
 The cultivation of this excellent fruit embraces a very 
 wide range. In the first place, there is the very nice 
 process of raising hot-house grapes : next, the cold 
 vineiy, which is simple and easy to be practised; next, 
 vineyard cultivation : but it will not be expected of us, 
 in this brief notice, \o more than refer to the common 
 mode of out-door garden culture. The grape is easily 
 and cheaply raised, but good cultivation is altogether 
 the best economy. It is easily propagated from cut- 
 tings. We have found it the best way to prune oft 
 our cuttings early in February, two feet in length, 
 bury th«m in a bundle four or six inches deep in the 
 ground immediately, and for this purpose we choose 
 the warmest wnnt.lipr in fTio ryl/^T^+^, 
 
 (104) 
 
THE GRAPE. 
 
 105 
 
 Let them be in the ground tUl the warm weather in 
 the fore part of May : we then take them up and plant 
 them in a sloping position, in a somewhat shaded 
 situation, leaving the upper bud a few inches above 
 ground. In this way almost every cutting will surely 
 grow, and after a year or two, should be carefully 
 transplanted into the vine border. 
 
 The preparation of this vine border is an important 
 process in grape culture in private gardens. It should 
 be made from four to six feet wide, and two to three 
 feet deep, and be composed of a liberal mixture of 
 limestone, or old plaster or mortar, bones, leather- 
 parings, hair, -^shes, and strong, well-rotted manure, 
 well mixed with the soil. 
 
 A calcareous soil or gravelly loam is best for the 
 grape, and should be well drained and warm. "The 
 essence," says Downing, "of all that can be said in 
 grape culture respecting soil, is that it be dry, light, 
 deep, rich:' It is somewhat difficult in wet clay lands 
 to raise good grapes, unless the vine border is carefully 
 prepared. Soap-suds and wash from the hou-3 is favor- 
 able for the grape, and we have known some plants 
 succeed well that were placed immediately under the 
 spout of the sink. For vineyard culture, the nearer 
 the process approximates to the one described above 
 by trenching r.nd enriching, the better. 
 Every plant should be thcr 
 
 6* 
 
 jhly pruned down to 
 
 0- 
 
 m 
 
 a 
 
 
 IM 
 
106 
 
 THE GEAPE. 
 
 two or three leading shoots ; and after these cover the 
 trellis or stakes as extensively as you wish, then the 
 rule in pruning is, every year from December to first 
 of February, fearlessly to cut back all of the last year's 
 growth, so far as to leave only two eyes. It is also 
 desirable, after the grapes are beginning to fill in June, 
 to pinch back the terminal bud of every branch, and 
 ^thus check its growth, and throw back its sap, to ripen 
 ihe fruit and mature the wood. By pinching back, we 
 mean, to pinch off with the thumb-naU and fore-finger 
 •the end of every bearing branch, and we then cut out 
 all the superfluous little shoots and suckers. 
 ^ The vine is composed the greater part of potash, 
 lime, and carbonic acid, and therefore a frequent appli- 
 -cation of ashes, lime, and soap-suds is beneficial. It 
 has been asserted that tartaric acid is a valuable spe- 
 cific for the fruit, but of this we have no personal 
 knowledge. 
 
 The grape should always be gfbwn in the warmest 
 and most sheltered situation, so that the fruit may 
 ripen well before frost. The south side of a house, or 
 southern slope of a side-hill, should be chosen. 
 
 In some places the mildew is troublesome to the 
 grape, but sulphur sprinkled liberally on its first ap- 
 pearance will usually check it at once. There is also 
 a kind of snail slug which often destroys the leaves in 
 a few weeks. These can easily be destroyed by shower. 
 
VABIETIES. 
 
 107 
 
 ing the vines two or tliree times with strong soap-suds 
 from the wash. 
 
 Our nurserymen have many kinds of the grape on 
 their lists for open-air cultivation, but we are not quite 
 sure that the Isahem and CaUiwha do not comprise sub- 
 stantiall J the good qualities of aU The only complaint 
 against them seems to be, they will not in all situations 
 and all seasons at the North ripen before the frost. 
 
 The Isabella is the well-known and most popular 
 grape North. It is a most vigorous grower, hardy, 
 an immense bearer, large size, black oval, and when 
 ripe, juicy, sweet, musky, and rich. Ripens*well aa 
 far north as forty-three degrees of latitude. 
 
 The Catawba does not always ripen well so far 
 north as fortythfee degrees. Otherwise it would rival 
 the Isabella. It has large berries, copper-colored, with 
 afresh bloom, flesh a little pulpy; juicy, sweet, aro- 
 matic, musky, and rich, productive and hardy. It 
 requires a warm soil and sheltered location north of 
 New York to perfect its fruit, and then it is truly deli- 
 cious. 
 
 if, J 
 
 i 
 
 The Clinton is two weeks earlier than the Isabella, 
 but it is not near so large or good. 
 
!i 
 
 I 
 
 
 % 
 
 108 
 
 THE GRAPE. 
 
 We are m great want of a new seedling grape equal 
 or superior to the Isabella and Catawba, and decidedly 
 two or three weeks earlier. We often have such an- 
 nounced, but they do not always prove satisfactory. 
 
 The Concord is a large, handsome grape, newly 
 onginated by Mr. Bull, of Concord. It resembles the 
 Isabella in appearance, is about two weeks earHer, 
 and on that account an acquisition ; is of good flavor,' 
 although not equal, we think, to that grape in flavor! 
 It IS a little shade foxy. 
 
 Th^Piana is a pleasant new grape, resembling the 
 Catawba in color and flavor, of smaller size and some 
 two or three weeks earlier. 
 
 The Black Madeira is a small pleasant wine 
 grape. Farther south, the Bland, Ohio, Herlermnfs, 
 irorton\ ^mte Scuppemong, Warren, <£•<,., are popular: 
 
llpenHr. 
 
 m 
 
 Hi 
 
 M 
 
 119 
 
 . f. 
 
« I 
 
APPENDII. 
 
 APPENDIX A. 
 
 THE STEAWBEBEY AND ITS CULTUBE 
 
 BT CBAEI^ A. PEiBODr, or eoWMBCB, OBO. 
 
 That eminent horticulturists are liable to be mistaken 
 m their views of culture, as well as of the origin and 
 history of plante, as any other class of men, we have 
 ample proof in the conflicting opinions of the nature 
 and culture of the strawberiy. Downing says • " The 
 strawberry is the most delicious and most wholesome 
 of all hemes, and the most univeisally cultivated in 
 all gardens of a northern climate." Again he says: 
 The strawberry properly belongs to cold climates, 
 and though well known, is of comparatively Ktle value 
 in the south of Europe." With this high authority 
 the horticulturists of the South never dreamed of ciU- 
 tivatmg the strawberry to any extent, although the 
 woods and fields were covered with the wild fruit It 
 was a knowledge of the fact th-vt the wild strawbern^ 
 
 (HI) 
 
 
112 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 grew all around me, that induced me to try strawberry 
 culture at the South. I do not believe there is a plant 
 in nature that so easily adapts itself to soil, situation, 
 and climate, as the strawberry. In many of its homes, 
 however, it produces little or no fruit, spreading itself 
 ra])idly by its runners. 
 
 Now, as there are* two ways of propagating the 
 strawberry, one by its seeds and the other by its run- 
 ners, the question is, which method do we prefer ? If 
 we were going to introduce the strawberry -leaf for a 
 tea, for which it makes a good substitute, common 
 sense would dictate to us to cultivate for runners, and 
 stop the fruiting, or perfecting the seed, as the fruit is 
 nothing more than the receptacle for the seed ; and if, 
 on the other hand, we wish seeds or fruit, we must 
 cultivate for that purpose alone, and stop the runners. 
 
 Intelligent experimental cultivators have long since 
 discovered that plants have a specific food for their 
 wood, leaves, and fruit. Physiologists know full well 
 that it takes different substances to form the bones, 
 flesh, and muscles of animals ; and, profiting by these 
 hints in nature, I would feed for fruit instead of vines. 
 Before planting out the vines, the cultivator should 
 understand the sexual character of the plants, as upon 
 a proper knowledge of this fact will depend his whole 
 success in culture. That plants are staminate and pis- 
 tillate, or mnlft nnd fj^malfi no intpilliorpnt, miltivntor will 
 
118 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 now presume to deny. But in the strawbeny there 
 are three varieties-th. perfect male, the perfect female, 
 and the hermaphrodite. The perfect pistillate, or 
 female, is the most productive of the three, when im- 
 pregnated by one of the other kinds. The perfect 
 Btammate, or male, produces no fruit, making a great 
 sho^v of flowers, and sending out innumerable runners 
 which will soon take possession of the whole bed 
 The hermaphrodite produces fruit, but not in so great 
 abundance as the pistillate, and answers the purpose of 
 an impregnator equallyas well as the purely staminate. 
 
 Ihese three varieties of flowers are represented by Fi<.s 
 1, 2, and 3, page 51. °' 
 
 Fig. lis from an hermaphrodite plant, which blooms 
 ^d impregnates itself. The stamens, marked a, are 
 fuUof afine pollen, or yellow powder, which falling 
 on the end of the unopened calyx of the bnds, below 
 the flower, or around it, on the pistillate plants, is 
 carried by an unseen agency direct to the pistil, im- 
 pregnating and setting the fruit. This variety is the 
 E^ly Scarlet, a continuous bloomer with my culture 
 and he best impregnator for the ever-bearing Hove; 
 Seedling I have ever met. 
 
 Kg. 2 is the sterile staminate, or male plant, never 
 producing fruit under any circumstances whatever. It 
 will be observed the flower is larger and more sho,vy 
 t^ .he otners. It deceives many an inexperienced 
 
 
114 
 
 APPENDII. 
 
 I 
 
 cultivator with its false promises of fruit. The flower 
 of the pure male may be easily known by its large 
 anthers and stamens, as marked a, 5, in Fig. 2. 
 
 Fig. 3 is the pistillate or female blossom. It will be 
 observed that there are no stamens around the pistil, as 
 b, but nearly every bud will produce a berry if impreg- 
 nated by one of the staminate or hermaphrodite plants. 
 Of this variety is the Hovey Seedling, which, as far as 
 my e:}^perience goes, is the best strawberry ever yet 
 cultivated, North or South. 
 
 Before proceeding to the method of culture, I will 
 give my views of th« time of impregnation, being fully 
 satisfied that the generally received opinion that the 
 strawberry is impregnated after the petals expand, is 
 entirely erroneous. I have long since observed that 
 the first strawberry blossoms never produce fruit. The 
 staminate varieties, or rather the hermaphrodite, open 
 from two to ten blossoms, which must shed their pollen 
 on the ends of the unopened calyx of the young buds 
 below, or fall on the ends of the unopened pistillate 
 buds, and immediately cause impregnation. 
 
 The pollen of flowers is one of the most volatile 
 substances in nature. That of the strawberry, viewed 
 through a microscope, is a hairy substance, which, 
 upon ripening, bursts and floats oif on the least 
 breath of air. The point of the unopened calyx 
 contains a erlutinoua matter. wTn'p.Ti pntpTipa nnA "hrxlAq 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 116 
 
 tUs hairy pollen, and the work of impregnation is 
 done ; and when the calyx opens, and the petals ex- 
 pand, the young strawberry may be seen perfectly 
 formed. From this will be seen the importance of the 
 pistiUate and staminate varieties blooming together. I 
 would always prefer the pistillate plant for a large fruit 
 crop; for, if properly impregnated, nearly every bud 
 will be a berry. Thousands of blossoms will be 
 found in the beds to correspond with Figures 2 and 3. 
 Fig. 2, let it be recollected, is a staminate or male 
 flower, and Fig. 8 an impregnated pistillate or female 
 flower, neither of which, by itself, can ever make fruit. 
 Having now explained the sexual character of the 
 plant, and the time of impregnation, I will proceed to 
 the culture. As I have before stated, were I to culti- 
 vate for vines alone, I would stimulate the plants by 
 the most active fertHizers ; but if fruit be the object, 
 the luxuriance of the vine must be curtailed, and that 
 food only known as the special food of the fruit given. 
 Now as to soils. There are as many opinions as cul 
 tivators, from the fact that the strawberry adapts itself 
 to almost any kind of soil. But the soil which I have 
 found to suit them best, is a sandy loam. I would pre- 
 fer new land for the beds, with a stream of water 
 running through them, as water, being an indispensable 
 requisite, should be in the vicinity. 
 It is now well known throughout the Southern 
 
 *M 
 
 I' 
 
If ■■ 
 
 116 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 States that for many years I have cultivate.! tbe 
 strawberry extensively, and have had from my bods 
 a constant succession of fruit six months in the year, 
 and frequently have it ten. While I am now writing,' 
 (December 24), one of my beds, of an acre, is loaded 
 with ripe fruit, specimens of which I have sent lo New 
 Orleans, Montgomery, Savannah, Charleston, Afobile, 
 and New York. This bed has scarcely produced a 
 runner the past season. The causes of this will bo 
 found in my method of culture. I have said that I 
 prefer a sandy soil and new land. My grounds are on 
 what are called "piney woodlands," hill and valley, 
 with never-fiuling streams meandering through them! 
 I have taken the grounds bordering on the streams, 
 ploughed them deep, and laid them off in rows, two 
 feet apart, and planted as indicated in the annexed 
 
 Early Scarlet. 
 
 Hovey's. 
 
 Hovey's. 
 
 Ilovey's. 
 
 Ilovey's. 
 
 ITovev V. 
 
 Hovey's. 
 Early Scarlet. 
 I ploiit the pistillate for fruit, and the hermaphrodite 
 for impic^^-uatorc; and the only two which I haye 
 
 diagram :- 
 
 — 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 o 
 
 o 
 
 o 
 
 o 
 
 o 
 
 o 
 
 o 
 
 o 
 
 » 
 
 « 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 « 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 o 
 
 o 
 
 o 
 
 o 
 
 o 
 
 o 
 
 o 
 
 o 
 
APPENDIX. ij^j 
 
 found to bloom and fruit together the whole season 
 MO the Ilovey SoedUng and Large Early Scarlet 
 Boss I'hccnix, Bun s Nc^v Pine, and a seedling of my 
 own, not yet fully tested, I have also cau.sed to bear 
 continuously. 1 plant seven rows of the pistillate, and 
 one row of the hermaphrodite, two feet apart e,-.eh 
 way. The first season I let the runners till the ground • 
 »■! the fall, go through the grounds with hoes, thinning 
 out to eight or ten inches, leaving the vines to decay 
 just where they are cut up. I then cover the whole 
 bed w,th partially decomposed leaves from the woods 
 or swamps. The winter rains beat down the leaves, 
 the fru>t.germ finds its w..y through them, and the first 
 imld weather of spring the blossoms appear. 
 
 I have before spoken of the volatile nature of the 
 pollen. In very dry weather the particles float off on 
 the winds, and much is lost to the buds below; hence 
 the importance of watering freely when in bloom 
 Ji-ee applications of water will set the whole bed with 
 fruit, which will require continuous watering to swell 
 and ripen it. A strawberry bed may be moist, the 
 plants m fine condition, and yet one good shower will 
 make a difl^orence of one-third in the quantity of fruit 
 picked the day after. Consequently, in dry seasons, 
 artificial watering must be resorted to, and no labor 
 will pay belter. 
 
 I never use animal manure of any kind— nothing 
 
 »:.i 
 
 ,1 
 
 
118 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 ■i 
 
 but the leaf-moLild, and an occasional sprinkling of 
 wood-aslies. The leaf-mould keeps tlie ground cool 
 and moist, as well as the fruit dean, and does not 
 stimulate the vines to runners. The potash and acids 
 contained in it are just what the fruit wants. Should 
 the vines be disposed to spread, keep the runners 
 down by constant pinching off, and clear out the grass 
 and weeds with the hoe. A few years of this culture 
 will check their disposition to run, and encourage them 
 to fruit. The bed, once thus formed and cultivated, 
 will, to my certain knowledge, continue productive 
 twelve years, and, I have reason to believe, as much 
 longer as the culture is continued. Should the vines 
 have taken possession of the ground, in spite of the 
 efforts to keep the runners down, we go through in the 
 fall with the hoe, thinning out the plants to ten or 
 twelve inches, leaving every cut-up vine to decay on 
 the ground where it grew: wq then cover with the 
 decaying leaves. When the plants begin to bloom in 
 the spring, a top-dressing of wood-ashes will be found 
 beneficial. I have tried strawberry culture with the 
 plough, which will make a greater quantity of vines, 
 but will give only one crop of fruit. It is generally 
 remarked that the wild strawberry is finer flavored 
 than the cultivated; but with this treatment the latter 
 retains all the original flavor. 
 It has been recommended by some cultivators to 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 119 
 
 irrigate the strawberry grounds by letting water on 
 the vines; but the strawberry, cultivated after the 
 manner described, can bear as great a drought as any 
 other plant. It is not the vines and leaves that want 
 the water, but the flowers and fruit; and the water 
 must come in the form of rain, through the clouds, 
 from an engine, or a common watering-pot. 
 
 I have noticed quite a contest going on among hor- 
 ticulturists as to the possibility of strawberries chang- 
 ing their sexual character by cultivation. Without 
 taking part in the controversy, I must state that I 
 would as soon think of high feed turning a cow to a 
 bull, as to change the pistillate character of Hovey's 
 Seedling by any method of cultivation. I have culti- 
 rated the strawberry under every aspect ; with high 
 manuring, and without manure; in new lands, and on 
 old lands; have had the vines stand from twelve to 
 eighteen inches high, and in meek submission to hug 
 the ground; yet I have never found the least change 
 in the blossom. A perfect pistillate or staminate flowc^r, 
 first bboming so from seed, will never bloom any 
 other way. Cultivators are often deceived about their 
 plants, from the fact that they frequently iind varie- 
 ties in the beds which they did not plant ; but these 
 spring from seed. The strawberry springs from seed 
 vr:th astonishing rapidity. Since my beds were started, 
 the whole country around me is covered with straw- 
 
120 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 berrj-pliiiits from the seed dropped by birds. These 
 I find running into all varieties— pistillate, staniinate, 
 and hermaphrodite— most of tliem worthless, but some 
 with good fruit. 
 
 The i)roper time for transplanting the strawberry at 
 the South, is as soon in tlie fill as the weather is eool 
 and moist enougli. Here, this may be eontinued until 
 spi-ing. Plants are easily transported great distanees 
 in the winter. I have sent them 2,000 miles with 
 safety. It will be observed by the diagram, that I 
 plant the staminate every eighth row. Some cultiva- 
 tors mix in the rows; but I prefer to keep them sepa- 
 rate and distinct, as they are more easily distinguished, 
 and kept better in their places. 
 
 Now, if the cultivator would know the secret of my 
 having stra\\'berries six, eight, and even ten months in 
 the year, in the hot climate of Georgia and Alabama, 
 it is tliis : proper location, vegetable manures, shade to 
 the ground, without exhaustion, and water to the bloom 
 and fruit. 
 
 One reason why so many Ml in garden culture with 
 the sti-awberry is, that the beds are surrounded by trees 
 and shrubbery, which may produce one crop of fruit 
 in the spring, but rarely more than that, unless it 
 shoidd prove a very wet season. The strawberry -bed, 
 whether in the garden or the field, should have no tree, 
 plant, or slirub near enough to it to take the moisture 
 
APPENDI^. 22^ 
 
 from the eanh. Tke- plants reqmro all the moisture 
 from the atmosphere and the earth around them 
 Whether the strawberry was originally found in eold 
 climates or not, I find they readily adapt themselves 
 to any chmate, and very soon beeome indigenous I 
 doubt whether there is a State in this Union that can- 
 no produce the strawberry months, instead of weeks, 
 _n the year, w:th proper eulture. And when we take 
 nto eonsKleration the ea.e and simplicity of its cul- 
 ture, :ts continued bearing and productiveness, its 
 exemption from all insect depredations, its dcUelou^ 
 flavor and healthy influence upon the system, it ranks 
 hrst in importance among the fruits of the earth. 
 
 
 A.PPENDIX B. 
 
 Il 
 
 [Prom Downlng's HortlculturiBt] 
 
 TWO EXPERIMENTS MACE TO TEST MB. LONGWORTH'S 
 
 STRAWBERRY THEORY. 
 
 TAKn^o Hovey's Seedling as a subject, I procured a 
 be i-g ass, and placed it over an entire plant which had 
 not bloomed. The flowers expanded well under the 
 glass, but did not produce one herry. The plant was 
 frequently agitated to put the pollen in motion, if there 
 
 »r do ill I V . 
 
 
 6 
 
122 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 I also introduced under a glass some blossom buds 
 before thej had blown. These, as they successively 
 expanded, .showed no signs of swelling. I impreg- 
 nated, at different times, two of the blossoms by hand, 
 applying the pollen from another plant with a camel's 
 hair pencil. These two set their fruit perfectly. The 
 pistils of the other blossoms soon turned to a dark 
 color. These experiments were made at the north 
 gide of a picket fence, where the plants were screened 
 from the full effects of the sun, otherwise the heat 
 under the glasses would have been too great. 
 
 These experiments prove, to my mind, very conclu- 
 siveljT-, that Hovey's Seedling will not bear any fruit 
 unless impregnated by some staminate variety. And 
 the same may be said of other varieties in which the 
 stamens are obsolete. I have had some plants of the 
 Hudson Bay for three years, in a position where they 
 cannot very easily be impregnated by other kinds, 
 during vrhich time they have not borne one berry, 
 while other plants of the same' variety, exposed, have 
 been productive. A diff jrence in the formation of the 
 flowers on different plants is not confined to cultivated 
 kinds, biit may be seen in those growing wild in the 
 fields, the piatillate plants of which I have often exam- 
 ined with a magnifying-glass, to see if I could discover 
 any pollen, but have never been able to find it ; I am 
 forced, therefore, to believe i\i{x\, pisiillate plants, both 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 123 
 
 wUd and cultivated, are absolutely devoia of pollen 
 and cannot, therefore, produce any fruit except when' 
 impregnated by others. 
 
 I am also convinced, from observation and theory 
 hat one kind will never chr.nge to the other by offsete 
 the runner bearing the same relation to the plant pro- 
 ducnig It as a tree grown from a bud does to the tree 
 from wh eh it was taken. It may, then, be asked, How 
 docs ,t happen that there arepmiate md staM^nate 
 plants of the same variety ? I answer, It is not thcfcM, 
 unless they have sprung from seed, or the plants have 
 been taken from the fields in a wild state. 
 
 That pisiillate plants are surer and better bearcw 
 than .sfa,«e„„fe plants, is, I think, generally true, (pro- 
 vided of course, that they are impregnated). And it 
 vvould seem reasonable to infer that when but one of 
 the sexual organs is complete, the other will have 
 more strength. Plante, therefore, that are perfect in 
 botn organs, require a higher state of cultivation. 
 Ihere is, however, a wide difference in the produc- 
 tiveness of different kinds that are perfect in both 
 
 otTr' '°™' *"'"° "'""'' ""'" '''''^° *° ''^"'' *» 
 
 Cr. W. Huntsman. 
 
 Flushing, L. /., July 14, 184g. 
 
li 
 
 124 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 APPENDIX C. 
 
 Cincinnati, Ohio, Aug. 14, 1854. 
 Mr. B. G. Pardee : 
 
 Dear Sir: — By this mail I send you a grape 
 pamphlet, containing an article written bj me on the 
 strawberry. I will, in a day or two, send you a Report 
 of our Strawberry Committee, written by Dr. Warder, 
 on Mr. Meehan's doctrine of changing a pistillate to a 
 staminate plant. Mr. Meehan finds plants that he took 
 from what was called a bed of Hovey's Seedling, and 
 had nearly all proved staminates or hermaphrodites. 
 Dr. Warder and Mr. Heath, of our city, saw his plants, 
 and found about one Hovey to the hundred. The 
 Hovey is so strongly marked that our children can 
 distinguish the plant from all others. Mr. Meehan 
 never heard of a pistillate plant till he came to Amer- 
 ica. I sent some of our seedlings to the President of 
 the London Horticultural Society last winter, and 
 among them pistillates. He replied that he was not 
 aware that there were plants that would not bear fruit 
 without impregnation, and suggested that the failure to 
 bear, he presumed, was from frost. He promised to 
 investigate the subject. Mr. Huntsman, of Flushing, 
 Lons Island, is a botanist and hns cnVpTi o-rpnf. otfori- 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 126 
 
 1854. 
 
 a, grape 
 on tho 
 Report 
 iVarder, 
 ate to a 
 he took 
 ng, and 
 rodites. 
 plants, 
 . The 
 'en can 
 Meehan 
 Amer- 
 dent of 
 51, and 
 vas not 
 ar fruit 
 ilure to 
 lised to 
 ushing, 
 k atten' 
 
 I 7 
 
 hon to the cultivation and sexes of the plant. From 
 he sten, and leaf he can designate some My varieties 
 that he has had in cultivation. I would recommend 
 you to get his views. It is singular that after public 
 attention has been brought to the question for twenty 
 yea^ or mor^ even botanists and horticultural editors 
 deny the doctrme. If generally understood, the dis- 
 covery of the ignorant market-gardener is worth mil- 
 l.ons of dollars. After I had made the discovery, from 
 a chance observation of a son of Mr. Abergust, I wa. 
 at the gardens of persons near the city of Philadelphia, 
 where Mr. Abergust resided, prior to his emoval to 
 Cmcmnati, and named the matter to them. "Oh » 
 said they, "we now understand it. He Uved near us 
 and from the same space of ground raised five times 
 ^ much fruit as we could, and larger. Kvery fall he 
 thmncd out his plants, and threw then^ in the road- 
 we gathered them, and planted them in our gardens.' 
 and they never bore a single fruit. He threw ou 
 stammates only, and to deceive them. The son of Mr 
 Abergust was in my garden a few days before my 
 plants were in blossom, and observed, "Your straw- 
 bernes bear a bad crop." I observed, such was the 
 fact_ He added, "They are all males." Replied, 
 That ,s all nonsense. The strawberry is a plant that 
 bears flowers perfect in both orran.^" "I „„ „o 
 botanist," said he, "but I know ^ost of youis wUl 
 
 ■i. 
 
 r-.' 
 
 u 
 
126 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 bear no fruit." I requested liim to point out any that 
 would, lie selected two. I inquired, " Can you then 
 see the difference ?" " Not now," said he; "I could if 
 tliey were in blossom." I found hiui disposed to give 
 no further information. I marked the plants, and 
 when in blossom, could distinguish them at a distance 
 of several feet. There was not one of these to the 
 hundred. Before they were out of blossom, I cast 
 them all out, as I supposed ; they spread, and the next 
 season I had a full crop. But finding a few barren 
 plants before they were out of blossom, I dug them all 
 up, and the next season had not a single berry. I then 
 understood the subject, and made it known. In that 
 day we had no hermaphrodite plants. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 N. LONGWORTH. 
 
 CINCINNATI HORTICULTURAL SOCIETi'. 
 
 The Secretary, at the request of the Society, reported 
 a written statement of how he found the strawberry 
 question in Philadelphia ; after some animated discus- 
 sion, it was moved to accept and file the report, and 
 the finality was ordered to appear in the minutes of 
 the day. 
 
 It has long been argued by some distinguished hor- 
 ticultural writers that certain varieties of the straw- 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 127 
 
 berrj-for instance, Hovey's Seedling-would produce 
 at one time plants with pistillate, and at another time 
 staminate blossoms. This error has been explained 
 by the flict, that a bed of strawberry plants of any 
 known pistillate variety, after standing three or four 
 years, and the fruit falling and decaying on the bed, 
 will produce seedling plants, and of course new varie' 
 ties, and these are as likely to be staminate as pistil- 
 late sorts. The following is the 
 
 Finality on the Strawberry.— Wild or culti- 
 vated, the strawberry presents, in its varieties, four 
 distinct forms or characters of inflorescence. 
 
 1st. Those called Pisiillate, from the flict that the 
 stamens are abortive, and rarely to be found without 
 a dissection of the flower. These require extrinsic 
 impregnation. 
 
 2d. Those called Slaminate, which are perfectly des- 
 titute of even the rudiments of pistils, and are neces- 
 sarily fruitless. 
 
 Sd. Those called Hermaphrodite or perfect, having 
 both sets of organs, stamens and pistils, apparently well 
 developed. These are not generally good and certain 
 bearers, as we should expect them to be. With few 
 exceptions they bear poorly, owing to some unob- 
 served defect, probably in the pistils. One-tenth of 
 their flowers generally produce perfect and often very 
 large berries. 
 
128 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 4tli. A rare class— a sort of subdivision of the pre- 
 ceding—has not only hermaphrodite flowers, but also 
 some on the same truss that are of the pistillate charac- 
 ter ; and sometimes, in the same plant, a truss will be 
 seen on which all the flowers are pistillate. 
 
 Now these four divisions are 7iatuial and real; they 
 are also founded upon permanent character, so far as 
 we have been able to discover, after a most thorough 
 investigation, extending through a long scries of years, 
 during which millions of strawberry blossoms have 
 been examined with the severest scrutiny. Other 
 forms may exist, and it is not claimed to be impossible 
 that Ave may yet find a seedling which shall have the 
 general character of a pistillate, that may show an 
 occasional perfect or hermaphrodite flower, as a pecu- 
 liarity of that individual, but we have never yet 
 observed such a variety; and, further, we believe that 
 whatever impress, as to peculiarities of foliage, pubes- 
 cence, habit, inflorescence, or fruit, each distinct seed- 
 ling may receive with its origin, it will be retained in 
 its increase by runners, so long as the variety remains 
 extant. Seedlings may vary from the parent, but 
 off-shoots will not be materially different, except by 
 accidental malformation or by development of unim- 
 portant organs. 
 
 John A. Warder, Secretary. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 129 
 
 APPENDIX D. 
 
 Prom th« • Hortlculturbt," Augast, 1884 By P. Baurt, Editor. 
 THE CULTIVATION OP THE STRAWBERRY. 
 The discussion of the Strawberry question, which 
 has occupied the pages of agricultural and horticultural 
 journals so largely for a few years past, has been the 
 means, directly and indirectly, of advancing materially 
 the cultivation of that fruit. We find ample evidence 
 of this in the more abundant supply of our markets, 
 and in the production of a large number of seedling 
 varieties. Recent letters from correspondents in all 
 parts of the country, as well as the reports of late 
 exhibitions, all testify to the very general interest 
 which is felt on the subject, and the progress that has 
 been made. But, after all, we are constrained to say 
 that our cultivation is yet very indifferent. The size 
 and appearance of the great bulk of fruit offered in 
 market, convince us of this. Those who know how to 
 cultivate are in many cases slovenly, or act upon the 
 principle that good culture will not pay; while there 
 are many who f-iil for want of correct information. 
 We have now before us a large number of inquiries on 
 the subject. One wants to know how to prepare the 
 soii; another, wh^n to plant; and another, how to 
 6* 
 
 -^r 
 
ISO 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 plant. Soveral correspondents wlio arc well informed 
 on tlio subjoet of cultivation, ask us to give them tho 
 names of the best i)erfect-flo\vering sorts, as they aro 
 tired of keeping separate the staminate and jiistillato 
 varieties. We have therefore thought it miglit be 
 well to offer a few hints which will serve as a general 
 answer. 
 
 Wo will state here, at the Dutset, that to cultivate 
 •the strawberry successfully, .s but a simple matter. 
 To grow large, handsome, fire-flavored fruit in abun- 
 dance, it is not necessary to employ a chemist to furnish 
 us with a long list of specifics, nor even to employ a 
 gardener by profession, who can boast of long years of 
 experience. Any one who can manage a crop of corn 
 or potatoes, can, if he will, grow strawberries. We 
 say tliis much by way of encouragement, because so 
 much has been said in regard to various methods of 
 culture, and various applications and specifics, that 
 some j^eople have become persuaded that a vast deal of 
 learning and experience is necessary to produce large 
 crops of strawberries. 
 
 Judging from what we have seen, we believe that 
 the great cause of failure is negligence. The straw- 
 berry plant— not like a tree, which when once set in 
 its place, remains there— is constantly sending out 
 shoots (runners) in all directions, taking possession of 
 the ground rapidly around the parent plant. In a 
 
 f 
 
ArPENnix. 
 
 131 
 
 short time, therefore, unless these runners arc kept in 
 chcclc, tlic ground becomes entirely ooeupied with 
 plants, the parent plants become eximusted, and tho 
 ground can no longer bo stirred or kept in such a con- 
 dition as is necessary to sustain their vigor. The re- 
 suit is, the ground is covered with a mass of starved 
 and weakly plants, choking up each other in a hard 
 uncultivated soil, and producing a spare crop of small,' 
 inaipid berries, that dry up on their stalks before they 
 are npe, unless rain happens to fall every day. 
 _ The constant stirring of the soil around the plants 
 IS one thing which in our climate is absolutely neces- 
 sary ; and any system of culture which precludes this 
 or throws any obstacle in its way, is defective. If any 
 one will examine his strawberry beds, he will find the 
 plants along the outer edges of the beds, where the soU 
 has been kept clean and fresh by the frequent use of 
 the hoe, vigorous and healthy, with luxuriant dark- 
 green fohago, and largo, fine fruit; while in the interior 
 of the beds, where the plants have grown into masses, 
 and covered all the ground, so as to prevent its eulti- 
 vation, they are yellow and sickly-looking, and the f-uit 
 poor and wortless. This we see in our own grounds 
 and everywhere that we find plants growing under 
 smular circumstances. Does this not show the neces- 
 Bitj of cultivation close around tho plants? No mat- 
 ter how deep we may trench the soil, or how unsparmg 
 
 • J 
 
 i^ 
 
182 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 ■ 
 
 if? I 
 
 we may be with manures, or how copiously we supply 
 moisture, this cultivation cannot be dispensed with, if 
 we aim at producing fine fruits, and abundance of 
 them. "But," says one cultivator, "by allowing the 
 ground to be all occupied with plants, we save all the 
 labor which would be consumed in removing the run- 
 ners, and w< avoid the necessity of applying a mulch- 
 ing to keep the fruit clean." Very true, you save some 
 > expense ; but what do you get in return ? A crop of 
 fruit not fit for the table— small, insipid, and so dirty, 
 if a heavy rain occurs about ripening-time, that it must 
 be put through the wash-tub before it is placed on the 
 table. It is possible that the market-grower may be 
 able to produce berries of this kind at a less price per 
 quart than he could by a careful, cleanly, and thorough 
 system of culture ; but then he can ex^,ect to sell such 
 fruit only when no better can be had. We have some 
 doubts, however, as to the economy of bad culture in 
 the long run. If a proper system were adopted at the 
 outstart, and followed up with regularity, it would not 
 be found so profitless or expensive. In this, as in 
 every otlier kind of culture, a system is absolutely 
 necessary. A certain routine of operations which are 
 easily executed if taken at the right time, become bur- 
 densome when deferred ; and being so, they are not 
 unfrequently put off altogether. Precisely thus it is 
 that strawberry beds are neglected^ both, in market 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 133 
 
 gardens and private gardens, until thej are grown 
 wild beyond liope of recovery. Now, we say to every 
 one who wishes to cultivate strawberries, resolve at 
 once upon abandoning the " lazy-bed" system ; and if 
 you cultivate but a square rod, do it well. 
 
 We advise planting in rows not less than two feet 
 apart, unless ground be very scarce, when eighteen 
 inches might suffice, and the plants to be twelve to 
 eighteen inches apart in the rows. In extensive field 
 culture, the rows should be at least three feet apart, in 
 order to admit the use of the plough and cultivator 
 between them, or even the passage of a cart to deposit 
 manures or mulching material. The spade and wheel- 
 barrow are too costly impliments for an extensive cul- 
 ture where labor is scarce and high, as with us. From 
 the time the plants are set until the fruit is gathered, 
 the runners should be cut away as fast as they appear' 
 and the ground be kept clear of weeds, and well 
 worked. 
 
 Ill the fall, or before the setting in of winter, a 
 mulching of half decayed leaves or manure should 'be 
 placed between the rows, coming close around the 
 plants, leaving the crown or heart uncovered. This 
 mulching prevents the plants from being drawn out 
 and weakened, or destroyed by freezing and thawing 
 in winter. We have sometimes covered the entire 
 beds, plants and all, with newly-fallen leaves ; and by 
 
 I 
 
 ♦ 
 
13^ 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 ralang them off early in the .pHng, the plants camo 
 oat m fine order. In the same way we have covered 
 with clean wheat straw, and found it answer well In 
 all the xXorthern and Western States, some winter pre 
 tection IS of groat service, although not indispensable. 
 In field culture, the earth might be ploughed up to 
 tlie plants, as is done with nursery trees, in such a 
 manner as to afford considerable protection against tho 
 action of frost on the root. 
 
 As soon as the fruit begins to attain its full size, and 
 approach maturity, the spaces between the rows, which 
 up to this time have been under clean culture, 'should 
 be covered with straw, litter, or moss. This will 
 serve the double purpose of keeping the fruit clean 
 and retaining the moisture in tlie soil. When copious 
 supplies of water are to be applied, which should 
 always be done when practicable, stable litter is a good 
 mulching, as the water poured on it carries down with 
 it to the roots of the plants the fertilizing materials 
 Avhich it contains. 
 
 The application of water in abundance we must 
 again recommend to all who want the finest fruit. 
 Rains are very good, but they cannot be relied upon, 
 and they always deprive the fruit of its flavor, while 
 artificial waterings do not. On this account the 
 French gardeners say that the strawberry "prefers 
 water from tlie well to water from the clouds." It ia 
 
APPEN'DIXv 
 
 If JO 
 
 supposed tliat tlic electricity whicli pervades tlic atmos. 
 plicrc during our summer rains affects the flavor of 
 the fruit. 
 
 AVhen the crop has been gathered, the mulcliincr 
 material between tlie rows should be removed and the 
 ground be forked over, so that if plants are wanted to 
 form a new plantation, their growth will be encour- 
 aged. The same plants should not be relied upon for 
 more than i^vo crops. The labor of making a new 
 bod, save the trenching of the soil, is no more than 
 that of planting a plot of cabbages. 
 
 As to the season for planting,°we would recommend 
 the sprmg for largo plantations, because then there is 
 comparatively no risk of failure. The amateur, how- 
 ever, who wishes only to plant a bed in his garden 
 may do it at ar.y time that he can procure good plants! 
 If the growth of runners is encouraged in July, after 
 the fruit IS gathered, good, well rooted runners may be 
 iKul about the first of September, or it may be sooner. 
 ihe young plants nearest the parent plant should 
 always be chosen, if possible. In planting during the 
 month of August or September, rainy weather should 
 be chosen, if possible, but it may be safely done, even 
 m a dr^ time, by using water freely. Water the plants 
 well before taking them up, as it injures the roots very 
 much to draw them nnf. nf.l... g.^und; then water 
 
 soil thoroughly where they are to be set, before 
 
 the 
 plant- 
 
 
136 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 ing. A sprinkling will be of no use : it must go down 
 deep, as a heavj rain ^TOul(l. Set the plants in the 
 evening, and shade them a few days with boards set 
 on edge, forming a sort of roof over them. Ivfulch 
 them, too, with short litter; and it will be well, if the 
 phmts be large, to remove some of the lower and 
 larger leaves. Planting can be done safelj in sprino- 
 any time until the plants are in blossom-and all 
 summer, for that matter, with proper care. 
 
 We have thus briefly sketched the principal opera- 
 tions m strawberry culture; not in regular order, it is 
 true, but we hope so as to be understood. We are not 
 writing a book, and cannot enter into all the details 
 with minuteness. We have said nothing of the soil 
 and will only remark that any good garden soil fit to 
 produce culinary vegetables, or any good firm land fit 
 for grain or root crops, will produce good strawberries- 
 but it must be deeply ploughed, or trenched, say twenty 
 inches at least, and liberally manured with well-decom 
 posed stable manure or a good compost. The quantity 
 of manure must vary according to the degree of natural 
 fertility of the soil. In one case, a quantity equal to 
 SIX inches deep all over the surfoce would not be too 
 much ; while in other cases, half that would be enough. 
 We would prefer not to mak. a strawberry planla- 
 tion twice on the same ground ; but when circumstances 
 render it inconvenient to change, rows of young plant. 
 
APPENDIX. jgj, 
 
 might be sot, or allowd to establish themselves from 
 the ruuners, between the old rows, whieh can then bo 
 turned under with the spade, and will serve to enrieh 
 tlie ground. 
 
 Now as to varieties. On this point there is room 
 for a great diversity of opinion, and we eannot hope to 
 name a list that will be aeeeptable to a very large num- 
 ber of persons, at least in many parts of the country. 
 Planters must have recourse to the best experience to 
 be found in their respective localities ; in the mean time 
 we shall express our opinion of a few varieties, and let 
 It go lor what it is worth. 
 
 It happ^s that in this country the greater number 
 of our most productive varieties have but one set of 
 the organs of fecundation. A fruitful flower must 
 have both pistUs and stamens perfectly developed 
 The stamens are regarded as the male organs, and the 
 pistils the female. When a flower has well-developed 
 pistils, but no stamens, or imperfect ones, it must be 
 impregnated by pollen from other flowers. Where a 
 flower has no pistils, or has imperfect ones, it is utterly 
 barren. A large number of our best American vari- 
 eties-such as Hovey^ Seedling, Burrs New Pine 
 MoAvoy's Superior, Uoyamensing, &c.-are wanting in' 
 Btamens, and therefore foreign impregnation is neces- 
 sary. In Europe this distinction is not observed to 
 any extent, and all the English and continental varie 
 
 J,:i 
 
 Wn 
 
138 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 tics, as far as wo know, arc licnnaplirodite. In thw 
 
 country very many of them faU from an imperfect 
 
 development of the pistUs, and are consequently bar- 
 
 ren, owing doubtless to the effects of climate and cul- 
 
 ture. It is not necessary that the two should be in 
 
 close proximity ; they are sure to Ret im;,rog„at<>d if 
 
 m the same garden, as the polle., , -ried about from 
 
 one flower to anotl>er by insect.. The beds of the 
 
 different sorts may be kept entirely separate. Mixin.^ 
 
 them up is a bad way, as the one outgrows and ov«t 
 
 runs the other, and they become so eonfused tliat 
 
 nothing ean be done with them. On this account 
 
 many have grown tired of iceeping up the distinction, 
 
 and have resolved to cultivate hermaphrodite sort, 
 only. 
 
 The following varieties are the best on the Ion.. Ii4 
 of those we have tested on our own grounds • 
 
 Plsni.LATE.-Burr's New Pine, Jenny's Seedling, 
 MeAvoy s Superior, Hovey's Seedling, Moyamensing 
 Monroe Scarlet, and Crimson Cone. The finest flavored 
 variety among these is Burr's New Pine ; the largest 
 Ilovcy's Seedling ; and the finest and best for market' 
 Jenny's Seedling and Crimson Cone. Hovey's Seed' 
 ^^g, in AVestern New York, and in many parts of the 
 West, IS a very moderate, and, in m.any cases, a poor 
 bearer. We have had no crop so heavy the p.ast seL 
 (wJieu all bore well) as on the Monroe Scariet. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 139 
 
 Staminate, or IlEUMAPiiitoDiTE.— Large Early 
 Scailn, Walker's Seedling, Iowa, Boston Pine, and 
 Genesee. All these may be grown sueeessfully for 
 market, and are good, wiUiout being first-ratc in 
 flavor. We think mueh more of Walker's Seedlino- 
 now than we did last season. It is very hardy, and I 
 great bearer. It appears to be a seedling from the 
 BLiek Prinee. The Boston Pine is the most uncertain 
 on the whole list; without good soil an.d culture it 
 fails entirely. 
 
 Besides the above list, we would recommend to 
 amateurs, who are willing to bestow thorough cultiva- 
 tion and care on their plants, the British Queen, which, 
 when well grown, surpasses in size, beauty and excel' 
 lence, any we have named. The Bicton Pine, a largo 
 and beautiful white variety, which ripens late. We 
 We had a fine crop of it this season, although our 
 plants-being set last year-were seriously injured last 
 winter. Like all the foreign sorts, it needs protection, 
 and a deep, rich soil, with abundant moisture. Tlie 
 Wood Strawberries-red and white-bear most pro- 
 ^ fiisely in all places and last a long time ; besides, they 
 part Ireely from the calyx, and are therefore easily and 
 rapidly picked, and their flavor is rich and agreeable 
 to most people. In addition to these, we must mention 
 the Bush Alpine, (having no runners), perpetual bear- 
 era, if kept liberally supplied with moisture. Tliev 
 
140 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 deserve mucli more extensive cultivation tlian tlicy 
 now receive. With their assistance, we may enjoy 
 strawberries not one month only but/owr months. 
 
 APPENDIX E. 
 
 LETTER FROM PETER B. MEAD. 
 
 September 1st, 1854. 
 R. G. Pardee, Esq.: Dear .S^>-Your request, that 
 I would give you a few remarks on the culture of the 
 strawberry, I will now comply with, but necessarily in 
 a brief manner. First let me say, that I am glad to 
 learn that you are about to publish a manual On Straw- 
 berry Culture. Your long experience and marked 
 success will enable you to invest the subject with unu- 
 sual interest. 
 
 We cannot always command just such a soil as we 
 want; but we generally have the material at hand to 
 modify it so as to answer our purpose very well. For 
 the strawberry I prefer a sandy loam, well drained, 
 and a southern exposure. An eastern aspect is also 
 good. Animal manures I do not much use, except on 
 a few of the hermaphrodites, and then very sparingly, 
 and only that which is well decomposed. I much 
 prefer prepared muck, leaf mould, &c.. When a stimu. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 141 
 
 laiit is required, a solution of guano, the salts of am- 
 monia, dilute tannic acid, cr a top-dressing of guano,* 
 superphosphate of lime, pc .ash, &c., answers the pur- 
 pose well. I prefer the ammonia and tannic acid. In 
 a garden, strawberries sliould be planted in beds, and 
 each kind kept distinct. Make the beds three feet wide, 
 put three plants in a row, the two outside ones beinc/ 
 SIX inches from the edge of the bed; the plants will 
 then be one foot apart. The rows should be eighteen 
 inches apart; but in a small garden they may be one 
 foot apart. Select young plants in preference to old 
 ones. Set the plant up to the crown, but do not cover 
 It. Keep the ground open and porous, and free from 
 weeds. A word as to to the best time for planting. I 
 prefer early spring ; but where a supply of water is at 
 hand, it may be done at any time ; for only give the 
 strawberry plenty of water, and it will defy any amount 
 of heat. I would remark, en passant, that whoever 
 attempts to water his strawberries must do it thorough- 
 ly, if he would have his plants derive any benefit from 
 it. A thorough soaking once a week will do more good 
 than fifty sprinklings a day. Where water is not at 
 hand, the planting should be done during Aug-.ist and 
 
 * Further experience has led me to discard the use of giiano, 
 particularly as a top-dressing. It is not only too stimulatinir for 
 the strawberry, but rapidly dissolves the vegetable constituents of 
 the soil, which I consider essential to the plant.— January, 1856. 
 
 j.: 
 
142 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 ScptcMubor, taking advantage of a licavy 
 
 ram. 
 
 tl 
 
 I j)rerei 
 
 ic 
 
 early part of Scj)tenib-r; in fad, I liavo i-lantcd 
 
 Ilovoy, Burr's New Pine AVall 
 
 ker's Scedlin'' and 
 
 others, as late as the 2ist of Oct^^ber, and evei-y plant 
 
 survived the winter without 
 but I would not 1 
 
 temb 
 
 covering of any kind; 
 ■ceonuuend pkuiting later than Sep- 
 
 er 
 
 Next, a few Avords about juulch in gaud after-lrcalmc 
 Lattei^y I have seldom resorted to nudehing. I 1 
 a rake seven inelics wide with prongs ei<dit inches ] 
 
 n1 
 
 lavc 
 
 ^'"g) 
 
 made of highly tempered steel. This is my mulcher 
 AVith this instrument I woi-k between the rows from 
 ppring till fall ; and frequently when the plants arc in 
 fruit. I know I sliall be told that tl 
 practice, and I admit that it is 
 
 us IS a daufj^erous 
 
 in inexperienced haiul^ 
 
 indeed, I would not tru«t another to use it 
 own plants, owing to the danger of 
 fibres ; and yet I use it myself witl 
 
 mj 
 
 anion 
 urin 
 
 o 
 
 lim an inch o 
 
 my 
 their 
 
 f the 
 
 crown. AVhen, therefore, I cannot give the necessary 
 personal attention to my plants, I resort to the next 
 best mulcher, wliieli is ian, either spent or fresh. I 
 prefer the latter. The ground should first be well 
 stirred, and the tan applied not more than one inch 
 thick. If too mucli is applied it is apt to ferment and 
 kill the plants. Many fine beds have been destroj^cd 
 in this way. Where tan cannot be had, leaves from 
 the woods may be used. These make an admirablo 
 
APPKNDIX. 
 
 MS 
 
 mulch, and promise, in my o])inioii, to lake i\io Jirst 
 place among mulcher.«^. liny, straw, grass, sawdust, 
 &c., arc also good; but whatever is used for llii.s 
 purpose, the crown of the plants must in no case be 
 covered. 
 
 The beds having be^n properly made, the after- 
 treatment becomes a very simple matter; indeed, I 
 know of no plant that gives such generous returns at 
 Bo small a cost of labor; but you rnust not infer from 
 this that I justify anytliing like neglect. The beds 
 must be looked over occasionally, runners removed, 
 weeds pulled up, and everything kept neat and clean. 
 In the spring, rake the nudehing into the walks, stir 
 up the soil, apply a top-dressing if needed, and then 
 put back the mulching. Tiie best mode, however, is to 
 apply one of the solutions before mentioned, aftci- tho 
 fruit has set. The bearing-season may bo considerably 
 prolonged by thorough watering, and Avill amply repay 
 the trouble where the means are at hand. As soon as 
 the plants have done bearing, they will throw out run- 
 ners, which must be pinched off, unless plants arc 
 wanted for new beds. I have no time to add moro 
 here, except to say, that he who would have good 
 strawberries must cullivaic them ; by which I mean tho 
 opposite of letting them take care of themselves. 
 
 You will doubtless expect me to add a few words In 
 regard to some of the leading varieties • but it would 
 
 
 f!' 
 
lU 
 
 APPKNDIX. 
 
 bo impolitic f )r mc to siiy mucli on this point, since 
 you know I am now testing :,11 the mnv vjiriotics, and 
 conductino- a scries of experiments liaving r.j[erence to 
 tho natural history of tl.is most interestin^^^ plant. 
 Fj-iends have furnished mo with varieties entirely n.«w, 
 and not yet sent out; hut those I have only had' under 
 trial since last ^fay, an<l it would he (piite i,rcmatnro 
 to say much about them, though some of tluMu arc 
 very promising. I am daily expecting more. At somo 
 future time I shall review thom all. I do not hesitate 
 to say, however, that the following are good, with- 
 out at present designating them in any other way: 
 McAvoy's Superior, Ilovcy's Seedling, Moyamonsin- 
 Burr's New Pino, Black Prince, Pennsylvania,* Mc' 
 Avoy's Extra Red, (rather acid), Boston Pine,' Alice 
 ]\raude, Longworth's Prolific, Exccllente, Walker's 
 Seedling, Beach's Queen, Largo Early Scarlet, Ano-c- 
 lique. But I rather think I will stop, for I know not 
 wlicrc this may lead me. Barr's New AYliite and 
 Bicton Pine arc both large white vai-ictics; thcVormcr 
 is best. 
 
 JJ Pennsylvania will not boar well or produce goo.l fruit except 
 under generous treatment ; certainly not under trees, where, slranoX 
 enou,,, I ,,ave soon it while nndcr,oin, a trial ; and, as Inay n^ ' 
 rally l,e supposed, a severe trial it proved. To the above list mi^^ht 
 be addal, fecotfs Seedling, Kate, Monroe Scarlet, Wilson's S^d- 
 
 best of Mr. Barry s Seedlings.— January, 1856. 
 
 
APPKNDIX. 
 
 145 
 
 
 You also toll ,„c you moan to add some diroctions 
 about tl,o oulturc of currants, Rooscberrie., a,„l olhor 
 Bmall iruit., as woU as the grapo. These things should 
 1« bettor grown than they generally are. Ooosoborrios 
 and curra„tsaro usually seen as a mass of half-doeaycd 
 branches, without form or sightlinos.,. It i„ „..xt to 
 impossible to bring those into shape, or develop their 
 maxnnum produotiveness. It is better to begin anew 
 Proeure plants slrnek from euttings; grow them with 
 a clean stalk not loss than six inches in height ; prune 
 them every winter, keeping the heads well open, and 
 shorten in last season's growth in the currant, but not 
 m the gooseberry. These fruits are generally planted 
 «g-nst the fence, or in some out-of-the-way eorner 
 just where they should not be. Give them an open 
 e.xposure, plenty of manure, and good culture, and you 
 will be amply rewarded. The Eed Dutch is best for 
 general purposes; but Knight's Sweet Red, Cherrv 
 Pnnee Albert, White Grapo, and others, may bo added 
 where there is room. 
 
 The raspberry and blackberry are also desirable ia 
 a garden, furnishing a delicious fruit at an opportune 
 soason. They both require a deep, rich soil. The 
 blackberry may be planted against an east fence, and 
 the raspberry against a west fence-about the best 
 places in the garden. The old wood of the raspberry 
 ' o« out out after it has ceased bearing, and some 
 
 •it 
 
 nii 
 
 *J •-* •^. 
 
146 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 four or five canes of tlie newgrowtb retained for next 
 season. The blackberry should be winter pruned, and 
 sborteued in about the last of July. They should both 
 be tied to stakes or to the fence, and the ground kept 
 free from weeds. Of raspberries, the Fastolf, Eed 
 Antwerp, and Yellow Antwerp are among the best. 
 Dr. Brinckle has raised several seedlings, one of which 
 Col. Wilder, I have grown and f-r^und to be good* 
 The above in some localities, will need protection in 
 winter, which is best done by bending down tlie canes 
 and covering them with earth. Mr. Van Dewenter 
 of Astoria, has a new everbearing raspberry, which 
 will prove to be an acquisition.* 
 
 Of blackberries, the Improved High Bush (of Boston) 
 and the New Rochelle are now pretty well known. 
 The latter is certainly the best, and most productive : 
 it is a most beautiful fruit, and worthy of general cul- 
 tivation. I saw a basket of this fruit from Mr. Rose- 
 velt, of Pelham, Westchester Co., the berries of which 
 measured from three to three inches and a half in cir- 
 cumference. Mr. Lawton has also shown fine speci- 
 mens. About a year since, while at Chester, Morris 
 
 * This is really a continual bearer, being loaded with fruit until 
 further growth is checked by the severity of the frost. It is a good 
 fruit of fair sizo, and ought to be widaly disseminited. The Cata- 
 wissa, which is represented to possess the same everbearing quali- 
 ties, I have not seen Dr. Trinckle's Orange proves to be among 
 the best of all raspberries January, 1856. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 147 
 
 B 
 
 
 Co., N. J., I saw a blackberry growing wild, closely 
 resembling the New Rocbelle, and quite equal to it. 
 I have a variety, however, which I consider superior 
 to either of the above in point of flavor. It is very 
 distinct in wood and foliage, and a strong grower. It 
 is a hybrid variety, and may be had of Mr. More, of 
 Yorkville. 
 
 To say anything important of the grape in a few 
 lines is no easy matter. The best soil, I apprehend, 
 is a gravelly loam, tlioroughhj underdrained, and sub- 
 soiled or trenched. We expect the vine to yield its 
 fruit for a lifetime at least, and should prepare the soil 
 accordingly. The ground having been trenched, dig 
 a hole not less than three feet square and two feet deep, 
 and fill up nearly a foot with a compost of manure,' 
 bones, broken charcoal, lime rubbish, and vegetable 
 mould, or as many of these materials as can be pro- 
 cured, but no dead dogs, cats, or horses. Over this 
 compost put a layer of the best soil ; then take your 
 vine, spread the roots in their natural position, and fill 
 up cnrefully. Vines three and four years old are the 
 best, if they have been properly cared for, otherwise 
 I would prefer those two years old. Pruning is a mat- 
 ter of the first importance. In gardens, vines are grown 
 upon either arbors or trellises, and the same kind of 
 pruning will not answer for both. The arbor is gene- 
 rally used for the purpose of shade as well as fruit, 
 
 ji 
 
 ,, ... 
 
148 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 and here spur-pruning is generally praetLsed, Lut 
 carried to such an extreme, that in the course of years 
 the vines beeome knotty, stunted, and unproductive. 
 The first year, little or no pruning is necessary ; if 
 there is much top, however, it must be cut into two or 
 three good-eyes. The vine is very tractable, and may 
 be trained in the most symmetrical manner; this, 
 however, is too often done at the expense of the best 
 fruit-wood. In the case of the arbor, after the leaders 
 have been trained to their i)laces, and the vines have 
 come into bearing, do not prune closer than three eyes. 
 If the growth is likely to be too much, rub out the 
 middle eye, leaving the third for fruit, and the first 
 for bearing next year ; at which tiiiie cut away all the 
 wood down to this first shoot, which hitter must be cut 
 to three eyes, rubbing out the second as before, and so 
 on from year to year. The truth is, it would require 
 several pages to explain this matter fully, but I have 
 no time for it. In the case of the trellis, what garden- 
 ers call cane-pruning is the best. Select as many shoots 
 as are wanted, and cut out all the rest ; these shoots 
 arc then shortened into the first good eye ; but if this 
 should leave them too long, they must be cut to the 
 desired length. I regret that I have not time to explain 
 this fully ; but the principle is, to get rid of last year's 
 bearing-wood, and keep the new wood as near to the 
 body as possible. The grape border must bcmanured, 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 149 
 
 spaded, aiul cullivatcd witli as mucli care as you would 
 bestow on a erop of corn. A summer pruning is also 
 necessary, which consists in thinning out the superflu- 
 ous growth, and pinching in the laterals. The leaves 
 of tlio grape-vine must in no case be removed. The 
 best time to i)rune is in the fail and early winter. 
 
 Ti.e lK>st grapes for this latitude are the Isabella, 
 Catawba, and Early Bhxck, or Madeira; the latter only 
 for the garden ; the Chart.T Oak, Royal Muscadine, (a 
 eynonynie), and others of that class, are worthless hum- 
 bugs. Tlie Diaiia is a small, sweet and rather pleasant 
 grape, and desirable for localities where the Isabella 
 vvdl not ripen.* ai,e Clinton and some others which 
 are well spoken of I have had no opportunity of test- 
 mg, and I have seen the fruit of many seedlings, which 
 deserve no further mention, with the exception of a 
 white variety with the Catawba flavor, and ripening 
 first of September. I think this last will prove to be 
 a very good grape. 
 
 Bat this letter has reached a great length, and I 
 must close it, with all its shortcomings. If it con- 
 
 I 
 
 I have elsewhere slated, in a report, as the result of further 
 xpor.enee that I ecsider the Diana valuable for general cuTt I 
 tu)n ; and s.nce then, the American Pomological Soeiety hrpuUt 
 on It. .onend li.st. Jt is eertainly a fine gfape. ZVZorTll 
 jardo winch there has been so much eonLversv, is deLr in" 
 of a full and fair trial.-January, 1856. ' ^"^^'"^ 
 
150 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 tains anythiiig of use to you for the purposes of 
 your manual, you are at liberty to do what you please 
 with it. 
 
 Sincerely yours, Peter B. Mead. 
 
 APPENDIX F. 
 
 THE FRUIT AND VEGETABLE GARDEN. 
 
 BY AN AMATEUR. 
 
 There are a few accessories of the homestead more 
 important than a good fruit and vegetable garden ; no 
 home is perfect without them. If there is one thing 
 more than another which adds to the comforts of a poor 
 man's cottage, it is a well-kept garden, in its largest 
 sense ; nay, it is a' luxury, even to the millionaire. A 
 well-regulated house within, and a well-kept garden 
 without, make up much of the sum of human happi- 
 ness. How few such there are ! The garden is too 
 generally looked upon as something to minister to the 
 mere appetite ; but, when rightly regarded, it exercises 
 a moral and intellectual influence, which gives it a 
 strong claim to the serious consideration of all who feel 
 any concern in the ultimate destiny of the human race. 
 Horticultural pursuits, above all others, bring into 
 healthy play these powers of ' >dy and mind, the 
 mutual exercise of which alone can keep up that just 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 151 
 
 
 equilibrium of the physical, intellectual, and moral 
 forces which makes the true man. 
 
 I will now submit a few practical remarks on what 
 may be called the Cottage Vegetable Garden, or rather 
 Fruit and Vegetable Garden ; for, on a limited plot, 
 they ought not to be separated. There is no good 
 reason why a man with three or four city lots, each 
 25 by 100 feet, should not indulge the luxury of a few 
 choice fruits, equally with him who owns his acres. 
 
 In what follows, it is supposed that the lots run 
 ncrth and south, the house being built on the north 
 front, and the flower-garden separated from the vege- 
 table by a rose-trellis the full width of the lots. The 
 flower-garden and lawn will occupy another article. 
 
 Let us suppose a man has four lots of ground, two 
 of which arc taken up with a house, lawn, flower-gar- 
 den, &c. lie will then have a plot 50 by 100 for a 
 fruit and vegetable garden. Now it will not do to use 
 half of this up with walks — a thing quite too common. 
 
 Beginning at the rose-trellis, lay off a central walk 
 four foet wide, through the length of the garden ; then, 
 immediately behind the rose-trellis, lay off a grape- 
 border ten feet wide, and parallel with this a walk 
 three feet wide, stopping three feet short of each side- 
 fence ; then borders three feet wide next the east and 
 west fence; then, parallel with these, a walk three feet 
 wide ; then a central walk four feet wide, through the 
 
162 
 
 AI'PKXDIX. 
 
 xuidih of the garden, and a walk three feet wide (jIo 
 
 the 
 
 so 
 
 rangement 
 
 four 
 
 rs. 
 
 south 
 
 central beds, each 40 by 17 feet, besides the box- 
 The beds and borders should be edged with 
 box, kept closely cut. The whole garden should be 
 trenched two or three feet deep. To make the walks, 
 dig out the soil three feet deep ; fill in with stones 
 about one foot and cover them with stout brush ; then 
 put iu the sol, and finish with about six inches of 
 coarse sand or gravel, raising the walks a little in the 
 middle. Roll them from time to time till they become 
 settled; a good coating of salt will help to make them 
 hard, and keep them free from weeds. Walks thus 
 made will keep your feet dry, and your beds tolerably 
 well draincd-the latter an object which should never 
 be lost sight of, especially where early fruit and vege- 
 tables are desired. There are some matters connected 
 with grading and levelling, which must be determined 
 by the circumstances of each particular rase. Lastly, 
 there sliould be some eighteen inches of good soil, of 
 which sod mould is the very best. No amateur can 
 hope to have a good garden, pleasantly worked, unless 
 everything is properly prepared from the beginning; 
 hence these particulars. 
 
 Now let us see what permanent "fixtures" are 
 wanted. Four feet from' the rose-trellis, put in a row 
 of posts, six or seven feet high and eight feet apart, 
 
AriMCNDIX. 
 
 153 
 
 upon which stretch four stout wires. IMant a grape, 
 vine between each post, and keep them well pruned, 
 on the caiie system. Eschew all charlatans and hum 
 bugs, whether in the shape of men or vines, and among 
 tlie latter, especially the Charter Oak. The walk, if 
 made as directed, will keep this border well drained— 
 a matter of much moment, where well-flavored grapes 
 are desired. Two or three loads of gravel, incorpo- 
 rated with the soil, would make it still more congenial 
 to the grape. Between each vine, and some three feet 
 from the box edging, put in a rhubarb plant, and 
 under it a good heap of manure. This is a good 
 arrangement, notwithstanding some may object to it. 
 In the centre of this border, where the wide walk 
 intersects it, a summer-house may be erected. 
 
 In the border around the east fence, plant the black- 
 berry, some three or four feet apart ; in the west bor- 
 der, plant the raspberry at about the same distance. 
 It would be well, however, to reserve a portion of tlie 
 west border for a few plants of sage, parsley, thyme, &u 
 There now remain the four large beds, the borders 
 of which may be occupied with dwarf fruit trees ; no 
 others should ever be grown in a garden, and by no 
 means plant them in an auger-hole. I would recom- 
 mend chiefly pears; but, for the sake of variety, a 
 couple of plums, apricots, cherries, quinces, &c., may 
 
 be added. These should be planted in the border of 
 7* 
 
 IKi 
 
154 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 tlie largo beds, about tliroe feet from the box edging, 
 
 I 
 and 
 
 III 
 
 some eiglit feet apart. Between 
 rant or gooseberry busli may be i)]an 
 be raised from cuttings, grown to t\ 
 regularly winter-pruned. This mode of planting is 
 good in itself, and leaves all but the border of "the 
 large beds €or tbo vegetables, strawberries, &c. One bed 
 may be occupied with strawberries and asj)an)gus, but 
 the latter must be kept three or four feet from' the 
 fruit trees. 
 
 Having disposed of the principal permanent arrange- 
 ments, let us look for a moment at such vegetables as 
 will have to be raised annually. For this puipose we 
 have left three of the large beds. It is taken for 
 granted that a good snpp]y of well-prepared barn-yard 
 manure has been procured, as well as a set of steel 
 garden implements, which latter should always be kept 
 as bright as a new penny. First make up your mind 
 what you will grow, and how much of it. Then spread 
 on a good coating of manure, and spade twelve inches 
 deep. It is surprising to a novice how much can be 
 grown on a given surface. Beets, carrots, salsify, 
 parsnips, lima beans, and some others, will occupy the 
 ground the whole season. Beets should be sown thick, 
 in drills six inches apart, each alternate row to be used 
 for greens, as well as the thinnings of the others. 
 Between the carrots, &c., radishes may be sown. 
 
 
APrKNDIX. 
 
 155 
 
 Lettuce, mdishes, &c., may be sown in tlic raspberry 
 and blackberry borders. Pcms should bo sown in 
 double drills six inches apart, at intervals of three 
 feet. Between the peas may be planted beets for 
 greens, radishes, spinach, lettuce, &c., making two 
 drills of each. The i)eas will come oft* in time for 
 turnips, late cabbage, brocoli or celery; the latter 
 should be planted in beds, the earth thrown out ono 
 spade deep, the celery planted in rows, one foot apart, 
 and the plants from six to ten inches in tiic rows. 
 Snap beans will be off in time for cabbage, turnips, 
 fall spinach, &c. If beans are wanted in the fall, they 
 may follow onions, where these have been grown from 
 sets. A few cucumbers may be planted in the fruit 
 border. Sugar-corn should be planted in di-ills three 
 feet apart, the plants six inches in the drills for the 
 small early varieties, and about a foot for others. For 
 a succession, plant from early spring till the first week 
 in July, two or more drills at a time, according to the 
 wants of the family. Corn map may be planted after 
 some of the crops named above. If one piece of 
 ground is used, a portion of it will give you some early 
 spinacli and peas. Eadishes may also be i)lanted from 
 time to time along the fruit border, but too much of that 
 will injure the trees. A few egg-pjants and p(,'j)pers 
 may also be planted in the fruit border, but not imme- 
 diately under the trees. By the exercise of a little 
 
156 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 judgment, a variety of things maj be made to follow 
 each other in this way, so that no spot of ground need 
 necessarily remain uno-cupied for a single day during 
 the whole season. 
 
 The ground must be kept free from weeds, and well 
 worked at all times. When the weather is dry, use the 
 hoe more frequently than usual, (a narrow, low-pronged 
 rake is best), which will enable the ground to absorb 
 moisture from the atmosphere, of which it always con- 
 tains some, even in the dryest weather. Frequent 
 stirring of the soil is important in another respect, in 
 keeping it open and porous, and enabling it to take 
 up the gases of the atmosphere, which constitute no 
 inconsiderable portion of the food of plants. It will 
 also give an earlier and better crop. Discard the prac- 
 tice of earthing your plants, except for the purpose of 
 blanching. Hilling should not be tolerated, except in 
 soils naturally retentive of moisture; the true remedy 
 for which consists in underdraining, and not in hilling. 
 The preceding remarks are mostly of a general 
 nature, but a few words may be said here of the time 
 and labor necessary to cultivate and keep in order a 
 garden like that here described. A person familiar 
 with the operations to be performed, and expert in the 
 use of implements, can generally perform the necessary 
 labor (unless he is dronish) without detriment to his 
 daily business; on the contrary, he will find himself 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 157 
 
 invigorated for the dischargo of its duties. At all 
 events, he will need but a few days' assistance for the 
 rough woi'k. I I'uow that very much more tlian tins 
 has been done for years and will continue to be done. 
 I spealc this for the encouragement of those who desire 
 to surround their homes with these luxuries, but whoso 
 means will not permit them to employ a permanent 
 gardener. Much time is lost for want of proper know- 
 ledge. The best advice I can give the novice is, first 
 to learn what is to be done, and then learn how to do 
 it, and always do it well. :May the day come when 
 even the common laborer shall be blessed with the 
 comforts of a good home, and rejoice " under his own 
 vine and" fruit "tree 1"