385 
 
New York 
 
 State College of Agriculture 
 
 At Cornell University 
 
 Ithaca, N. Y. 
 
 Library 
 
3 1924 052 390 535 
 
Cornell University 
 Library 
 
 The original of tliis book is in 
 tine Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924052390535 
 
COMPLETE MAKUAL 
 
 €iilttljatt0n 0f % ^tratokrrg; 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE BEST VARIETIES. 
 
 Ar^O, NOTICES OF THK 
 
 RASPBERRY, BLACKBERRY, CRANBERRY, CURRANT, 
 GOOSEBERRY, AND. GRAPE; 
 
 TITII DIRECTIONS FOR THEIR CULTITATION, AND THE SELECTION 01 
 THE BEST VARIETIES. 
 
 < tfxiv pTuiAwi tUfTv rtr.oinnii>iiJi^ linH bfcii proruil. the pluDP arott.iTN trial, ami lli* rt'MUlt la hsruBUco,'* 
 
 NEW AND USVISED EDITION. 
 
 HY R. G. PARDEE. ^ 
 
 WITH A VALI7ABI.K APfKNDIX, 
 
 OCrTAIh'IK'l TUK UUM8RVATIO a nXn KXPKUlKttcK OF SiiMB OP Tn'. '.IIIiiDT eUCl-BHUPlTL 
 UUi-TIVATUUa OV IUBhII WaVITO in itUai CuUMTllV. 
 
 NEW-YORK: 
 
 ORANGE JUDD & COMPANY. 
 245 BEOADWAY. . 
 
(3 
 
 ?2.a 
 
 y^ 
 
 U^ 
 
 Gi^T^^ 
 
 ii> ■'■ 
 
 Etiturtril nccordiiig' to Act of Cvn|rreu, in the > uar l&Sft, l»y 
 
 C M SAXTON & CO. 
 
 lb the ClxiV « OflJcc o* tho Distrlet' Court of tne ITuited St&ttii, for the Soat^e^D Dibunvlsf 
 New York, 
 
€aviit\\tB. 
 
 ^ PACK 
 
 Pkefacc to thb Tbsth Be^'ised Edition. 6 
 
 Preface. 9 
 
 The Stkawberbt *. 13 
 
 Situation. IV 
 
 Selection of Soil ». . IS 
 
 Preparation of SoiL 19 
 
 Manures. , 21 
 
 Transplanting (Time and Manner of). 25 
 
 Mulching. 80 
 
 Watering, 31 
 
 Cultivation 82 
 
 Field Culture 34 
 
 Production 39 
 
 Renewal of Beds 42 
 
 Winter Protection 43 
 
 Sexui\llty, 48 
 
 Forcing 63 
 
 Seedlings. hi 
 
 Classification ' 68 
 
 Selection of Varieties 60 
 
 McAvoys Superior — Hovey's Seedling — ^Monroe Scarlet — 
 Burr's New Pine — Longworth's Prolific — Walker's Seed- 
 ling — ^McAvoy's Extra Bed — Jenney's ^eedling — Large Early 
 Scarlet — Crimson Cone — Iowa — Genesee Seedling — Willey 
 — Princess Alice Maud^^Boston Pine — Black Prince — Swain- 
 stone Seedling — Myatt's British Queen — Large White Bicton 
 Pine — Barr's Ifew Wlute — Prolific Hautboy. 
 
 aii) 
 
IV CONTENTS. 
 
 PAUK 
 
 Analysis of the Strawberry Fruit and Plant 10 
 
 Saspberby SI 
 
 Fastolf — Franconi — Red and Yellow Antwerp — Knevett's Giant 
 — Large-fruited Monthly — Ohio Ever-bearing — Orange. 
 Blackberkt .' 1 88 
 
 White — Improred High Bnsh — ^New Eochelle. 
 Ckanbeskt .' . . .' 94 
 
 Black.- 
 
 CuERAKT. 98 
 
 Bladk Naples— White and Red Dutch— White and Red Grape 
 •^-Cherry — May Victoria — Knight's Sweet Bed — ^Largest 
 White Provence — La Versailles. 
 
 Gooseberry 99 
 
 Crompton's Sheba Qaeen — ^WfSodward's Whitesmith — Roaring 
 Lion — Crown Ebb — ^Houghton's Seedling, &c. 
 
 Gbai^. 104 
 
 Isabella — Catawba — Clinton — Concord- -Diana — Black Madeira 
 — ^Delaware — ^Anna — ^lowa, <fee. 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 Peabody on Ever-bearing Strawberries Ill 
 
 Peabodjr's Letter to R. G. Pardee Ill 
 
 Huntsman's Experiments 121 
 
 Longworth's Letter to E. G. Pardee 124 
 
 Report of Cincinnati Horticultural Society 126 
 
 Barry's Directions for Cultivation of StraVf berry 129 
 
 Mead's " " " 140 
 
 Fruit and Vegetable Garden 150 
 
PREFACE 
 
 TO THE TENTH EDITION. 
 
 In prpparing the preseat .edition for the press, I have 
 concluded to revise and modify every expression, in the 
 ]ight of the past experiences and observation of the Hor- 
 ticultural world up to the present time. 
 
 Great changes have been brought about in the Straw- 
 berry b}"^ the introtluction of new varieties, all requiring 
 somewhat different treatment. 
 
 For instance, Wilson's Seedling was introduced a few 
 years ago, and it is not .txjo much to say, that it will, 
 [under the best treatment, produce twice or three times 
 as much fruit as any known viiriety of the Strawberry 
 would do when this work was originally prepared. 
 Since then, other similar varieties, enormous bearers, 
 have been introdjieed, and they consequently require 
 richer soil and higher culture. This work never advo- 
 eated poor soil or ppor culture as some have erroneously 
 supposed, but it simply cautioned against excessive stimu- 
 lation — to grow leaves and plants instead of fruit. , 
 
 There is still much complaint of many failures in the 
 cultivation of the Strawberry. Some get one or two 
 crops and then run out, and they give up in despair, 
 when the fault is all their own. They are not exact and 
 accurate enough in their treatment of their plants, and 
 
 (vj 
 
VI PREFACE, 
 
 the most common causes of failure seem to be the 
 
 following, viz : — 
 
 1. Allowing two or more varieties to grow and mix 
 in the same bed. This in two years will prove fatal if 
 allowed to run. Permit but one kind in a bed. 
 
 2. Allowing the plants to grow too compactlj. If 
 you keep every single plant ten or twelve inches distant 
 from every other, it will remedy this evil. 
 
 3. Keep clear of weeds, without maiming the plants 
 by chopping off the little fibrous roots. Do not hill up 
 the plants, but give level culture; use the spading fork 
 and mulch well. 
 
 At the head of the Bew proved varieties I would cer- 
 tainly place Wilson's Seedling. In Ohio, last June, I was 
 told that Wilson's was twice as productive as any other 
 variety. Illinois and Indiana told me the same st6ry; 
 while strawberry growers of Wisconsin insisted that it 
 would bear four times as much as any other kind. I 
 have never seen so productive a berry. It is large ift 
 "size, brisk acid, but good flavor when fully ripe, and 
 hardy. 
 
 Triomphe de Oand is an excellent Belgian variety, and 
 has become a great favcfrite. It is sweeter, pleasanter 
 Savor than Wilson's, very large, often coxcomb shape, 
 and is very pi-oductive. 
 
 Mr. Fuller's Seedlings, the Brodldyn Scarlet, Cohnel 
 JEllsworih and the Monitor, generously sent out by the 
 New York Tribune Association, are large, fine produc- 
 .tive varieties that promise well. : 
 
 The same may be said of Mr, Burgess's Seedling, Gen- 
 eral Scott and others. 
 
PREFACE. Vii 
 
 RusselVs Seedling originated (with a gentleman of that 
 name) in a garden which I formerly owned in Seneca 
 Falls. It is very large, productive, good flavor and 
 premjses well. 
 
 BoyntorCs New Seedling, " the Agriculturist straw- 
 berry," recently sent out by the enterprising proprietor 
 of the American Agriculturist, is of enormous size, and 
 one of the handsomest berries I have yet seen. The 
 flavor is good and seems to be productive. It certainly 
 promises well. : 
 
 In the descriptions of Strawberries in the body of this 
 wbrk, we would now discard altogether, as being super- 
 seded by other kinds, the following varieties, viz: — 
 Monroe Scarlet, McAvoy's Extra Red, Iowa, Genesee 
 Seedling and Willey, : 
 
 Some of the other varieties are retained only on 
 account of some single desirable quality for amateurs. 
 A good list at the present time would be : 
 
 Wilson's Seedlings, Triomphe de Gand, Lorigworth's 
 Prolific, Hooker's Seedling, Hovey's, and we hope some 
 of Fuller's, Burgess's, Kussell's and Boynton's Seedlings. 
 
 The Fruits of America are so fine as to claim more 
 time, more care, more intelligent observation, and per- 
 sonal attention than has hitherto been given to them, 
 for in no other way can old mother earth be mad6 to 
 yield a more sure and ample reward. We shall do well 
 always to remember, as quoted by Mr. Downing, that 
 '■■Fine fruit is the flower of commodities." 
 
 THE AUTHOR. 
 JVcw York, January, 1865. 
 
This work has been, prepared for the press, in the 
 belief that it was wanted by the public. 
 
 The author has,, in a direct, plain manner, simply,, 
 given his own expfrienra, 
 
 Every process here recommended has been proved; 
 the plans of others tried, and the 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 cstrefuUy watched daily for months, and 
 in most cases, for years; so thatit 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 w,ith. as much certainty 
 as a crop of corn, and in fact, 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 
 
 8 
 
PBEFACE. V ix 
 
 upon tkese subjects; but has aimed to say what he 
 means, iu a condensed,. buginesS-lLlge; way, so that he 
 may be undef stood by the mass of j-e^jdef s. . , 
 
 It does not by any means follow^ 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 woiild be e[Uite 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 be 
 
 It is pleasant to know that so many intelli^^eut cul- 
 tivators are now turning their attention to the produc- 
 tion of these fine fruits, and we may reasonal/ly expect 
 much additional light will be thrown upon some 
 points, which shall be 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 
 
X PREFACE. 
 
 ments, for it is pleasant to speak of such autBors as A: 
 J. Downing, John J. Thomas, P. Barry, C. M. Hovey, 
 and latterly F. E. 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 
 well as selected matter, which will place befra-e 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 prastice. 
 
 The Author. 
 
TO THE SIXTH BDITIOW. • 
 
 After two years more of experience, observation 
 and intercourse with intelligent cultivators, the author 
 in review, can only re-affirm all the specific directions 
 here given for the successful cultivation of the straw- 
 berry. 
 
 Considerable progress can be reported, from the 
 additional light thrown on the* question of the best 
 new varieties. 
 
 Three new varieties claim especial favor at the 
 hands of the public, viz., • WilsorHs Seedling of 
 Albany, Hooher's Seedling of Rochester, and Jenny 
 Lind from near Boston. All are staminates, and aJl 
 are believed to possess some special excellence. The 
 first named, WihorHs^ seems to surpass all pistillate 
 varieties in productiveness, thus interfering with long- 
 established theories on that subject. We counted on 
 one plant, one year old, on the tables of the New York 
 Horticultural Society, 260 hemes I and on geveral 
 plants in the garden 160 to 200 berries! many of 
 which were of large size — and this on single plants, 
 not stools of plants. The second, Hooker's, is very 
 large, very productive and of exquisite flavor, rival- 
 ing Burr's New Pine in this regard. The tUrd., Jenny 
 Lind, promises to supercede Large Parly Scarlr.t 
 in size, productiveness, and as an iinpregnator to the 
 pistillate varieties. 
 
 Hovey's Seedling, LongwortKs Prolific, and Wullcer's 
 Seedling, retain their favorable position in the public 
 favor. The above list comprises, we think, a list of 
 the best six varieties, and it is somewhat' remarkable 
 
XU PEEFACB. 
 
 tliat all but Hovey's are staminates. McAvoy's Super- 
 ior appears to have lost ground, but it may be, because 
 it has been extensively confounded with McAvoy'a 
 Extra Eed, 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 Troliope's Victoria, Sir JEarry, Sir Charlqs 
 Napier, &c. ; but we apprehend they will mostly 
 remain as pets in the amateur's gardens like the 
 imported varieties heretofore introduced. 
 
 Crirnson Cone is yet the principle market fruit 
 around New York. It is handsome, fair size, brisk 
 acid, bears carriage well, is easily cultivated, and 
 moderately productive. 
 
 Among the Raspberries, BrinchWs Orange is gaining 
 favor, and the same may be said of the Dorchester or 
 Improved High Bush Blaclcherry of Massachusetts. 
 
 The Cherry Currant is objected to, on account of its 
 sevei'e acidity. 
 
 The Delaware and Rehecca Grapes are creating no 
 little furore in the Horticultural world. They are 
 certainly of delicious flayoi-, and if very early, hardy 
 and productive as represented, will prove to b,e 
 decided acquisitions. Several other new varieties are 
 spoken of, but their precise value is so uncertain, that 
 we can afford to wait. 
 
 The^'e 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 npt 
 only cultivators generally, but amateurs, if they have 
 but a small garden, will find much pleasure in these 
 experiments. 
 
 New Torle, March, 1858. The Authob. 
 
THE STRAWBERRY. 
 
 This is the most beautiful and delicious of all oui 
 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 ahtindance. 
 
 Mr. A. J. Downing said truly, "Eipe, blushing 
 strawberries eaten from the plant, or served with sugar 
 and cream, are certainly Arcadian dainties with a true 
 pa^radisiacal 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 lie wUl, grow strawberries." 
 
 During many seasons we have had on trial in our 
 
 (IS) 
 
14 THE STEAWBEEBY. 
 
 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 tushel; 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, farmers, 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, 
 tinder all the disadvantage of many varieties. With a 
 good selection of kinds,- 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, indifferent 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 
 fruit is everywhere increasing. 
 
THE STRAWBERRY. 15 
 
 Of tlie many varieties on our own grounds one sea- 
 Bon, more than twenty different kinds, without special 
 effort, produced specimens four inches in circumference, 
 whilp the largest were six. There is a positive plear 
 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-nigj 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 
 Linnaeus 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 enjoyed, for the consolation of those who are 
 looking for a bitter concealed under every sweet." 
 
 An imknown writer in the last Patent Office Report 
 says, "The strawberry was described by Juan di Cuba 
 in his ' Ortus /Sanitatis,' in 1485; in which its medical 
 and other properties are treated at length." He also 
 eloquently 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 brooks whose banks 
 
16 THE STBAAVBEBBY. 
 
 it embellishes ; whea 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 shoidd 
 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 thpusan4 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 the 
 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,.univers8l 
 havoc upon it, yet nc gardener is necessary to sow it 
 again — :we are struck with wonder and admiration at 
 BO 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 high closed board fence, or a live hedge, in 
 order to be Ve!ry early ; we have seen an artificial 
 hedge of withered evergreen boughs that had answered 
 an eiceUent purpose, and enabled tiie owner to realize 
 fifty cents per quart for the crop, when otherwise he 
 could riot have so much anticipated the usual season, 
 and would have been compelled to take twelve and a 
 half cents for the same frurt. 
 
 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 eastly 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 irrigalted, and is also susceptible 
 of drainage, 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 iu an open garden, witli 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 Mils, 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 ^ay ap- 
 plied to the ungenial soila 
 
PBEPAKATION OF THE SOIL. 19 
 
 PREPARATION OF THE SOIL. 
 
 Clear* tlie ground of weeds, roots, and seeds of all 
 kinds, as far as possible, in preparation for thorouglj 
 drainage, which 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 bengficial 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 JCll 
 seasons. After draining, break up the soil as deep and 
 thoroughly as possible with a subsoil plough, or trench 
 it with a spade to the depth of full twenty inches, 
 By this process the strawberry roots can penetrate far 
 below the eifects of our severest droughts, which never 
 extend, in good soil, it is said, more than from five to 
 seven inches below the sur&ce. 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 us that he had 
 traced the roots of a strawberry plant in one instance 
 
20 PBEPABATION OF THE SOIL. 
 
 tlirougli a shelving of rock and eartli a distance of 
 between four and five feet in length, in its search for 
 water. 
 
 Inasmuch as the firuit is composed of so large a pro- 
 portion of potashj soda, and lime — ^sixty-two parts in 
 every hundred, as will be seen by the tables in this 
 work giving the analysis of the stra,wb.erry and plant 
 — we recommend next, that an application to the acre 
 be made of twenty to thirty bushels of unleaxjhed or 
 leached ashes, ten to twelve bushels of lime— either 
 stone or oystersh^U — with two or three bushels of salt, 
 which should be thoroughly mixed with the soil, if 
 possible some weeks 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 the roots ; laying 
 every part of it open to the action of frost, air, and 
 light, so that a portion of the soUj 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 md invisible fibrous roots 
 of the strawberry ; tieither 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 stimulating manures. 
 
KAKURES. 21 
 
 MANURES, 
 
 Leaf-mo^ald, decomposed turf or peat, bog earth, new 
 surface soil or muck, wood aslies and lime witk a 
 little salt -well composted are, we think, the bestraanures 
 for the strawberry. 
 
 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 suobess, but we 
 much prefer the above manures where they can be 
 obtained. In our garden soils or good conditioned 
 fields we would siriiply apply ashes, lime, and salt. 
 Plaster is injiirious to the strawberry, but ashes leached 
 or unleached are generally beneficial. 
 
 We have not used any barn-yard 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 in our 
 favored ^rden spot to adopt vegetable manures, in pre- 
 ference. The animal manures were found to be too 
 heating and stimulating in their character, forcing out 
 a rank, strong growth of vines and. runners, quite un- 
 favorable to fruitfulness. It should always be borne 
 in mind that the straiv^berry plant does not produce 
 runners, leaves, and fruit, as a general thing, at the 
 same time, "When the runners start, it will be noticed 
 
22 MAJUEES. 
 
 that the fruit-bearing propensity of the plant soon 
 ceases. On the contrary, we have had strawberry 
 plants in the open garden, north, in a soil two-thirds 
 river sand with one-third finely pulverized garden 
 soil, that continued in flower and fruit from June until 
 September without showing any disposition to start a 
 runner, until, by the addition of a little guano-watcr 
 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-grQWth of runners and 
 leaves, even before the earliest fruit is perfected, heats 
 the earth where a eool moist soil is required ; and also 
 fills the ground with seeds producing troublesome 
 weeds, and mingles the soil with undecomposed por- 
 tions of the straw, which, coming into injurious 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 us 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 
 lirenched a soil three feet deep, made it rich and set 
 
MAH0RES. 23 
 
 Dut some splendid plants from a bearing bed of Hovey 'a 
 Seedlings, with, an abundance of staminates within 
 four feet. The vines were very large and fine, but, 
 alas I did not produce one quart of fruit when fourteen 
 months old. We then removed most of thg rich soil 
 and replaced it with sand, and the same bed bore us 
 three bushels of overgrown Hovey'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 sodn 
 (glauber salts) and nitrate of soda, with one and a half 
 ounce of sulphate of ammonia. 
 
 We would not represent this application to be essen- 
 tial to the production of good fruit, but a continued 
 series of experiments has proved to our satisfaction 
 that it is valuable for amateurs, especially in increas- 
 ing the size, quantity and superiority of the fruit. 
 
 The apparent efifect seemed to be to arouse the 
 plants from the torpor of winter and give them in the 
 iearly spring a strong, vigorous impetus, and aiding in 
 the development of healthy plants for the production 
 of large fruit. 
 
24- MANUEES. 
 
 ' We liave often seea Hovey's Seedlings iiearly twice 
 the size of adjoining beds that were neglected, in the 
 application. The most favorable timefor the sprink- 
 ling seems to be at the <3lqse of a warm fin« day when 
 the orowi\ of the plants are fnlly exposed. . . 
 
 Where the above solution cannot be conveniently 
 obtained, one-quarter of a< pound of sulphates potashy 
 sal soda, glauber salts, and one and; a half ounce of 
 sulphate or muriate of ammoida 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 fertUizera 
 for the fruitfulness of the strawberry, but they will 
 increase the runners and promote the growth of the 
 plants. 
 
 It is expected that these liquid 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 oui 
 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 condu- 
 
TEANSPLANTIXG. 25 
 
 sions. The strawberry wants good wholesome soil, in 
 good condition ; suitable for the production of good 
 large crops of corn and potatoes, only let all the soil 
 be pure and free of undecomposed manures. 
 
 It cannot be too often repeated, that if you give 
 them the best, 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 ex- 
 pectations. 
 
 TRANSPLANTINa. 
 
 This is a process to which the strawberry is most 
 sensitive. The plant will live under almost any treat- 
 mentj or any manner or time of transplanting, but will 
 not always yield a full supply of good fruit unless this 
 process is appropriately performed. First we speak as 
 
 ' to TIME. 
 
 For large plantations, or for ordinary cultivators, 
 the early spring is perhaps the best season ; certainly 
 it is the time when it can be the easiest and most suc- 
 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 bo easily ob- 
 
26 TKANSPLANTINGi 
 
 tained, and after tlie coo], 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 the droughts which often occur in .Tunc 
 and July or August; weeds will not so multiply- 
 only a partial crop however can be gathered- the next 
 reason. 
 
 We have transplanted strawberry plants successfully 
 for years, every month, from March until the 20th ol 
 October, without difficulty. With mulching, shade, 
 and water, judiciously applied, it can be well done at 
 any time. For our own planting, v/e 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 ol 
 fruit the following spring. We haVe found that thedc 
 
MANNER OF TKANSPLANTUsa. 27 
 
 advantages will amply repay. tKe little extrg, pare in 
 mulcliing, shading and watering. Ten or fifteen, days' 
 later planting will, seriously lessen the first crop, accord- 
 ing to our observation. In springplanting, March 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 riiidsummer. 
 
 MANNER OF TRANSPLANTING. 
 
 The best 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, plants come from 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 otherwise, 
 before the plants are taken up, and then the first 
 thing to be done, is to mud the roots, by dipping 
 tnem in a little mud-hole made in the garden soil, 
 where the water has been poured and stirred, Until it 
 has become snfiiciently thickened with the soil to 
 leave a good coating of mud on the roots of the plants 
 
28 DISTANCE IN TEANSPLAWriNO. 
 
 as they are -withdrawn. This greatly protects the 
 plants on a short or a longer transportation. 
 
 For transplanting, the earth should be levelled and 
 made as flat as possible. If raised into beds or hills, 
 it Avill invite the 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 
 spreading condition as possible ; with the fingers press 
 the pure earth compactly 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 favorable soils to 
 the depth of from two to four feet, and even a greater 
 depth in some cases, as has been stated. 
 
 DISTANCK IN TRANSPLANTING. 
 
 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 othef remain nearer 
 than the above distances, and it is not material to sue- 
 "/iss in cultivation vrhether you plant in rows, beds, oi 
 
DISTANCE IN TRANSPLANTING. 29 
 
 hills, if you do not hill them up. "We often set out in 
 rows, two feet apart, and leave the plants one foot from 
 each other in the rows ; or a method by which we have 
 enjoyed great success in producing the finest fruit, has 
 been to prepare a plot of ground, and cover it with 
 strong plants one yard apart, and stimulate these tem- 
 porarily, by a liberal application of liquid manures or 
 soap-suds from the wash, to send out runners, which 
 will soon supply the intermediiate ground with plants 
 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- 
 lowing 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. 
 
 'Eox field culture, 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- 
 tween the rows, care being requisite not to approach 
 nearer than eight inches to full grown plants, particu- 
 larly when approaching the fruiting season. This whole 
 process of field culture is the same in its general, prin- 
 ciples with that in the garden ; except, for the conve- 
 nience of a horse-cultivator to pass between them, the 
 rows should one way be planted the same distance 
 apart as corn; then the same treatment as to clean 
 
80 MULCnilTG. 
 
 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 plant, to 
 protect it from the 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, we prefer, 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 others 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 
 
WATEK. 31 
 
 ordinarily trouble us, where the tan is one inch 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 
 iresh-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 4ind sprinkled them in the light- 
 est, niost delicate manner possible, and lost the most 
 of them. Another friend to whom we gave a few 
 
82 CULTIVATION. 
 
 plunts at tlie same dry time, gave them a thorougli 
 and repeated 4renching, and saved all liis 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 jn pipes, will accomplish the 
 same thing. Ordinarily, during the bearing season, 
 sufficient rain falls, so that very little watering is 
 needed: some seasons are so wet that no water is 
 needed until the bearing season is over, and then the 
 plants do not particularly require it; but a drought 
 will soon compel the strawberry to cease bearing in 
 ordinary soils. The remedy or preventive is deep soil 
 and water, water, every 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 theil 
 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 work to do in the way o'' 
 
CULTIVATION. 33 
 
 cultivation after planting, except watering and occa- 
 sional pulling of weeds which appear through the tan, 
 and neither of these ordinarily requires much time or 
 labor. They 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 bearing, 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 need&to be thoroughly done, because it cannot well 
 be remedied afterwards. The plants will not admit of 
 freely working among them, except with the hand, if 
 not kept at an unusual distance from each other, with 
 2* 
 
J4 FIELD CULXrBE. 
 
 out reducing the crop of fruit. If our object is large 
 and abundant fruit, the roots must not be disturbed. 
 
 One qualification to the above : When new plants 
 are set, unless prevented by mulching immediately, 
 we, as often as every three days or week, for a mouth 
 or so, hoe 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. 
 
 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 ppiuts are so essential as to bear a distinct repe- 
 tition. 
 
 Select from your farm as far as convenient a rather 
 /ow, cool, moist spot of ground, with an open, genial, 
 r)ure soil : somewhat like that we often find on the 
 aiaigin of streams of water or muck swamps, or bog 
 
FIELD CULTUEE. 35 
 
 meadows, or get something as near to this as you caa 
 find. A fine gravelly loam is preferable, and it is tet- 
 ter if the land has bet,n thoroughly cultivated with 
 corn or potatoes for a year or two previous, so as to 
 leave the land in a light good condition, with the 
 weeds, roots, and seeds mostly decomposed. The land 
 should 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 throe 
 bushels of common salt, and then with deep ploughing 
 break up the soil again, throwing it up into ridges as 
 far as the plough will 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 
 unleached ashes to the acre. If the soil is poor, ornot 
 in tolerably good condition, we would the fall previous 
 take the lime, salt, and ashes with an equal quantity 
 of good muek, or marl, or woods' moidd, or good turf 
 or surface soil and make a compost heap. Keep it moist 
 and often stir it, and apply it all to the ground in 
 the spring instead of putting on the lime and salt 
 with the December ploughing. Perhaps it might be 
 
S6 FIELD CULTURE. 
 
 well, however, to divide the lime and salt and pul 
 half of it on the land previous to the December plough- 
 ing, and the remainder put into the compost heap. 
 
 If the land is too hght and sandy il will be benefiteii 
 by an additional moderate application of clay. If the 
 soil is too heavy add sand or bog earth; if heavy 
 and poor, put on a light coating of good loam or muck, 
 and if you prefer animal manure, choose that of the 
 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 per acre from a field of market straw- 
 berries vary from $100, $200, $400, $1,000, $1,300 or 
 more per 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 as 
 itiell as possible. Then Karrow and cross harrow untU 
 the soil is well pulverized, and level the ground and set 
 out the strawberry plants, as has been stated, one in a 
 place eight 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 should be removed with a hoe. 
 
FIELD CULTURE. 37 
 
 care being taken, as often stated, not to disturb tlie 
 small fibrous roots of the plant. We know some per- 
 sons may tliiuk lye insist too much on this point, and 
 we also kfiow there are those who have gathered fair 
 but not large crops without much regard to the careless 
 use of the hoe. The crop, however, will be so much 
 increased that we shall be excused for so often repeat- 
 ing that it will well repay to weed by hand for the 
 space of a few inches around each plant, instead of the 
 more destructive and rapid process with the hoe. Let 
 it never be forgotten, however, that a strawbeiTy plan- 
 tation must he kept clean throughout the entire season. 
 As we have said, a slight covering of straw in winter, 
 and a mulch of tanbark, straw, or grass, just previous 
 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 plants are not expected to produce much, 
 if any, fruit the same season when set in the spring ; 
 therefore the occupation of the ground in this way is a 
 very good one. 
 
 "When the plants get an early strong grqwth in the 
 spring as we have recommended, care should be tg,ken 
 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 
 
58 FIELD CULTURE, 
 
 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 plantations around the 
 couDty 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 space 
 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 fall 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 on the intermediate spaces fisr 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 ar« 
 Hovey's Seedling and Crimson C6ne among the pistil- 
 late, and Large Early Scarlet and Iowa among tbe 
 
PRODUCflON. 39 
 
 Btaimnates. "We recommend a trial for market pur- 
 poses, and at first of course in a small way, of Monroe 
 Scarlet, McAvoy's Extra Bed, Moyamensing Pine, 
 and Jenfipy's Seedling, 
 
 PRODUCTION. 
 
 The past year, 1855, was, on account of the fre- 
 quent early rains, an unusually favorable one for the 
 strawberry. 
 
 The crops were larger than usual, and the markets 
 generally were well supplied. 
 
 An extended correspondence, personal examination 
 and inquiry 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 subjfect our estimates are as 
 follows : ^ 
 
 New York City 47 to 54,000 bushels. 
 
 Philadelphia 10 to 14,000 " 
 
 Boston 9 -to 11,000 " 
 
 Cincinnati 11 to 14,000 " 
 
 "Wje are assured that New York City received many 
 ilays more than 500,000 baskets, or over 3,000 bushels 
 for its own consumption ,and*for the supjily of its sub- 
 urbs. A single coilnty in New Jersey from a single 
 port, over twenty -five miles distant, sent us by steam- 
 
40 PBODUCTIOK. 
 
 boats during one day last season 200,000 baskets; and 
 several years ago the supeiintendent of the Erie R. K 
 certified to the secretary, Mr. Marsh, that the evening 
 train of that day brought in 893 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 2i cents per basket, (five 
 baskets to the quart) would make an aggregate of 
 $200,000. It should be remembered that much of the 
 supply of Brooklyn comes through the New York 
 market. 
 
 Some single farmers around New York are cultivat- 
 ing thirty or more acres. Cincinnati reported 9,000 
 bushels strawberries in their market in 1851 or '52. •• 
 
 We cannot learn that the common crop of the straw- 
 berry either around New York, Philadelphia, Boston or 
 Cincinnati actually exceeds twenty-five to fifty bushels 
 per acre, although 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 60 per 
 quart. The latter price for the very earliest taken into 
 Washington City from the vicinity. The ordinary re- 
 turn for an pcre, in order to be satisfiictory to. tliQ 
 growers, wc are told is $200 ; and the expense of cuJ- 
 
PRODUCTION. 41 
 
 dvating $15 to $25 per acre, ivitli an additional expense 
 of one cent per basket,, or $1 50 per busliel for picking. 
 It will thus be seen that in order to supply New 
 York and' vicinity with strawberries, about 1,500 acres 
 of the choicest land in the vicinity is at present re- 
 quired, and the other cides named about 500 acres 
 each in proportion; which is at least four times as 
 much 'land as is either appropriate or necessary for the 
 object, if the nature and cidtivation 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 10 
 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 suf&cient to fruit well. The consequence is, that 
 our city markets are mainly supplied with inferior fruit, 
 simply because some of the commonest kinds will pro- 
 duce a little, dwarfed, sour fruit, even under the worst 
 treatment. Superior well-grown fruit will easily pro- 
 duce twice and four times as much to the acre, and 
 command from twice to four times larger prices in 
 our city markets. Making the avaUs and the dif- 
 ference from the same land, to Ipe 25 bushels at l2i 
 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 
 
42 RENEWAL OF BEDS. 
 
 any. One hundred 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 
 the ratio of twice that amount. 
 
 A writer in 1^54 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 Hovey'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 bushels per acre. How 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 tliat 
 amount! We would 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 eflOi- 
 cient hands. 
 
 RENEWAL 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 
 lime, ashes, and salt, as advised in the article on the 
 
WINTKB PBOTECTIOIT. 43 
 
 preparation of tlie- ground, before it ia again used for 
 strawberries. The bed might be made to bear well, 
 by u 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 persona 
 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 off 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. 
 
 WINTER PROTECTION. 
 
 Our experience is in favor of a slight winter protec- 
 tion. It coats comparatively but little time or expense, 
 on the approach of severe wiliter 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 even the hardiest kinds bear so 
 much better crops for it, that we never neglect it. 
 Like mulching, almost any thing free from weeds, thai 
 
44 WINTEE PROTECTION. 
 
 will not smother tliem or mildew, will answer the 
 purpose, but clean straw is preferable, except they 
 need the decaying leaves. 
 
 Some years ago, we Lad an aged neighbor, who 
 stood almost unrivalled in the cultivation of the straw- 
 berry. One season he set out, on the first of July, 
 about one-fourth of an acre of fine Hovey's Seedlings. 
 He almost constantly and carefully worked among 
 them with the hoe, the rake, and water-pot, and I 
 never saw a plot of so fine 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 placing a half 
 inch deep of good earth around each plant, in a circuit, 
 to the width of six or eight inches, leaving the surface, 
 scolloped inwards towards the centre of the plant. 
 The winter proved a severe one, and the old man was 
 saddened in the spring, to find 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. 
 
EVERBEARING STRAWBERRIES. 45 
 
 EVE]9,-BEARING STRAWBERRIES- 
 
 The Busli 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, &c. 
 
 Some three or four years ago, the New Orleans Pica- 
 yun'e announced that Mr. Henry Lawrence, a gentle- 
 man of that city, had succeeded in obtaining a seed- 
 ling, called the " Orescent Seedling" which bore an 
 abundance of large fruit for a continuous period of six 
 or eight months or more, from March to December. 
 We wrote to Mr, Lawrence, and his answer confirmed 
 all the paper had stated ; and he sent us in succession 
 four or five different 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! they only 
 bore a moderate crop, and ceased bearing as early as 
 any other variety in our ground; thus proving a 
 fiiilure, as far as perpetual bearing was concerned, 
 under our ordinary mode of cultivation. The plant 
 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 was 
 
46 EVER-BEARING STRAWBERRIES. 
 
 not the variety, so much as the cultivation, and soil 
 and climate, which gave it its continual bearing pro- 
 perties. Some experiments since! made with 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 pure 
 river-sand; and, although I reduced my garden-soil 
 considerably, yet it remained still very much too rich 
 for the 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 ike South, near Columbus, Georgia, had suc- 
 ceeded, by reducing the soil, and with plenty of water, 
 in making two well-known northern vM-ieties — ^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 March 
 till January. If this was the case in Georgia and New 
 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 interview with Mr. Peabody, he gave it as his 
 deliberate opinion that, by the process he detjuled and 
 pursued, we could easily have an abundaftce of fruit 
 from our strawberry vines until frost came. "We take 
 
EVER-BEARING STRAWBERRIES. 47 
 
 pleasure in inserting Mr. Peabody's plan and directions 
 in fill], in his interesting articles, in the Appendix, A. 
 
 On the 20th December last, Mr. Peabody took up a 
 few plants' in fruit from his garden, and placed them, 
 with the soil attached, in a basket, and sent them by 
 express to Messrs. J. M. Thorburn & Co., 13 John 
 street, New York. On their arrival, on Christmas 
 Day, they were well loaded with large, ripe Hovey's 
 and Early Scarlets, together with a large variety of 
 green fruit, of all sizes, from that of a pea upwards to 
 full-grown berries. They remained on exhibition in 
 their windows some two weeks, when they were 
 politely handed to us, and we had them potted in a 
 greenhouse, with soil composed mostly of sand. The 
 plants all grew finely; in March they came into blos- 
 som, and in May into ripe fruit. The foliage was very 
 small, but healthy. They continued in blossom' 'and 
 bearing during the months of May, June, and July, 
 without sending out a Single runner, and some of the 
 plants at the present time (the 14'ih of August) are in 
 blossom, and have not started a runner. On one of 
 the pots which had no runners started, we placed a 
 very little rich soil, and in a week the plant threw up 
 vigorous runners, caused by the slight addition to the 
 richness of the soil. 
 
 The inference we draw from all this is, that no 
 variety is evef-bearing under our usual manner oi 
 
48 SKXUAL CHAEACTEE. 
 
 treatment, but that most kinds can be so trained, that, 
 with a soil reduced largely enough with sand, and 
 only vegetable manures applied, and plenty of water, 
 and mulching when needed, they will continue to pro- 
 duce fruit until the approach of frost. The whole 
 tendency of our experiments in strawberries is in this 
 direction. Professor Page has, in Washington City, it 
 is stated, induced the Alice Maude to adopt the ever- 
 bearing habit. E. P. Brooks, Esq., of Elmira, N. Y., 
 had the Hautboys in bearing in the open garden in 
 September and even in December, 1855. 
 
 Amateurs and others will do well to try the experi- 
 ment on a small scale, until they perfectly succeed ; 
 and then the large price cff a dollar or more per quart, 
 which the markets of New York, Boston, and Phila- 
 delphia will pay for such fruits in August, will aniply 
 repay for the production on a large scale. Learn well, 
 by observation, all the habits and tendencies of the 
 strawberry in this regard, and we think the thing can 
 be easily accomplished. 
 
 SEXUAL CHARACTER. 
 
 We now come to the great battle-groiind of the 
 giants, but will not enter the listis, if we may be per- 
 mitted to quietly state a few things as our opinion, 
 without intending to reflect upon, or having even re- 
 
SEXUAL CHARACTEB. 49 
 
 mote reference to, any persons. It is very easy to see 
 tlie manner in wliicli some have been led into error, 
 viz, : the mixture, well-nigli 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 eftd 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 that 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 Hovey's 
 Seedling and Burr's New Pine, to run together, but 
 be very particular to keep each kind distinct and 
 apart We think it is Mr. Longworth who has stated, 
 thkt if we place a 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 years. 
 3 
 
50 SEX€aL chaeactee. 
 
 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 fure plants — difficult, we know 
 — ^and on no account permit any 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 very practical point, we may 
 b^ 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 feii 
 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 CHABAOTEK. 51 
 
 or both: it is, therefore, only important to notice tho 
 presence of the staminates in every collection of varie- 
 ties, keep them distinct, and no sacrifice is required 
 to conform to this theory, which seems to be pretty 
 universally established. Mr. Longworth's article in 
 the Appendix, D, gives an interesting account of its 
 discovery. 
 
 Another series of plants are called Hermaphrodite — 
 like Longworth's Prolific — ^because both stamens and 
 pistils are in a greater or less extent developed, and 
 they are represented to bear well, being alone. 
 
 The great war that has raged so fiercely on the bor- 
 ders of the strawberry kingdom during the past year 
 or two, has been on the point, whether staminates evei 
 cnange to pistillates, or vice versd. For many years 
 we have noticed, with scrupulous care, these distinct 
 characteristics of the various strawberries when in 
 blossom, and we have never seen the first symptoms 
 
 Fig. I. Fio. 3. Fia 8. 
 
 Fig. 1. A perfect Sowet Airnbhed wltb stamens and pistUs, a, the stftmcun, 
 b. the pistils hermaphrodite. 
 Fig. 2. A staminate or. male flower. 
 Fiff. 3. A pistillate or female flower. 
 
62 SEXUAL CHABACTEB. 
 
 P 
 
 }r 
 
 FlS. i. 
 
 Sig 4 A perfect flower, with a Btamen and pistil detached, a, the anther. 
 b, the filament, p, the pistil 
 
 of change in any variety. We do not know that a 
 change in open-air cultivation is now much contended 
 for from any 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? Wo 
 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. 
 
roECEsro. 63 
 
 FORCING. 
 
 On this point our experience is very limited, having 
 been confined to small experiments during the past 
 winter: we therefore give the best information we 
 have been able to obtain, from the highest English 
 authorities. 
 
 In the London Gardener's Ghr(micle, 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 August, 
 a sufficient number of the best runners from approved 
 kinds to have choice from, and plant them six inches 
 apart, in 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 following 
 spring free from weeds and runners, removing also 
 any flowers as they appear. Towards the latter end 
 of May or beginning of June, whenever duU or rainy 
 weather may occur, remove them carefully into forty- 
 eight-sized pots. It is optional with the groWer, 
 whether one, two, or three plants are put in one pot, 
 
54 FOBCING. 
 
 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 be 
 readily shaded for a short time, and receive regular 
 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 depth of the pots, and fiUing 
 them up wifti old tan or ashes ; the plants remain here 
 until wanted to take in, and are easily protected from 
 severe frosts. It will be found an excellent plan to 
 preserve 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, 
 are 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 
 
i^OEOING. 55 
 
 ia August, protecting tliem from tlxe late autumnal 
 rains, and from frost." 
 
 " For succession," Mr. Paxton says, " strong runners 
 are taken up in September, and planted about six 
 mches apart, in manured and well-prepared beds, four 
 feet wide, in a somewliat skeltered situation ; there 
 they are allowed to remain until the following July, 
 during which period they must be kept very clean 
 from weeds, have the flowers and runners regularly 
 pinched off, and be watered whenever likely to suffer 
 from drought. About the middle of July they are 
 potted in small thirty-two-sized pots, two plants in a 
 pot, taking the greatest care that neither roots nor 
 leaves are damaged in the operation, and an important 
 part of it is to press the earth firmly about them ; the 
 soil 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 coal ashes ; 
 above which must be nailed firmly 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 light 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- 
 
56" roKCiNG. 
 
 fully reduced their balls, itepot tliem in large tliirty- 
 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 becoming 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 &om 
 the present year's runners. 
 
 " The compost used in good strong loam, well mixed 
 with rotten dung firom the hot-bed linings; twenty- 
 four-sized pots are the best for Keene's Seedlings,' and 
 thii-ty-twos for Grove 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, they are 
 removed at once to the strawberry quarters, and ar^ 
 ranged on each side of the rows, among the runners. 
 The middle of July, when the plants are emitting 
 
SEEDLINGS, 57 
 
 roots, is tke proper time to begin the opeiation of layer- 
 Lag : having previously prepared a quantity of pegs, the 
 runners that are rooted into the ground are carefully 
 removeid, and their roots inserted in the pots and 
 pegged down. Put three plants into the twenty-four 
 pots, and one in the thirty-twos; they immediately 
 begin growing, being supported by the mother plant, 
 and will only require occasional watiering in dry 
 weather. 
 
 " When the plants are well rooted, which is in 
 about one month, detach then! from 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- 
 roxmded with a stratum of coal ashes six inches wide, 
 and as high as the top of the pots, which prevents 
 worms from working amongst them," 
 
 SEEDLINGS. 
 
 Since the introduction of Hovey's Seedling, this 
 department of stra^y^berry culture has ha4 new life and 
 vigor infused into it, and has resulted in affording 
 high gratification to those etigaged in it, and proved 
 of decided benefit to our country. 
 
 This fruit is so soon and so easily raised from seed, 
 that the process invites to a very attractive series of 
 3* 
 
58 CLASSIFICATION. 
 
 experiments. Almost any one can experiment in a 
 small way ; and the person who shall produce a 
 strawberry of the size of Hovey's Seedling, or of the 
 size and productiveness of McAvoy'a Extra Bed, com- 
 bined with the exquisite flavor of Brirr's New Piue, 
 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 staminates, 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 jremove 
 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. 
 
 CLASSIFICATION. 
 
 Mr. Elliott says, "Authors have classed, the straw- 
 berry as Scarlets, the, original type being our wUd, 
 strawbeiTy ; PiNES originating frona the Pine or 
 Surinam strawberry ; Woods and Alpines from the 
 
CLASSIFICATION. 59 
 
 eommoa wood strawberry of Europe ; Hautbois, or 
 High-wood from Botemia; Chili, from Soath America. 
 
 "The Scarlets are designated in their character by 
 small flewers ; long, thin, light-green, sharply serrate 
 leaves ; acid or sub-acid fruit, of bright scarlet color, 
 with seeds deeply imbedded." The Large Early Scar- 
 let, Methven, Duke of Kent, and others, are of this 
 dass, and yet the flowers of the first two are rather lUrge. 
 
 " The Pines are designated by large flowers; broad, 
 dark-green leaves; 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 Pine have 'quite small flowers:, the Irwo others 
 are large. 
 
 "The Alpinks and Woods have small flowers, per- 
 fect in their organs; small, thin, light^green leaves; 
 fruit small, sweet,, and separating freely from the 
 calyx. 
 
 " The Hautbois have large, pale-green leaves, on 
 tall foot-stalks, the fruit-stalk tall and erect, the fruit 
 of a dull red or purplish color. 
 
 "The Chili, jdesignated by hairy, thick, obtusely 
 serrate leaves, fruit pale red and insipid.' 
 
 " The Gkeen Strawberries have light-green foliage, 
 plaited fruit, solid flesh, so unworthy cultivation aa 
 rarely t" be found in this country. 
 
60 SELECTION OF VAEIETIES. 
 
 " We have dropped the arrangement into classes in 
 order." 
 
 The ahove' classification is a distinct one, but we do 
 not think quite correct, neither can we find or make 
 one that is both distinct and correct. 
 
 tSELECTION OF VARIETIES. 
 
 This is a point of no small difficnlty. One person 
 wishes only the finest flavored varieties for his own 
 table, of which Burr'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, sohd-fleshed, 
 productive fruit, like McAvoy's Extra Eed, Moya- 
 mensing 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 naturally 
 adapted to some varieties, and unadapted to others, so 
 that the custom we have adopted in years past, we 
 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 
 experimentally for two or three years, and then select 
 the most successful ones and discard the others. 
 
CULTIVATION OF VARIETIES. 61 
 
 Anotlier difficulty arises from tlie new developments 
 constantly maldng, wliioli tends to e-»;alt a neglected 
 variety in some sections of our country, and depress a 
 favorite one in other parts, so that we shall, it is pro- 
 bable, in future editions take the liberty of amending 
 or changing our opinions respecting some of the differ- 
 ent varieties named, as time and enlarged experience 
 shall demand. 
 
 Another point of delicacy still arises, from the fact 
 that many of our Mends have produced seedlings of 
 which they think and speak in the highest terms ; but 
 from what little we have seen of them, and their trial 
 being almost exclusively in the hands of the origina- 
 tors, we do not feel authorized to speak of them pro 
 or con; besides, many seedlings are constantly pro- 
 duced by our nurserymen, some good, and many not 
 so good, who cultivate them frequently, as they do 
 their plants for sale, in crowded beds or even in com- 
 pact masses, or in the partial shade of trees or shrub- 
 bery, on old soU, so that their mode ©f trial is often 
 of little value in developing or determining the real 
 character of the plant. 
 
 Some varieties we do not name will doubtless prove 
 sujjerior, and we would not intimate that some of the 
 varieties we are not acquainted with may not prove of 
 the first class. 
 
 We shall speak mainly and freely our own cxperi- 
 
62 SELECTION OF VARIETIES. 
 
 ence and observations of tlie peciiliarities of tlie diifcr- 
 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 
 are not so important to the popular mind, and we are 
 not writing 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 
 confined 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 
 Longworth, Esq., for a pistillate strawberry which 
 should prove, on a four years' trial, to surpass all other 
 known varieties in size, flavor, an i productiveness. 
 
selection of varietib3. 
 mcavoy's superior. 
 
 63 
 
 FiO. 1 
 
 ¥ia. 2 
 
 The committee concluding that this fulfilled the condi- 
 tions, reported in its favor, and the report was adopted 
 by the Society. In September, 1851, we obtained two 
 plants, and in so far as our observation of it has ex- 
 tended in 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 high flavor and delicious, yet we do not think it 
 equals, much less surpasses. Burr's New Pine in flavor. 
 It is pistillate, hardy, vigorous, dark serrated leaf, long 
 foot-stalks, trusses of fruit full and usually well formed^ 
 but occasionally a berry not entirely filled out ; the 
 runners are not so numerous as to be troublesome 
 
6-1 SELECTION OF VAEIETIES. 
 
 fruit very large, often over fiveinclies in circumference, 
 rich dark color until over-ripe ; -irregular, conical, 
 roundisli ; large seeds, slightly sunk ; flesli crimson and 
 white, tender, juicy, witli a core of rather open and 
 coarse texture. 
 
 Kipens medium season, and rather too tender for a 
 market fruit, except for short carriage distance. 
 
 hovey's seedling. 
 
 This has been truly called a noble fruit, and is an 
 honor to the originator, Mr. C. M. Hovey, 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, niingled 
 with the strongest approvals of its productiveness. 
 
 Notwithstanding 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 
 so surpass all other varieties in size — often five iand 
 six and sometimes over eijyAi inches in circurnfcrence— ^ 
 as to carry along the judges at our exhibitionsj and the 
 size under good cultivation always proves satisfactory^ 
 
SELECTION OF VARIETIES. 
 
 65 
 
 Fia. 8. 
 
 We have, in times past, been embarrassed by its 
 failure in bearing, but we are inclined to think it was 
 in a great measure owing to our want of knowledge of 
 Its habits, and consequently erroneous cultivation. It 
 
66 SELECTION OF VAEIETIES. 
 
 requires a great deal of water, or moist soil, and will 
 not bear so rifcli soil as Boston Pine and many other 
 kinds ; and tlie 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 green, 
 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. 
 
 MONROE 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 Rochester by those enterprising 
 nurserymen, Messrs. Blwanger & Barry, and was first 
 exhibited by them at the June meeting of the "Horti- 
 cultixral 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 wiir 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 three-fourths inches in circumference at one time, 
 on a single plant less than one year old. A friend 
 
SELECTION OF VAKIETIES, 
 
 67 
 
 soutli of Wasliiiigton City, to whom we sent a few gen- 
 uine plants a year or two ago, writes : " Monroe Scarlet 
 proved witli me last season exceedingly productive, 
 and neady covered the entire surface of the ground 
 with trusses of fruit. ' It is a decided acquisition." We 
 are aware that the Alpines, and some other kinds, 
 win produce many berries in a single hill, but they 
 are very small fruit, and will not produce near the 
 quantity. It is a hybrid of Hovey's Seedling and the 
 Duke of Kent. The plant is very vigorous : pistillate; 
 fruit large, roundish, short neck, and beautiful, of good 
 fair flavor, hard flesh, a long bearer, and good for 
 market; does well partially shaded. 
 
 bueb's new pine. 
 
 This variety Originated in Colum- 
 bus, Ohio, in 1846, on a clay soil, 
 and is remarkable for its agreeable, 
 delicious, aromatic flavor, surpassing 
 all other varieties; and also for its 
 early bearing and uniform pro- 
 ductiveness. It is usually of large 
 medium size, although we have seen 
 on exhibition large dishes of fruit 
 measuring nearly four inches in circumference, and 
 have measured single specimens from our own garden 
 full four and a quarter inches ; and when thus well 
 
 busk's new fins. 
 
68 SELECTION OF VARIETIES. 
 
 grown, and on exhibition, it will bear off the first 
 prize from Ilovey's Seedling, 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 for the hand or 
 for the table, and we have proved it to be the earliest 
 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- 
 pink, sweet, and too tender for a market fruit ; quite 
 productive, and berries perfect; the foliage is large, 
 and the plant is vigorous and haxdy. It is indispens- 
 able for private gardens. Pistillate. 
 
 longwobth's prolific. 
 
 The two jemaining plants of the first six are stami- 
 nate, or hermaphrodite. TBjs 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 Herma- 
 phrodite," but afterwards named by the Cincinnati 
 Horticultural Society, "Longworth's Prolific," in 
 
SELECTION OF VAEIETIES. 
 
 lOSOWOBTn S PEOLIFIO. 
 
 honor of Nicliolas Longworth, 
 
 Esq. It is a great favorite with 
 
 the gentleman whose name it 
 
 bears, who says "it will do 
 
 what no other variety in this 
 
 country or Europe has ever 
 
 done — bear a fiall crop of good 
 
 fruit standing alone." In a 
 
 note to Mr. Barry in the fall of 
 
 1853, he says, " You will find the Prolific of more 
 
 value than all the seedlings ever raised." Mr. Elliott, 
 
 in his Guide, says, "For market culture we regard it 
 
 of more value. than McAvoy's Superior ;" and we have 
 
 heard Dr. "Warder bear the same high testimony to its 
 
 excellence. 
 
 It has been almost impossible to get the genuine 
 variety. In our attempts, we have had repeated fail- 
 ures, until, at last, Mr. D. McAvoy politely took up 
 for us two plants, while in bearing, and enclosed them 
 in a letter. The plants lived, and we have been ena- 
 bled to experiment with them intelligently. We have 
 also seen the genuine in a few other gardens, hundreds 
 of liiiles apart, during the last two seasons ; and evfery- 
 .where we have seen it, if it -had a fair chance, it has 
 done well. Many wUl, doubtless, discard "Long- 
 worth's Prolific," who have only tried spurious kinds. 
 
 Our limited experience wUl not enable us to speak 
 
70 SELECTION OF VARIETIES. 
 
 SO decidedly as some of those we have quoted, yet we 
 can say we are much pleased with it, and hope it wil] 
 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. 
 
 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. 
 Sj^uel 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 
 
SELECTION OF VARIETIES. <i 
 
 dozen plants for trial, wMch trial has been very satis- 
 factory. The society above-named has during the last 
 season renewed its endorsement of it, and Mr.. Barry, 
 of Kochester, 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; 
 in color it is as dark crimson or purple as the Black 
 Prince. 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, origi- 
 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 
 Cincinnati report it as " large, beautiful and very pro- 
 lific; quality medium, sub-acid not high-flavored." 
 We think it will prove a valuable market fruit : it is 
 very vigorous and hardy ; fruit large and handsome, 
 and keeps well. We have seen it exhibited for forty- 
 eight hours, after twenty miles land-carriage, when it 
 remained the brightest and most showy fruit of forty 
 choice varieties. The Pennsylvania Horticultural So- 
 ciety m 1853 pronounced it " exlraordinarily produo- 
 
72 
 
 SELECTION OF VARIETIES. 
 
 tive," and quality " good." It is pistillate, and its only 
 faults, as far as we are aware, are its acidity and its lack 
 of liigli flavor, wHcli we do not consider indispensalale 
 for a market fruit. 
 
 jennet's seedling. 
 
 This originated in New Bedford, 
 about the year 1845 : is of good 
 size, high flavor; and has teen 
 highly recommended by the Massa- 
 chusetts and other Horticultural 
 Societies. We have successfully 
 cultivated it for four or five years, 
 and think its advantages are, its 
 ntHimrt sBEDirao. good fair size, bright handsome 
 color and form, sprightly richflavor, 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. 
 
 Wilson's seedling. 
 
 This superior. strawberry originated with an excel- 
 lent Scotch nurseryman, of Albany, John "Wilson. 
 It was introduced a year or two before it attracted 
 much notice. In the summer of 1857, I think, Mr 
 Cummings of the Ntw York Observer, placed on the 
 
SELECTION or VARIETIES. 73 
 
 tables of the New York Horticultural Society, one 
 plant in a pot, which gave a show of fruit far exceed- 
 ing all we had ever seen. We counted 260 berries on 
 that one plant, and immediately wrote an article call- 
 ing attention to it. It has now grown into 'general 
 circulation,^ and although some complain of its acidity, 
 yet it seems to be steadily gaining favor. It is good 
 size, often large, pointed cone, dark red when fully 
 ripe, solid flesh, good and very productive. 
 
 LARGE EARLY SCARLET. 
 
 This has long been the standard staminate. It bears 
 almost everywhere a tolerable crop with fair treatment. 
 It is early, and, as we see from Mr. Peabody's article 
 in the Appendix, under his treatment has become a 
 perpetual bearer. It is of medium size, handsome oval 
 form, good — ^rather acid — flavor, and bears carriage to 
 market tolerably well. 
 
 , Its good qualities are its uniform, although not large 
 productiveness, early season and good flavor; its de- 
 fects, its want of size and of large productiveness, and 
 its tendency to throw out an overgrowth of runners. 
 It is valuable as an impregnator. 
 
 CRIMSON CONE. 
 
 A very bright, handsome, brisk, acid fruit, of me- 
 dium size, uniformly conical, rich dark crimson, and 
 1 
 
74 SELECTION OF VAE1ETIE3. 
 
 quite productive. Its seeds lie deeply imbedded, gi ving 
 tlie 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 Iot the table, bringing it to its proper tone 
 by a liberal addition of sugar. 
 
 It has supplied the New York market witb more 
 fruit tbe past season, we think, than all other varieties 
 combined. 
 
 The plant is very vigorovis — ^blossoms pistillate, 
 
 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. 
 
 TEIOMPHE DE GAND. H. 
 This new Belgian variety is very popular. It is 
 very large, bright crimson, flesh firm, sweet, juiiy, 
 very productive and late. Good for the family or 
 market. 
 
 GENESEE SEEDLING. 
 A large and very handsome fruit. It originated with 
 Messrs. Ellwanger & Barry. The plant is vigorous, 
 with long stout foot-stalks, productive for a staminate, 
 
SELECTIOIT OF VABIETIES. 76 
 
 and of good mecUum flavor. It seems to be growing 
 in favor for private gardens. 
 
 "WILLEY. 
 
 This is a great bearer of round, medium-sized &uit 
 of pleasant, sprightly, although not high flavor. This 
 and Monroe Scarlet are the only strawberries I have 
 ever seen that bear apparently in clusters. It is not 
 unusual 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 
 defect is its size and second-rate flavor. 
 
 PRINCESS ALICE MAUDE. 
 
 A handsome, long, oval, English fruit, of large size, 
 fair productiveness, and medium flavor. It_is unique 
 in appearance, very early, and in the vicinity of 
 Washington City it has become very popular. Profes- 
 sor Page having succeeded in inducing it to adopt the 
 ever-bearing habit. Its main defects are moderate pro- 
 ductiveness and want of high flavor. Staminate, and 
 good for market. 
 
 BOSTON PINE. 
 A good staminate seedling of Mr. Hovey, of Boston, 
 and for our own cultivation we should give it a very 
 early place in our list ; but with the mass of cultiva- 
 tors it is not so popular. It wants the best clean culti- 
 
76 SELECTION OP VARIETIES. 
 
 vation, with every plant two feet apart from all others, 
 and will bear richer soil than almost any other variety ; 
 with such treatment it will produce a good crop of 
 uniformly large, round, handsome &uit 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. 
 
 BARTLETT. H. 
 
 Medium size, good form, crimson, firm, sweet and 
 rich flavor, moderately productive? 
 
 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 BRITISn QUEEN 
 
 A splendid English variety of the largest size and 
 richest flavor, but unfortunately, in this country, so 
 
SELECTION OF VAEIETIES. 77 
 
 few of the blossoms ordinarily produce fruit, that it is 
 in most places despaired of. It needs the best cultiva- 
 tion, and the olants should be allowed plenty of room 
 for air.'i 
 
 LARGE WHITE BICTON PINE. 
 
 A new English staminate variety, of large hand- 
 some fruit, long oval shape, sometimes flattened, of 
 the highest flavor, white color, with a bright blush 
 cheek on one side. It is quite a novelty, and proves to 
 be more productive than was expected. It will find a 
 place in most amateurs' gardens in limited quantities. 
 
 baer's new white 
 Is said to be superior to the above, but we Lave not 
 yet tried it. In Boston it is spoken weU of. A friend 
 assures us it is superior to the Bicton Pine. 
 
 prolific hautboy. 
 
 Prolific certainly of runners, so as greatly to injure 
 its value, if it. had no other^defect ; is a very vigorous 
 plant, producing long, oval, purplish, dingy berries of 
 a rich but very peculiar flavor, agreeable to some, but 
 the reverse to others. It is staminate, but hardly 
 desirable. 
 
 We might continue this list, and enumerate full 
 one hundred other varieties which we have had an 
 opportunity of personally testing; but we cannot 
 
78 SELECTION OF VARIETIES. 
 
 name any variety possessing any superior quality, not 
 possessed in an equal or larger degree by some of ike 
 best of those we liave named ; in fact, some of the 
 varieties we have noticed axe not equal to other varie- 
 ties we might name, of our own seedlings and others ; 
 and we have only referred to them because they are 
 popular in many parts of the country, and supposed 
 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, we 
 do not suppose them superior to some of those de- 
 scribed. If they are, they will soon be extensive^ 
 proved and noticed. Others, 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 
 Rochester, 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 Longworth's Prolific 
 in size, beauty, productiveness and flavor as an herma- 
 phrodite, has got to be an extraordinary fine berry, 
 but there is hope that it may be obtained. 
 
ANALYSIS. 79 
 
 The following analysis of the strawberry plaut 
 (vines) was made by Mr. Biliiis, Kirtland, Ohio. 
 
 In 116 grains of the ashes of the Gardeit Stkaw- 
 BERRYhe found : 
 
 Potash 33.154 
 
 Lime 26.519 
 
 Caxbonie Acid 23.008 
 
 Magnesia 8.908 
 
 Phosphorie Acid 6.970 
 
 Silica 6.117 
 
 Charcoal and Saad 3.103 
 
 Soda 2.794 
 
 Pei^hospliate of Iron 1.515 
 
 Sulphuric Acid 1.469 
 
 Chlorine 718 
 
 Organic Matter and Loss 1.739 
 
 116.000 
 
 In the Annud report of the Progress of Chemistry 
 and allied Sciences for 1847 and 1848, we find the 
 following analysis of the Strawberry by Thomas 
 RlCHAEDSON" : 
 
 ^ THE PLAST. 
 
 Potash 38.65 
 
 Lime 12.20 
 
 Silica 2.58 
 
 Ferphosphate of Iron 8.65 
 
 Magnesia 6.85 
 
 Phosphoric Acid 15.58 
 
 Chlorine 1.23 
 
80 ANALYSIS. 
 
 Soda 9.27 
 
 Organic Matter, Loss, &c 5-99 
 
 39 per cent of Ash. 100.00 
 
 THE FRUIT. 
 
 Potash 21.07 
 
 Lime 14.20 
 
 Soda 27.01 
 
 Silica 12.05 
 
 Ferphosphate Iron 11.15 
 
 Phosphoric Acid - £ 59 
 
 Sulphuric Acid i.l$ 
 
 Chlorine 1.78 
 
 Magnesia Tiuce 
 
 41 per cent, of Ash. lOv.OO 
 
 The great variation in these analyses is prohaWy main];-r owing 
 to the greater age of the vines in one case than the other : perh»jia 
 something is also due to soil and climate. — £b. 
 
THE RASPBERRY. 
 
 When well-grown, and of the best varieties, this is 
 one of our most wholesome and excellent fruits. It 
 deserves a far more general and better cultivation than 
 is usually given to it ; and its free use, succeeding the 
 strawberry, as it does, woidd doubtless conduce to the 
 general health as well as luxury of the community. • 
 
 If grown withont care, it is often small, hard, and 
 with little good flavor ; but when highly cultivated, it 
 is large, melting, and delicious. It will repay the best 
 care, and ta very fe!w,frmts is this so indispepsabje as 
 to the raspberry. , , , , 
 
 A rather, moist, cool Ip^q-tion, on the north slope of 
 a, side-hill, or stade ctf a fence, is, to be c|ipsen; ^n^ 
 the soil should jfee deep and fich,. ^, deep loam is 
 preferable, but other soUs by th^. additioii,pf bog earth 
 or jcnuc^ :ca?i,be made to, answer the purpose ; it shqiil^ 
 b§ well broken up, trenched a;id pulverized to the depth 
 pf two feet, then eprij^d, ,with ^ell-rotted ^maAure, 
 vegetable, if convenient. , 
 
 4* (81) 
 
82 THE EASPBEREY. 
 
 The plants should be shortened ten or twelve inches 
 at the top, and set out very early in the spring, at a 
 distance of three to four feet apart, not too deep, in pure 
 earth, -with a good proportion of the rodts lying near 
 tho surface. Keep them clean, and well staked, with 
 not more than three or four canes in a hill. On gather- 
 ing of the fi-uit, 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 Fastolp, S'eanconia, and Teue 
 Antwekps, 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 them slightly with earth. Some tie them up 
 in a withe of straw, or evergreen boughs, but these 
 are not alwajs sufficient. 
 
WINTER PROTECTION. 83 
 
 We have sometimes taken up tlie plants m tlie fall, 
 and buried them in sand, and on the earliest opening 
 of spring set them out with care, and in this way have 
 raised eittraordinary 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 
 succeed so AvelL 
 
 The raspberry is used in a variety of ways, viz. : for 
 the hand, the table, pies, tarts, jeUy, 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 
 $600 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 wiU name but a few established varieties. Dr. 
 Brinckl^, of Philadelphia, and some others, have gained 
 muchj credit with their fine seedlings, but how exten- 
 sively they have been proved, or if any of them sur- 
 pass the Fustolf^ Franconia, Antwerp, &c., we are unable 
 to say. The " Colonel Wilder" and some other seed- 
 lings are said to be perfectly hardy ; and if that is the 
 
84 
 
 THE KASPBEKUy. 
 
 case, and they prove equal in otlier respects, they .\rill 
 certainly be a decided acquisition. 
 
 FASTOtLF. 
 
 This nne variety originated at Fastolf Castle, nesar 
 Yarmouth, England, where it attained a high reputa- 
 
 THE FASTOLF. 
 
 tion, -yvliiuh it has nobly sustained in this country. 
 
 It is not quite so hard for a market fruit as the Ant- 
 jverp, but it is rather soft, and of rich high flavor, and 
 
VARIETIES. 
 
 85 
 
 the fruit is very large, of a briglit purplisli red, and is 
 a large bearer. It reqvdres ■winter protection. 
 
 rSANCONI. 
 
 This line variety was said to be originally from 
 IJrance, but a few knowing ones insist that its advent 
 was nearer home. However that may be, it is a valu- 
 able kind, the most hardy of the large varieties which 
 we refer to ; produces most abundant crops of fine fruit, 
 which bears carriage to market well. It is some ten 
 days later than the Antwerps, and requires only slight 
 protection. The fruit resembles the Fastol^ but rather 
 more acid flavor; canes sirong and branching, and 
 leaves rather narrow. 
 
 RED ANTWERP, 
 
 This variety has long 
 been the standard sort, 
 both in this country and 
 Europe, and is a very 
 fine fruit So many 
 spurious sorts are now 
 sold under this name, 
 that it is difficult to ob- 
 tain • the genuine, in 
 many places. The Com- 
 mon lied Ankverp is 
 
 RED ANTWERP. 
 
86 THE BASPBEREy. 
 
 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 Eed Antwerp except in color, 
 and is a very handsome and excellent fruit. Whether 
 Dr. Brinckl^'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 Med Antwerp, but we do not know as 
 
 KNEVBTT'S aiANT. 
 
 it has any superiority other than being more hardy. 
 
VARIETIES, 87 
 
 This, however, bears a much larger crop, in conse- 
 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 September and 
 October, ?s well as in the 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-BEARING. 
 
 A variety of the American Black, which has for 
 vears borne us several crops during th-e 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. 
 
 BKINCKLES ORANGE. 
 
 This is one of the best of Dr. Brinekle's Seedlings. 
 It is large, good orange color, good flavor and very 
 productive. It is becoming quite a favorite. 
 
THE BLACKBERRY. 
 
 The production of this fruit has heretofore been 
 mostly confined to the woods and new lands of our 
 country. In our former residence, Palmyra, Western 
 New York, from time immemorial, almost, the market- 
 women have made their appearance every two or three 
 days during the season, with wagon-loads of from 
 fifteen 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 unripe, 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 Blackberry" of Captain 
 Lovett has often been noticed with marked favor by 
 the Massachusetts Sorticwltural Society, 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 tliis 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 single per- 
 fect berry. We personally know of but one decided 
 exception. 
 
 Or New Sochelle, which is said to be a chance seed- 
 ling first picked up by the wayside, and has been most 
 successfully cultivated for many years in the pleasant 
 vniage 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 presentefi to the Farmers' Club of tho 
 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\7- 
 Eochelle, who stated that it was familiarly knowp in 
 the vicinity as the " New Eochelle Blackberry." 
 
 The fruit was found to be of great size, uniformly 
 so, sixty to seventy of the berries filling a quart mea- 
 sure — very few seeds, light melting pulp, and of a 
 delicious flavor. 
 
bo 
 
 THE BLACKBEHRT. 
 
 ff^i 
 
 ■THE LAWTON BLACKBEEKT. 
 
 Jt was well known that not only in New Eochelle, 
 but also in Momsania, 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 o'' the numerous other wild 
 
THE BLACKBERRY. 91 
 
 varieties in Kew Eochelle becomiDg confounded with 
 this, the Club resolved to name it, distinctively, " The 
 Lawton Blackberry," in honor of the gentleman intro- 
 ducing it to them. 
 
 We have had frequent opportunities of giving this 
 variety a personal examination in various places and 
 under different treatment, and particularly in the 
 grounds of Mr. Lawton, where there are some three 
 acres in bearing. 
 
 THE CHARACTERISTICS 
 
 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. 
 
 The 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 
 
 CtJLTIVATIOIf. 
 The bladibeny rejoices in a moist, loamy soil, but 
 will grow well in higher exposures, and is rather bene- 
 fited by a little shade and a c»ol northern aspect. 
 
9,2 THE BLACK15EEEY. 
 
 Whea tlius favored, it will prolong its period of tear- 
 ing from four to six weeks. Usual good garden soil is 
 favorable for the blackberry, and it wiU bear being 
 made pretty ricb witb manures after tbe 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 grow, produce fruit, and propagate itself 
 rapidly. 
 
 The canes which come up one season wUl 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 beautifiil process of reproduc- 
 tion thus goes on ; so that a single plant set out in a 
 good free soil will send up two, three, or four plants, 
 and those wUl increase to a score or more the follow- 
 ing season if carefally pruned and kept clean. 
 
 The ends of the canes should be shortened about 
 one quarter early in the spring, when the old decayed 
 ones are removed, and if the laterals are too long clip 
 them also. They usually require no support. 
 
 TEANSPLANTING. 
 Particular care, we think, is needed in transplanting 
 the blackberry. It should jiot be attempted late in the 
 spring, otherwise a great share of the plants will hardly 
 
TUE BLACKBEEEY. 93 
 
 survive tlie process. Mulching and watering arc often 
 useful and even necessary when transplanting. 
 
 It is well to set the plants four or five feet' apart iu 
 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 37^ cents per quart. We have 
 given a large space to this variety, not only because it is 
 new, but because we believe it to be worthy of exten- 
 sive cultivation by the public, both as amateurs and for 
 the market. 
 
 NEEDHAM'S IMPROVED WHITE BLACKBEEEY 
 
 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 we are certified to 
 instances of single canes producing eight, ten, and even 
 eleven quarts of fruit, such as it is. 
 
 "We have seen the wild white blackberry growing 
 in the woods, on the southern shore of Lake Ontario, 
 in the town of Ontario; Wayne County, but on culti- 
 vating them they have failed to produce a single per- 
 fect berry. This has been the case also with the best 
 specimens of black ones grown in the vicinity. 
 
THE CRANBERRY. 
 
 The culture of the American Cranberry has hecome 
 an ohject 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-meadow, 
 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 50 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 covep 
 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, f he black crapberry 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 & Cb., New York, 
 by the Eev. B. Eastwood " On the Cranberry," ren- 
 ders a more extended notice unnecessary in this place. 
 
 (94) 
 
THE CURRANT. 
 
 This is one of tlie most valuable of all our smaD 
 fruits. It can be used to such advantage in a variety 
 of ways, wbetlier 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 state it is used in pies, tarts, 
 &c., stewed like gooseberries. 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 fe,ir soil; fresh maiden earth is 
 best for treatment. The usual way is to allow the 
 suckers to spring up around the original plant, unti] 
 it has become a matted -clump of bushes, but this is a 
 bad practice every way. The suckers uniformly pro- 
 
 (9B) 
 
96 THE CUEEANT. 
 
 duce poor and small fruit, and should never be 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 
 superfluous 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 every 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. 
 
VARIETIES. 97 
 
 VARIETIES. 
 
 Black Naples and Bang-up are tlie largest and 
 best Black Currants, of excellent flavor, and bear large 
 clusters of fruit, often five-eigbtlis of an inch in diame- 
 ter. They are also productive. The Black English 
 is quite inferior. 
 
 The "White and Eed Dutch are our most popular 
 varieties. They are large, good flavor and productive. 
 The white is the mildest. They are decidedly better 
 tnan the common currant. 
 
 The White and Eed Geape do not vary but a little 
 from the above. 
 
 Cherry Cuke ant. — The largest of all red currants ; 
 quite acid; short clusters; moderate bearer; color, 
 dark-red; strong grower; thick, dark-green foliage; 
 new, from Italy. Sometimes seven-eighths of an inch 
 in diameter. 
 
 May's Victoria, or Houghton Castle; large and 
 very long bunches; late, and rather acid; moderate 
 bearer; plant vigorous. 
 
 KiriGHT's Sweet Eep, chiefly valuable for its mild 
 pleasant flavor, similar in quality to the White Dutch, 
 and productive. 
 
98 THE CUKEANT. 
 
 Laegest White Pbovence, tlie 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. 
 
 ■ LA VERSAILLES. 
 This is one of/the new French currants, and is a 
 decided acg^uisition. It is as large, handsome, produc- 
 tive and hardy as the Cherry Currant,- but decidedly 
 superior to it in agreeable flavor. 
 
THE GOOSEBERKY. 
 
 No 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 will 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. William 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 
 
 (99J 
 
100 THE GOOSEBERRY. 
 
 perfection, witliout its being affected in the least by 
 tbe mildew. 
 
 Mr. D. Haines, near Elizabetbtown, N. J., informs 
 me that he cultivates Woodward's Whitesmith most 
 successfully by removing a few inches of the surface- 
 earth, every 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 on. 
 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 soa,p-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 Encychpcedia 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 GOOSEBERRY. 101 
 
 basin, to be mulclied, or manured, or watered, as may 
 be necessary. 
 
 " They also practice what they term suckling their 
 prize fmiit. By preparing a very rich, cool soH, and by 
 watering, and by the use of liquid manure, shading and 
 thinning, the large fruit of^the prize cultivator is pro- 
 duced. Not content with watering at root a,nd over the 
 top, the Lancashire connoisseur, when he is growing for 
 exhibition, places a small saucer of water under each 
 gooseberry, only three or four of which he leaves on a 
 tree ; this he technically calls suckling." 
 
 The gooseberry tree needs to be kept constantly in 
 a vigorous condition, and then it wiQ produce an 
 abundance of good fruit. 
 
 It should be propagatjed from cuttings of the wood 
 of the present year, prepared and set out early in Sep- 
 tember, and tratisplanted in October of next year, or 
 very early in the following spring; and should be 
 pruned in June and November, and renewed every 
 five or six years. The short stout growth from the 
 fruit stem makes better bushes than longer cuttings 
 from the thrifty suckers. 
 
 The fruit is weU adapted for pies and tarts when in 
 a green state, and the best varieties when well grown 
 and ripe are veiry excellent and acceptable for the 
 table or hand, Says Mr Downing : "As a luxury for 
 the poor, Mr. Loudon considers this the most valuable 
 
102 THE GOOSEBEERY. 
 
 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 are filled with the longest lists 
 of names of diEferent kinds of the gooseberry, but 
 afte/ experimenting with many of them for years, and 
 observing them under various circumstances, we are 
 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 all, at least for ordinary cultivation. 
 
 crompton's sheba queen. 
 
 This is the largest and best flavored of all the 
 English 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 Committer 
 Dr. Herman 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 
 
VAUIETIES, 103 
 
 well-clrained, as well as cool soiL" In other locations it 
 sustains tlie same higli cliaracter 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. 
 
 Eoaring Lion and Crown Bob Warrington are also 
 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 SEEDLnsra. 
 
 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. 
 
TJIE GEAPE. 
 
 It tas often been asserted — ^we know not with how 
 nincli of truth — ^that in. the vine districts of France, 
 lung diseases 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 he^rlth. 
 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 
 vinery, which is simple and easy to be practised; next, 
 vineyard cultivation : but it will not be expected of us, 
 in this brief notice, to more than refer to the common 
 mode of put-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 i,t the best way to pamne o 
 our cuttings early in February, two feet . in length, 
 bury them in a bundle four or six inches deep in the 
 ground immediately, and for this purpose we choose 
 the warmest weather irli the month. 
 
 (104) 
 
THE grape; 105 
 
 Let them be in the ground till 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 wiU 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, ashes, arid 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, "fhe 
 essence," says Downing, " of all that can be said in 
 grape culture respecting soU, 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 house 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 vineyatd culture, the nearer' 
 the process approximates to the one described above 
 by trenching" and enriching, the better. 
 
 Eyery plant .should be thctoilghly pruned down tot 
 5* 
 
106 THE GRAPE. 
 
 two or tliree leading shoots ; and after these cover tlie 
 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 
 the fruit and mature the wood. By pinching back, we 
 mean, to pinch off with the thumb-nail 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 grown 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-hUl, should be chosen. 
 
 In some places the mildew is troublesome to the 
 grape, but sulphur sprinkled liberally on its first ap- 
 pearance win 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 three times with strong soap-suds 
 from the wash. 
 
 Our nurserymen have many kinds of the grape on 
 their lisf^ for open-air cultivation, but we are not quite 
 sure that the Isabella and Catawba do not comprise sub- 
 -stantially the good qualities of ajl 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. Eipens well as 
 far north as forty-three degrees of latitude. 
 
 The Catawba does not always ripen well so far 
 north as forty- three degrees. Otherwise it would rival 
 the Isabella. It has large berries, copper-eolored, with 
 a fresh 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. 
 
 The Clinton is two weeks earlier than the Isabella, 
 but it is not near sc large or good. 
 
108 THE GRAPE. 
 
 We are in 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 
 . originated by Mr. BuU, 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. 
 
 The Diana is a pleasant new grape, resembling the 
 Catawba in color and flavor, of smaller size and some 
 two or three if eeks earlier. 
 
 The. Black Madeira is a small pleasant wme 
 grape. Farther south, the Bland, Ohw, Merberrionh, 
 Norton's, Wliitc Scuppemcmg, Warrm, &e., are popular. 
 The Delaware^ \s nosrr the 'favorite grape for earliness, 
 hardiness,, rich, sweet vinous flavor, unsurpassed both 
 ■f(rf the table and for wine. ^s - 
 
 The Anna, Behecca, Iowa, Crevelling, and other new 
 varieties, promise well. 
 
 Hartford Prolific is a very hardy, ecwZy good variety. 
 
l^penHj. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 APPENDIX A. 
 
 THE STRAWBEERY AND ITS CITLTURB 
 
 BT CHABLES A. PEABODT, OF COLCMBITS, OEO. 
 
 That eminent horticulturists are liable to be mistaken 
 in their views of culture, as well as of the origin and 
 history of plants, as any other class of men, we have 
 ample proof in the conflicting opinions of the nature 
 and culture of the strawberry. Downing says: "The 
 strawberry is the most delicious and most wholesome 
 of all berries, and the most univCTsally 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 litle value 
 in the south of Europe." With this high authority, 
 the horticulturists of the South never dreamed of cul- 
 tivating the strawberry to any extent, although the 
 woods and fields were covered with the wild fruit. It 
 
 was a knowledge of the fact that the wild strawberry 
 
 (111) 
 
112 APPENDIX. 
 
 grew all around me, that induced me tc try strawberry 
 culture at the South. I do not believe there is a plant 
 in nature that so easily adapts itself tc soil, situation, 
 and climate, as the strawberry. In many of its homes, 
 however, it produces little or no fruit, spreading itself 
 rapidly by its runners. 
 
 Now, as there are Jwo 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 cultiviate for runners, and 
 stop the fruiting, or perfecting .the seed, as the fruit is 
 nothing more than the receptacle for the seed ; and i^ 
 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 viiies. 
 Before planting out the, vines,, the cultivator should 
 understand the sexual charactpf of the plants, as upon 
 a proper kQpwledge ofithis fact will depend his whole 
 success in culture. That plants are staminate.an^; pis- 
 tillate, prmale and' female, no intelligent- cultivator wiM 
 
APPKNDIX. 113 
 
 now presume to deny. But in tlie strawberry there 
 are tliree varieties — ^the perfect male, tlie 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 
 staminate, or male, produces no fruit, making a great 
 show 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 equally as well as the' purely staminate. 
 These three varieties of flowers are represented by Figs. 
 1, 2, and: 3^ page 51. 
 
 Fig. 1 is from an hermaphrodite plant, which blooms 
 and impregnates itself. The stamens, marked a,' are 
 full of a fine pollen, or yellow powder, which falling 
 on the end of the unopened calyx of the buds, 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 
 Early Scarlet, a continuous bloomer with niy culture, 
 and the best, impregnator for the ever-bearing Hovey 
 Seedling! have ever met. 
 
 Fig. 2 is the sterile; staminate, or male plant, .-never 
 producing fruit under any circutnstainces whatever. It 
 will be observed the flower is larger and more showy 
 than the others. It deceives many an inexperienced 
 
114 APPENDIX. 
 
 cultivatx)! 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, b, 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 experience goes, is the best strawberry ever yet 
 cultivated, North or South. 
 
 Before proceeding to the method of culture, I will 
 give my views of the 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 off on the least 
 breath of air. The point of the unopened calyx 
 contains a glutinous matter, which catches and holds 
 
APPENDIX. 115 
 
 this 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 
 pistillate and staminate varieties blooming together. I 
 would always prefer the pistillate plant for a large frmt 
 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 8. 
 Fig. 2, let it be recollected, is a staminate or male 
 flower, and Fig. 3 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 wiU 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 fertilizers ; 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 
 
116 APPESTDIX. 
 
 States that for many years I liave cultivated the 
 strawberry extensively, and have had from my beds 
 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 to New 
 Orleans, Montgomery, Savannah, Charleston, Mobile, 
 and New York. This bed has scarcely produced a 
 runner the past season. The causes of this will be 
 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-failing 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 
 diagram: — 
 
 o o 
 
 o 
 
 o 
 
 o 
 
 o o 
 
 ° Early Scarlet. 
 
 * * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 « * 
 
 * Hovey's. 
 
 * * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * « 
 
 * Hovey's. 
 
 * * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * « 
 
 * Hovey's. 
 
 * * 
 
 « 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * * 
 
 * Hovey's. 
 
 * * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * * 
 
 * Hovey's. 
 
 * * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 « 
 
 « * 
 
 * Hovey's. 
 
 * * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * * 
 
 * Hovey's. 
 
 o o 
 
 o 
 
 o 
 
 o 
 
 o o 
 
 o Early Scarlet. 
 
 I plant 
 
 the pistillate for fruit, and the hermaphrodite 
 
 for impregnators ; 
 
 and the only 
 
 two which I have 
 
APPENDIX. 117 
 
 found to bloom and fruit together tlie wliole season 
 are the Hovey Seedling and Large Early Scarlet. 
 Eoss Phcenix, Burr's New Pine, and a seedling of my 
 own, not yet fully tested, I have also caused to bear 
 continuously. I plant seven rows of the pistillate, and 
 one row of the hermaphrodite, two feet apart each 
 way. The first season I let the runners fill the ground ; 
 in the fall, go through the grounds withhoes, thinning 
 out to eight or ten inches, leaving the vines to decay 
 just where they are cut up. I thei;, cover the whole 
 bed with partially decomposed leaves -from the woods 
 or swamps. The winter rains beat down the leaves, 
 the fruit-germ finds its way through them, and the first 
 mild 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. 
 Free 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 in fine condition, and yet one good shower will 
 make a difference 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 paj better. 
 
 I never use animal manure of any kind — nothing 
 
lib APPENDIX. 
 
 but the leaf-mould, and an occasional sprinkling of 
 ■wood-ashes. The leaf-mould keeps the ground cool 
 and moist, as well as the fruit clean, and does not 
 stimulate the vines to runners. The potash and acids 
 contained ia 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 whei'e it grew ; we 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 wUl 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 ; btit 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 stsite 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- 
 vated 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 flower, 
 first blooming so from seed, wiU never bloom any 
 other way. Cultivators are often deceived abonf their 
 plants, from the fact that they frequently find varie- 
 ties in the beds which they did not plant ; but these 
 spring from seed. The strawberry springs from seed 
 with astonishing rapidity. Since my beds were started, 
 the whole country around me is covered v/ith straw 
 
120 APPENDIX. 
 
 berry-plants from tlie seed dropped by birds. These 
 I find running into all varieties — ^pistillate, staminate, 
 and hermaphrodite — most of them worthless, but some 
 with good fruit. 
 
 The proper time for transplanting the strawberry at 
 the South, is as soon in the fall- as the weather is cpol 
 and moist enough. Here, this may be continaed until- 
 spring. Plants are easily transported great distances 
 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 cultivar^ 
 tors mix in the rows ; but I prefer to keep tjiem 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 strawberries six, eight, and even ten months in 
 the year, in the hot climate of Georgia* and Alabama, 
 it is this : proper location, vegetable manures, shade to 
 the ground, without exhaustion, and water to the bloom 
 and fruit. 
 
 Oue reason why so many fail in garden culture with 
 the strawberly is, that the bed^ are surrounded by trees 
 and shrubbery, which may produce one crop of frail , 
 in the spring, but rarely more than that, unless i1 
 should prove a very wet season. The strawberry -bed, 
 whether in the garden or the field, should have no tree, 
 plant, or shrub near enough to it to take the moisture 
 
APFEN-DIX. 121 
 
 from tile earth. The plants rec[uirc all the moisture 
 firom the atmosphere and- the earth around them. 
 Whether the strawberry was originally found in cold 
 climates, or not,. I find they readily adapt themselves 
 to aiiy climate, and very soon become indigenous I 
 doubt whether there is a State in this Union that can- 
 not produce the strawberry months, instead of weeks, 
 '1 the yekr, with proper culture. And when we take 
 into consideration the ease and simplicity of its cul- 
 ture, its coiitiinied bearing and productiveness, its 
 exemption from all insect depredations, its delicious 
 flavor and healthy influence iipon the system, it ranks 
 first in importance among the fruits of the earth. 
 
 • APPENDIX B.^ 
 
 [From DOwaing's Horticultailat] 
 
 TWO BXPEEIMHSTTS MADE TO TEST MB. LONGWORTH'S 
 STEAWBEEEY THEOEY, 
 
 Taking Hovey's Seedling as a subject, I procured ai 
 bell-glass, and placed it over an entire plant which had 
 tiot bloomed. The flowers expanded well under the 
 glass, but did not prodftce one berry. The plant was 
 frequently agitated to put the pollen in motion, if there 
 
 was anyi 
 
 6 
 
122 APPENDIX. 
 
 I also introduced under a glass some blossom buds 
 before tliey bad 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 
 side 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- 
 sively, 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 Idnds, 
 during which time they have not borne one berry, 
 while other plants of the same variety, exposed, have 
 been productive. A difference in the formation of the 
 flowers on different plants is not confined to cultivated 
 kinds, but rhay be seen in those growing wild in the 
 fields, the pistillate plants of which I have often exam- 
 ined with a magnifying-glass, to see if I could dirfcover ' 
 any pollen, but have never been able to find it; I am 
 forced, therefore, to believe that pistillate plant?, ".loth 
 
APPENDIX. 123 
 
 wiid and cultivated, are absolutely devoia of pollen, 
 and cannot, tlierefore, produce any fruit except when 
 impregnated by others. 
 
 I am also convinced, from observation and theory, 
 that one kind will never change to the other by offsets, 
 the runner bearing the same relation to the plant pro- 
 ducing^ it as a tree grown from a bud does to the tree 
 from which it was taken. It may, then, be asked. How 
 does it happen that there are pistillate and siamiriaie 
 plants of the same variety ? / answer, It is not the fact, 
 unless they have" sprung from seed, or the plants have 
 been taken from the fields in a wUd state. 
 
 That pistillate plants are surer and better bearers 
 than staminate plants, is, I think, generally true; (pro- 
 vided, of course, that they are impregnated). And it 
 would seem reasonable to infer that when bat one of 
 the sexual organs is complete, the other will have 
 more strength. Plants, therefore, that are perfect in 
 both organs, require a higher state of cultivation. 
 There is, however, a wide difference in the produc- 
 tiveness of different kinds that are perfect in both 
 organs, some being much more liable to blast than 
 others. G. "W. HuNTSMANi 
 
 Flushing, L. l. July 14, 1846. 
 
124 APPENDIi. 
 
 AFPENDIX 0, 
 
 ClKCINNATI, Ohio, !A.ug, Xi, 1854, 
 Mb. B, G, Pardee : 
 
 Dear Sir :— By t^iis mail, I seii|i you a grape 
 pamphlet, coBtaining an article, written Iqj 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 pla,nt. 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 
 tbe 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, 
 Long Island, is a botanist, and has given great atten- 
 
JLPPEWDIX. 125 
 
 tion to the cultivation and sexes of the plant. From 
 the stem and leaf he can designate some fifty varieties 
 that he has had- in cultivation, I would recommend 
 you t© get hia views. It is singular that after publib 
 attention has been brought to the question for twenty 
 years or more, even botanists and horticultural editors 
 deny the. doctrine. If generally understood, the dis- 
 covery of the ignorant maarket-gardener is worth mil- 
 lions of dollars. After I had made the discovery, from 
 a chance observation of a son of Mr. Abergust, I was 
 at the gardema of persons near the city of Philadelphia, 
 where Mr. Abergust resided, prior to his emoval to 
 Cincinnati, and named the matter to them. "Oh," 
 said they, "we now understand it. He lived near us, 
 and from the same space of ground raised five times 
 as much fruit as we could, and larger. Every fall he 
 thinned out his plants,, and threw them in the road ; 
 we gathered them, and planted them in our gardens, 
 and they never bore a- single fruit. He threw out 
 staminates only, and to deceive them. The son of Mr. 
 Abergust was in my ^rden a few days before my 
 plants were in blossom, and observed, "Your straw- 
 berries bear a bad crop." I observed, such was the 
 fact. He added, "They are all males." I replied, 
 " That is all nonsense. The strawberry is a plant that 
 bears flowers perfect in both organs." "I am no 
 botanist," isaid he, "but I know most of yours will 
 
126 APPENDIX. 
 
 bear no fruit." I requested him to point out any that 
 would. He selected two. I inquired, " Can you then 
 see the difference?" "Not now,'' said he; "I could if 
 they were in blossom." I found him 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 SOCIETY. 
 
 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 
 
 beixy — for instance, Hovey's Seedling — would produi;o 
 at one time plants with pistillate,, and at another time 
 Btaminate blossoms. This error has been explained 
 by the* fact, 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. stamiaate 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 Pistillate, from the fact that the 
 stamens are abortive, and rarely to be found without 
 a dissection of the flower. These req^uire extrinsic 
 impregnation. 
 
 2d. Those called Staminaie, which are perfectly des- 
 titute of even the rudiments of pistils, and are neces- 
 sarily fruitless. 
 
 3d. 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 
 larore berries. 
 
128 APPENDIX. 
 
 4t]i. A rare class — a sort of subdivision of tlie pre- 
 ceding^-has not only hermaphrodite flowers, but aLso 
 some on tbe same truss that are of the pistillate charae- 
 ter ; and sometimes, in the same plant, a truss wiU be 
 seen on whiGh all the flowers are pistillate. 
 
 Now these four divisions are naHral 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 series of yoarf?, 
 during which millions of strawberry blossoms have 
 been examined with the severest scrutiny., pther 
 forms may exist, and it is not claimed to be impossible 
 that we may yet find a seedling which ^hall, have the 
 general character of a pistillate, that may show, an 
 occasional perfect or hermaphrodite flower, as a pecuf 
 liarity of that individual, but we have never yet 
 observed such a variety ; and, further, we behcve 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 
 oflf-shoots will not be materially different, except t 
 accidental malformation or by devejopment of unim- 
 portant organs. 
 
 John A- Wardek, Secretary. 
 
APPENDIX. 129 
 
 APPENDIX D. 
 
 From the ' HorUcultarist," Augnst, 18St By P. Barbt, Editor. 
 THE CULTIVATION OF THE STR A\V^BERBT. 
 
 The discussion of the Strawberry question, wHcli 
 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 ^abuida^t supply of our markets,: 
 and in the production of a large number of seedling 
 varieties. Eecent 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 
 Deen madg. But, aft^r all, we are constrained to say 
 that our ciiltivation is yet very indifferent. The size 
 and appearance of the gr^at bulk of fruit offered in 
 market, convince us of this. Those who know how to 
 CiUltivate are in many cases slovenly, or act upon the 
 principle that good culture .will not pay; while there; 
 are many wh& fail for want of correct inforniatioQ.i 
 "^Ye have now before us a large number of inquiries on. 
 the subject. One wants to know how to prenare the; 
 soil ; another, wh-^n to plant ; and another, how tOi 
 
130 APPENDIX. 
 
 plant. Several correspondents who are well informed 
 on the subject of cultivation, ask us to give them the 
 names of the best perfect-flowering sorts, as they are 
 tired of keeping separate the staminate and pistillate 
 varieties. We have therefore thought it might be 
 well to offer a few hints which will serve as a general 
 answer. 
 
 We will state here, at the jutset, that to cidtivate 
 the strawberry successfully, .s but a simple matter. 
 To grow large, handsome, fir.e-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 this 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, people 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 rapidlj- around the parent plant. In a 
 
APPENDIX. 131 
 
 skort time, therefore, unless these runners are kept in 
 check, the ground becomes entirely occupied with 
 plants, the parent plants become exhausted, and the 
 ground can no longer be stirred or kept in such a con- 
 dition as is necessary to sustain their vigor. The re- 
 sult 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, 
 insipid berries, that dry up on their stalks before they 
 are ripe, 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 soil 
 has been kept clean and, fresh by the frequent use of 
 the hoe, vigorous and healthy, with luxuriant dark- 
 groen foliage, and large, fine fruit; while ia the interior 
 of the beds, where the plants have grown into masses, 
 and covered all the ground, so as to prevent its culti- 
 vation, they are yellow and sickly-looking, and the fruit 
 poor and wortless. This we see in our own grounds, 
 and everywhere that we find plants growing under 
 similar circumstances. Does this not show the neces- 
 sity of cultivation close around the plants? No mat- 
 ter how deep we may trench the soil, or how unsparing 
 
132 APPENDIX. 
 
 we may be witli manures, or how copiously we supply 
 moisture, this cultivatioa cannot be dispensed with, if 
 we aim at producing fine jfruils, 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 remoTfir:^ ithe run- 
 ners, and we avoid the necessity of applying a mulch- 
 ing to keep the fruit dean," Very true, you, save some 
 expense ; but what do you get in return ? A crop of 
 fruit not fit for the table — ^smail, 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 l^hat, the maitet-grower may be 
 able to produce berries pf this kind at a legs, price per 
 quart than he could by a careful, cleanly, and thorough 
 system of culture ; but then he can expect to sell.such 
 &uit only when no better can be had. We hqive 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 other kind of culture, a system is absolutely 
 necessary.. A certain .routine of operations which, are 
 easily executed if taken at the right time,becDm,e bur- 
 densome when deferred; and being so, they are nqt 
 unfrequently put off altogether. Precisely , thus it is 
 ,thg,t strawberry befjs,, are, neglected, both- in market 
 
APPJENDIX. 133 
 
 gardens and private gardens, .until they are grown 
 wild beyond hope of recovery. Now, we say to every 
 one who wishes to cultivate strawberries, resolve at 
 once up(3n 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 suffiice, 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 
 ibetween them, or even the passage of a cart to deposit 
 manures or mulching material.. The spade and wheel- 
 barrow are too costly iinpliments.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 grouaid be: kept olear of weeds, and well 
 worked.. 
 
 In the fall, or before the setting in of winter, a 
 mulching of haltdecayed leaves or manure should be 
 placed - between the . rows, -coming S^oge around ,the , 
 plants, leaving the crown or heart uncovered. Tliis 
 mulchiiig prevents the plants from being drawn ont 
 and weakened,, or destroyed by freezing and thawing 
 in winter. We have sometimes covered the , entir^ 
 JwJs, plants and all, .with newly-fallen leaves ; and by 
 
134: APPENDIX. 
 
 raking them off early in the spring, the plants came 
 out in fine order. In the same way we have coverca 
 with clean wheat straw, and found it answer well. In 
 all the Northern and Western States, some winter pro- 
 tection is of great service, although not indispensable. 
 In field culture, the earth might be ploughed up xo 
 the plants, as is done with nursery trees, in such a 
 manner as to afford considerable protection against the 
 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 the 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 
 which 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 the well to water from the clouds." It ia 
 
APPENDIX. 135 
 
 sup^.'osed that the.electricity wliicli pervades the atmos- 
 phere during our summer rains affects the flavor of 
 the fruit. 
 
 When the crop has been gathered, the mulching 
 material between the rows should be removed and the 
 ground be forked over, so that if plants are waited to 
 form a new plantation, their growth will be encour- 
 aged. The same plants should not be relied upon for 
 more than two crops. The labor of making a new 
 bed, 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 spring for large 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^any 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 
 had about therfirst of Septeihber, or it may be sooner. 
 The young plants nearest the parent plant should 
 always be chosen, if possible. In planting during the 
 month of August or September, rainy feather should 
 be chosen, if possible, but it may be safely done, even 
 in a dry time, by using water freely. Water the plants 
 well before taking them up, as it injures the roots very 
 much to draw them out of dry ground; then water the 
 Boil thoroughly where they are to be set, before plant- 
 
136 APPENDIX. 
 
 ing, A sprinkling will be of no use : it must go dowa 
 deep, as a heavy rain would. Set the plants in the 
 evening, and shade them a few days with boards set 
 on edge, forming a sort of roof over them. Mulch 
 them, too, with short litter; and it will be well, if the 
 plants^be large, to remove some of the lower and 
 larger leaves. Planting can be done safely in spring 
 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 in 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 soU, 
 and will only remark that any good garden soil fit to 
 produce culinary vegetables, or any good farm 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 sqU. In one case, a quantity equal to 
 six inches deep all over the surface would not be too 
 much ; while in other oases, half that would be enough. 
 
 We would prefer not to make a strawberry planta- 
 tion twice on the same ground ; but when circumstances 
 render it inconvenient to change, rows of young platita 
 
APPENDIX, 137 
 
 miglit be set, or allowed to establish tbemselves from 
 the runners, between the old rows, which can then be 
 turned under with the spade, and will serve to enrich 
 the ground. 
 
 Now as to varieties. On this point there is room 
 for a great diversity of opinion, and we cannot hope to 
 name a list that wiU be acceptable 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 for what it is worth. 
 
 It happens that in this country the greater number 
 of our most prodwetive varieties have but one set of 
 the organs of fecundation. A fruitful flower must 
 have both pistils and. stamens ,perfe6!fly 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 pistUs, or has imperfect ones, it is utterly 
 harren. A large number of our best American vari- 
 eties — such as Hovey's Seedling, Burros New, Pine, 
 McAvoy's Superior, Moyamensing, &c. — are wanting jn 
 stamens, and therefore foreign impregnation is neces- 
 sary. In Europe this distinction is not observed to 
 any extent, and all the English and continental varie 
 
138 APPENDIX, 
 
 ties, as far as wi. know, are hermaphrodite. lu this 
 country very mauy of them fail from an imperfect 
 development of the pistils, 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 get impregnated, if 
 in the same garden, as the pollen is carried about from 
 one flower to another by insects. The beds of the 
 different sorts may be kept entirely separate. Mixing 
 them up is a bad way, as the one outgTows and over- 
 runs the other, and they become so confused that 
 nothing can be done with them. On this account 
 many have grown tired of keeping up the distinction, 
 and have resolved to cultivate hermaphrodite sorts 
 only. 
 
 The following varieties are the best on the long list 
 of those we have tested on our own grounds : 
 
 Pistillate. — Burr's New Pine, Jenny's Seedling, 
 McAvoy's Superior, Hovey's Seedling, MoyamensiDg, 
 Monroe Scarlet, and Crimson Cone. The finest flavored 
 variety among these is Burr's New Pine ; the largest, 
 Hovey's Seedling ; and the finest and best for market, 
 Jenny's Seedling and Crimson Cone. Hovey's Seed- 
 ling, in Western New York, and in many pajts of the 
 West, is a very moderate, and, in many cases, a poor 
 bearer. We have had no crop so heavy the past season 
 (when all bore well) as on the Monroe Scarlet. 
 
APPENDIX. 139 
 
 Staminate, oe Heemaphrodite, — ^Large Eaily 
 Scarlet, Wfdker's Seedling, Iowa, Boston Pine, and 
 Genesee. All these may be grown successfully for 
 market, and are good, without being first-rate in 
 flavor. "We think much more of Walker's Seedling 
 now than we did last season. It is very hardy, and a 
 great bearer. It appears to be a seedling from the 
 Black Princes The Boston Pine is the most uncertain 
 on the whole list ; without good soil and 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 large 
 and beautiful white variety, which ripens late. "We 
 have 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 soU, with abundant moisture. The 
 "Wood Strawberries — red and white— bear most pro- 
 fusely in all places and last a long time ; l;jesides^ they 
 part fi:eely 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- 
 ers, if kept liberally supphed with moisture. Thev 
 
140 APPENDIX. 
 
 deserve much more extensive cultivation tlian tliey 
 now receive. With, their assistance, we may enjoy 
 strawberries not one faonth only hut />»»• months. ' 
 
 APPENDIX E. 
 LETTEK FEOM PETEE B. MEAD. 
 
 September- 1st, 1854. 
 
 E. Gr. Pardee, Esq. : Dear Sir — ^Youx 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.. Fii^t 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 win enable you to invest the subject with unu- 
 sual interest. 
 
 We cannot always command just such a soil as wo 
 want ; but we gejierally 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, i&o. When a stimu- 
 
APPENDIX. 141 
 
 -Jant is required, a solution of guano, the salts of am- 
 monia, dilute tannic acid, cr a top-dressing of guano,* 
 superphosphate of lime, poiash, &c.,. answers the pur- 
 pose ■well.'^ I prefer the ammonia and tannic acid. . In 
 a garden, strawberries should 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 being 
 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 * joung 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 &om 
 weeds. A' word as to to the best tiirne for planting. I 
 prefer early spring ; but where a supply of water is at 
 hand, it iliay 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 sodMng once a week will do more good 
 than fifty sprinklings a day. Where water is not at 
 hand, the planting should be done during August and 
 
 ; * Further experience has led me to. dispard the use of guano, 
 particularly as a top-dressing. It is not only too stimulating for 
 the s'trawberry, but rapidly dissolves the regetable constituents of 
 the soil, which I consider essential to -the, plant. — January, 1§56., , i 
 
142 ' _ APPENDIX. 
 
 September, taking advantage of a heavy rain. I prefer 
 the early part of September ; in fact, I have planted 
 Hovey, Burr's New Pine, Walker's Seedling, and 
 others, as late as the 21st of October, and every plant 
 survived the -winter without covering of any kind; 
 but I would not recommend planting later than Sep- 
 tember. 
 
 Next, a few words about mufcAiMg' and after-treatment. 
 Latterly I have seldom resorted to mulching. I have 
 a rake seven inches wide with prongs eight inches long^ 
 made of highly tempered steel. This is my mulcher. 
 With this instrument I work between the rows from 
 spring till fall ; and frequently when the plants are in 
 fruit. I know I shall be told that this is a dangerous 
 practice, and I admit that it is in inexperienced hands; 
 indeed, I would not trust another to use it among my 
 own plants, owing to the danger of injuring their 
 fibres ; and yet I use it myself within an inch of the 
 crown. When, therefore, I cannot give the necessary 
 personal attention to my plants, I resort to the next 
 best mulcher, which is tan, 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 much is applied it is apt to ferment and 
 kill the plants.- Many fine beds have been destroyed 
 in this way. Where tan cannot be had, leaves from 
 the woods may be used. These make an ad, urable 
 
APPENDIX. 143 
 
 mulch, and promise, in my opinion, to take the first 
 place among mulchers. Hay, straw, grass, sawdudt, 
 &c., are also good; but whatever is used for this 
 purpose, the crown of the plantt must in no case be 
 covered. 
 
 The beds having been properly made, the after- 
 treatment becomes a very simple matter; indeed, I 
 know of no plant that gives such generous returns at 
 so small a cost of labor; but you must not infer from 
 this that I justify anything 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 mulching into the walks, stir 
 up the soil, apply a top-dressing if needed, and then 
 put back the mulching. The best mode, however, is to 
 apply one of the solutions before mentioned, after the 
 fruit has set. The bearing-seasbn may be considerably 
 prolonged by thorough watering, and will 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 are 
 wanted for new beds. I have no time to add more 
 here, except to say, that he who would have good 
 strawberries must cultivate them ; by which I mean the 
 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 
 
144 APPENDIX. 
 
 be impolitic for me to say muoli on this point, since 
 you know I am now testing all tlie new varieties, and 
 condiicting a series of experiments having reference te 
 the natural history of this most interesting plant 
 Friends have furnished me with varieties entirely new, 
 and not yet sent out; but these I have only had Under 
 trial since last May, and it would be quite premature 
 to say much about them, though some -of them are 
 very promising. I am daily expecting more. At some 
 future time I shall review them "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, Hovey's Seedling, Moyamensinjj;; 
 Burr's' New Pine, Black Prince, Pennsylvania,* Mc- 
 Avoy's Extra Red, (rather acid), Boston Pine, Alice 
 Maude, Longwofth's' Prolific, Ex:cellcnte, "Walker's 
 Seedling, Beach's Queen, Large Early Scarlet, Ange- 
 lique. But I rather think I ^vill stbp, &r I know not 
 where this may lead me. Burr's New White and 
 Bicton Pine are both large white* vlarieties; the former 
 is best. 
 
 * Pennsylvania will, not .Ijear well or pro(iuce good, fruit except; 
 under generous treatment ; certainly not under trees, where, strangely 
 enough, I have seen it while- undergoing a trial ; and,' as may natu- 
 rally be supposed, a severe trial it proved. To the above list might 
 be added, Scott's Seedling, Kate, Monroe Scarlet, Wilson's Seed- 
 ling, Barry's No. 1, and others. No. 1, in my opinion, is much the 
 best of Mr. Barry's Seedlings. — January, 1856. 
 
APPENDIX. 145 
 
 You also tell me you mean to add some directions 
 about the culture of currants, gooseberries, and other 
 amall fruits, as well as the grape. These things should 
 l)e better grown than they generally are. Gooseberries 
 and currants are usually seen as a mass of half-decayed 
 branches, without form or sightliness. It is next to 
 ^impossible to bring these into shape, or develop their 
 maximum productiveness. It is better to begin anew. 
 Procure plants struck from cuttings ; grow them with 
 a clean stalk not less 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 
 in the gooseberry. These fruits are generally planted 
 lagainst the fence, or in some out-of-the-way corner, 
 just where they should not 'be. Give thein an open 
 exposure, plenty of manure, and good culture, and you 
 ■will be amply rewarded. The Red Dutch is best for 
 •general purposes ; but Knight's Sweet Red, Cherry, 
 .Prince Albert, White Grape, and others, may be added 
 where there is room. 
 
 The raspberry and blackberry are also desirable in 
 a garden, .furnishing a delicious fruit at an opportune 
 ssason. 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 
 should be cut out after it has ceased bearing, and some 
 7 
 
146 APPENDIX. 
 
 four or five canes of tlie new growth retained for next 
 season. The blackberry should be winter pruned, and 
 shortened 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, 
 Ool. Wilder, I have grown and found to be good- 
 The above in some localities, will need protection in 
 winter, which is best done by bending down the 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 Eochelle 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. Eose- 
 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 bcavor, Iiciiig- loadcil with froit until 
 further growth is checked by the severity fff the frost. It is a goo3 
 fruit of fair size, and ought to be widely disseminated. Thei Cata- 
 ■y/issa, which is represented to possess the same everbearing quali- 
 ties, I have not seen Dr. Brinckle's Orange proves to be among 
 the best of all raspberries.— January, 1856. 
 
, APPENDIX. 147 
 
 Co., K J., I saw a blackberry growing wild, closely 
 resembling tbe New Eochelle, 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. ..d 
 
 To say anything important of the grape in a few 
 lines is no easy matter. The best soil, I apprehend, 
 is a gravelly loam, Uioroughly 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, bit no dead dogs, cats, or horses* Over this 
 cotflpost put a layer of the best soil ; then take your 
 vine, spread the roots in their natural position, and fill 
 up carefully. 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 pf 
 pruning will not answer for both. The arbor is gene- 
 rally used for the purpose of shade as well a& fruit. 
 
148 APPENDIX. 
 
 and here spur-prumng is generally praptised, but 
 carried to such an extreme, thaJt in the course of years 
 the vines become knotty, stunted, and improductive. 
 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 places, 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 time cut away all the 
 wood down to this first shoot, which latter 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 
 are then shortened into the first good eye ; but if this 
 jhould leave them too long, they must be cut to the 
 Jesired 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 be manuredi 
 
APPENDIX 149 
 
 spaded, and cultivated with as mucli care as you would 
 bestow on a crop of corn. A summer pruning is also 
 necessary, which consists in thinning out the superflu- 
 ous growrth, and pinching in the laterals. The leaves 
 of the grape-vine must in no case be removed. The 
 best time to prune is in the fall and early winter^ 
 
 The best grapes for this latitude are the Isabella, 
 Catawba, and Early Black,- or Madeira; the latter only 
 for the garden ; the Charter Oak, Eoyal Muscadine, (a 
 synonyme), and others of that class, are worthless hum- 
 bugs. The Diana is a smaiU, sweet and rather pleasant 
 grape, and desirable for localities where the Isabella 
 will not ripen.* The Clinton and some others which 
 are well spoken of I have had no opportunity of test- 
 ing, 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. 
 
 But this letter hag reached a great length, and I 
 must close it, with all its shortcomings. If it con- 
 
 * I have elsewhere stated, in a report, as the result of further 
 experience, that I consider the Diana valuable for general cultiva- 
 tion ; and since then, the American Pomological Society has put it 
 on its general list. It is certainly a fine grape. The Concord, in 
 regard to which there has been so much controversy, is deserving 
 of a full and fair trial. — January, 1856. 
 
150 APPENDIX. 
 
 tains anything 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 GABDEN". 
 
 BY i.N AMATEUB. 
 
 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 
 strona; 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 those powers of body 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 bfe called the Cottage Vegetable Garden, or rather 
 Fruit and Yegetable 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 
 north and south, the house being built on the north 
 front, and the flower-garcjgu- 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 are taken up with a house, lawn, flower-gar- 
 den, &c. He 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 feet 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 J then a central walk four feet wide, through the , 
 
152 APPENDIX. 
 
 width of the garden, and a walk three feet wide close 
 to the south fence." This arrangement will make four 
 large central beds, each 40 by 17 feet, besides the bor- 
 ders. 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.in the soil, 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 drained — 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 case. Lastly, 
 there should 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 S3e what permanent "fixtures" aro 
 wanted. Four feet from the rose-trellis, put in a row 
 of posts, six or seven feet high and eight feet apart, 
 
APPENDIX. 153 
 
 upon wbich stretch foux stout wires. Plant a grape- 
 vine between each post, and, keep them well pruned, 
 on the cane system. Eschew all charlatans and hum 
 bugs, whether in the shape of men or vines, and among 
 the 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 the 
 west border for a few plants of sage, parsley, thyme, &c. 
 
 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* 
 
154: APPENDIX. 
 
 the large beds, about three feet from the box edging, 
 and some eight feet apart. Between each tree a cur- 
 rant or gooseberry bush may be planted ; these should 
 be. raised from cuttings, grown to a single stalk, and 
 regularly winter-pruned. This mode of planting is 
 good in itself, and leaves all but the border of the 
 large beds for the vegetables, strawberries, &c. One bed 
 may be occupied with strawberries and asparagus, 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 purpose we 
 have left three of the large beds. It is taken for 
 granted that a good supply 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 he used 
 for greens, as well as the thinnings of the others. 
 Between the carrots, &c., radishes may be sown. 
 
.APPENDIX. 155 
 
 Leauce, radishes, &c., may be sown in the raspberry 
 and blackberry borders. Peas should be sown iii. 
 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 peas will come off in time for 
 turnips, late cabbage, brocoli or celery; the latter 
 should be planted in beds, the earth thrown out one 
 spade deep, the celery planted in rows, one foot apart, 
 and the plants from six to ten inches in the 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 drills three 
 feet apart, the plants six inches in the drills for the 
 sinall 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 famil3% 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 
 spinach and peas. Radishes may also be planted from 
 time to time along the fruit border, but too much of that 
 will injure the trees. A few egg-plants and peppers 
 may also be planted in the fruit border, but hot imme- 
 diately under the trees. By the exercise of a little 
 
156 APPENDIX. 
 
 judgment, a variety of things may be made to follow 
 each other in this way; so that no spot of ground need 
 necessarily remain unoccupied 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 discharge of ita duties. At all 
 events, he will need but a few days' assistance for the 
 rough work, I know that very much more than this 
 has been done for years, apd will continue to be done. 
 I speak this for the encouragement of those who desire 
 to surround their homes .with these luxuries, but whose 
 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 "treel " 
 
THE 
 
 SMALL FEUIT CULTUEIST. 
 
 Bl 
 
 ANDREW S. FULLER. 
 Beautifully Illustrated. 
 
 We have heretofore had no work especially devoted to small 
 fruits, and certainly no treatises anywliei'e tliiit give the information 
 contained in this. It is to tlie advantage of special works that the 
 autlior can say all that he has to say on any subject, and not be 
 restricted as to space, as he must be in those works that cover the 
 culture of all fruits — great and small. 
 
 This book covers the whole ground of Propagating Small Fi'uits, 
 their Culture, Varieties, Packing for Market, etc. While very full on 
 the other fruits, the Currants and Raspberries have been more care- 
 fully elaborated than ever before, and in this important part of his 
 book, the author has had the invaluable counsel of Charles Downing. 
 The chapter on gatliering and packing the fruit is a vitluable one, 
 and ill it are figured all the baskets and boxes now in common use. 
 Tlie booli is very finely and thorouglily illustrated, and makes an 
 admirable companion to the Grape Cuiturist, by the same aulliur. 
 
 CONXENTSi 
 
 Chap. 1. 
 Chap. II. 
 ClIAP. III. 
 Chap. IV. 
 Chap. V. 
 Chap. VI. 
 
 BARBBRnV. 
 
 Strawberry. 
 Raspberry. 
 Blackberry. 
 DwAUF Chehry. 
 Cuurant. 
 
 Chap. VII. Gooseberry. 
 Chap. VIII. Cornelian Cherry. 
 Chap. IX. Cranberry. 
 Chap. X. Huckleberry. 
 Chap. XL Shbperdia. 
 Chap. XII. Preparation poi. 
 
 GATHERUtG FkUIT; 
 
 Sent post-paid. Price $1.50. 
 
 ORANGE JUDD & CO., 245 Broadway, New-York. 
 
DRAINING FOR PROFIT, 
 
 AXD 
 
 DRAINIJNG FOR HEALTH. 
 
 BY 
 
 GEO. E. WARING, Jb., 
 
 BSGrSKKB OF THB DRAINAGE OF THE CENTRAL PARK, NEWTORK. 
 
 "BTXBT lUEPORTXD 0A8B OF FAILVBB IS DBAHTAGE WSICH WB HATB INTBftTZ* 
 OATBD. HAS BUSOLTBS ITSBLF ZSTO IGKOBAITOB, BLUNDJEBlZfQ, BiS A'^XTAQBUEirT, 
 OB BAD BXBCUTIOX.*'— G^iflfiomtf. 
 
 CONTENTS: 
 
 Gliapter I.— 1.AND TO BK DRAIKKD AND THE R&ASOVS 
 
 "WHY. 
 Cbapter n.-BOAV DRAINS ACT, AND HOW THKY AFFKCT 
 
 the: soil. 
 
 Chapter IIL-HOIV TO (K> TO 1VORK TO IiAT OVT A 
 
 SYSTSDI OP DRAINS. 
 Chapter IV.-HOIV TO DIAKS THB DRAINS. 
 Chapter V.— H01V TO TAKE! CARS OF DRAINS AND 
 
 DRAINED liANDS. 
 Chapter in.-IVHAT DRAININa COSTS. 
 Chapter VII.-'WII.Ii IT FAY? 
 
 Chapter Vni.-HO'W TO MAKE DRAINING TII.ES. 
 Chapter IX.— THE RECIiAIDIING OF SAXT MARSHES. 
 Chapter X.— MAliARIAIi DISEASES. 
 Chapter XI.-HOVSE AND TOWN DRAINAGE. 
 
 Sent post-paid. Price $1.50. 
 
 NEW-TORK: 
 
 ORANGE JUDD & CO., 245 Broadway. 
 
A VALUABLE HEW BOOK. 
 
 THE GRAPE VINE. 
 
 BY FREDERICK MOHR^ - 
 
 DOCTOR or PHILOSOPHY AND MEDICINE. 
 
 Translated from the German, and accompanied with Hints 
 
 on the Propagation and General Treatment of 
 
 American Varieities. 
 
 This work is mainly devoted to the most elementary matters. It ex- 
 plains the structure ana mode Of growth of the vine so clearly that no 
 intelligent pereon- who read's it need' he in doubt what to do with^his 
 vines. It has been well translated, and a chapter on the propagation 
 of American varieties has been substituted for the original one on multi- 
 plying tl e Buropean grape. As anatomy is the foundation of surgery, 
 so is a knowledge of the structure of the vine to the vine-dresser. Id 
 Licch casus, it is as important to.know when and where to cut and how. 
 
 CONTENTS: 
 nevelopniciit and Structare of the Orape Vine. 
 The Nude; Tbe Braiicli; Reasons ror Pruning; Priintne* 
 'JTralnlug on Trellises; Summer Treatment; Plantations. 
 Vines Trained along tbe Garden Walk. 
 Trellises uu iralls; Tree Trellises. 
 Vinos Trained to Trellises; Bronner's jTIetliod. 
 Time Required for Covering a Trellis, 
 manuring the Vine; Age of Vineyard. 
 The Rising Sap in the Vine ; The Grape Disease. 
 Treatment of Vines Injured by Frost. 
 
 Implements ; Proper Time to Perforin Work on the \ luo. 
 Constituents of the Vine and their Distribution. 
 Propagation of tbe Vine: By liaycrs; By Cuttings; By 
 
 Grafting; By Inarching; By Seeds. 
 Hybridization. 
 American Varieties — General management; Planting; 
 
 Pruning; iPinching; Covering in Fall. 
 
 SENT POST-PAID, PRICE $1. 
 ORAlSIGhE JUDD & Co.. 
 
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THE AMERIOAK 
 FOR 1868. 
 
 A. "Year-Book 
 Wanted by everybody. 
 
 This volume is now ready, and contains much of intorest *,o • 
 every a^cultuiist. Besides the general record of agricultural 
 progress, it has a valuable article on 
 
 Factory Dairy Practice, 
 
 By Gakdneb B. Weeks, Esq., Secretary of the American Dairy, 
 men's Association, in which he discusses the reasons for the best 
 practice and the most approved apparatus, buildings, etc., fully il- 
 lustrated, and is equally interesting to the practical dairyman and 
 to the novice. 
 
 Sewers and Earth-Closets 
 
 In^thdr relations to AgrieuUnre, by Col. Geo. E. Wakino, Jr. 
 Winter IVlicat, 
 
 Describing, with engravings, new and valuable varieties by Joseph 
 Hakris and John Johnston ; an article upon 
 
 Scytlies and Cradles, 
 
 By John W. Douglas, (fully illustrated ;) also articles on Horse- 
 Breaking and on Bitting Colts, by Sam*!, P. Headlt, Esq., (il- 
 lustrated ;) on Recent Progress in Agricultural Science, by Prof 
 S. W. JoHNsesf ; on Commercial Fertilizers, Veterinary Medicine 
 and Jurisprudence, Progress of Invention Affecting Agriculture, 
 Valuable Tables for Farmers and others, etc. 
 
 It is intended that the work shall be practical, excellent in the 
 beauty of its illustrations, and in its adaptation to the wants of 
 American Farmers, superior to anything of the kind heretofore 
 published. 
 
 In its general features it is like the Agricultural Annual for 1867, 
 containing an Almanac and Calendar, and there will be added a 
 list of dealers in Agricultural Implements, Seeds, etc. Sent post- 
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VALUABLE AND BEAUTIFUL WORK. 
 
 HARRIS' 
 
 Insects "Injurious to Yegctatioii. 
 
 BT THE LATE 
 
 THADDEUS WILLIAM HARRIS, M.D. 
 
 A New Edition, enlarged and improved, with additions from the author's 
 manuBcripts and original notes. 
 UlnBtrated by engravings drawn from nature under the supervision of 
 
 PliOrfESSOR A-GASSIZ. 
 
 Edited by CHAHLES L. FLINT, 
 Secretary of the Massachusetts State Board of Agriculture. 
 
 C03>TTE3JSrTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. — InsectsDefined— Brain and Nerves— Air-Pipes and Breath- 
 ing-Holes— Heart and Blood— Metamorphoses or Transformations— 
 Classiilcation ; Orders and Groups. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 COLEOPTERA— Beetles— Scai-abTians-Ground-Beetles— Tree-Beetles— Cock- 
 chafers — Flower, Stag, Spring, Timber, Capricorn, Leaf-mining, and Tor- 
 toise Beetles — Cnryaomelians — Cantharides. ^ 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 ORTHOPTERA. -Earwigs — Cockroaches- - Soothsayers — Walking-sticks or 
 Spectres— Mole, Field, Climbing, and Wingless Crickets— Grasshoppers — 
 Katydid — Locusts. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 HEMIPTERA.— Bugs— Squash-Bug— Clinch-Bug— Plant Bugs— Harvest Flies— 
 Tree-Hoppers — Vine-Hoppers — Plant-Lice — ^American Blight— Bark-Lice. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 LEPIDOPTERA. -Caterpillars — Butterflies — Skippers — Hawk-Moths— ^£re- 
 rians or Borin" Caterpillars— Moths — Cut-Worms- Spau-Worms- Leaf- 
 Eollers— Fruit, Bee, Corn, Clothes, and Feather-Winged Moths. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 HYMENOPTERA —Stingers and Piercers -Saw-Flies and Slugs- Elm, Fir, 
 and Vine Saw-FIy — Hose-Bush and Pear-Tree Slugs — Horn-Tailed 
 Wood- Wasps — Gall-Fliea — Barley Insect and Joint Worm. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 DIPTERA. — Gnats and Flies— Maggots and their Transformations- Gall- 
 Gnata- Hessian, Wheat, and Kadish Flies— Two-Winged Gall-Fliea. and 
 Fruit-Flies. 
 rtPPENDIX.—Tlie Army Worm. 
 
 Published in two beautiful editions ; one plain, with steel engravings, Svo, 
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 THE 
 
 AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
 
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 Including a Special Department of Interesting and 
 
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 , It contains each month a Calendar of Operations to be performed on the Farm, 
 In the OrcUard and Garden, la and around the Dwelling, etc. 
 
 The thousands of hints and suggestions given In every volnme are prepared hy prac- 
 tical, Intotllgent working men, who know what they talk and write about. The 
 articles are thoroughly edited, and every way reliable. 
 
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GARDENING FOR PROFIT, 
 
 In the Market and Family G-arden. 
 
 Bt Petee Hendbesoit. 
 
 This is the first work on Market Gardening ever published in ihu 
 country. Its author is well known as a market gardener of eighteen 
 years' successful experience. In this work he has recorded this 
 experience, and given, without reservation, the methods necessary 
 to the profitable culture of the commercial or 
 
 It is a work for which there has long been a demand, and one 
 which will commend itself, not only to those who grow vegetables 
 for sale, but to the cultivator of the 
 
 FASEIIY 6ABDEN, . 
 
 to whom it presents methods quite different from the old ones gen- 
 erally practiced. It is an okiginal and purely American work, and 
 not made up, as books on gardening too often are, by quotations 
 from foreign authors. 
 
 Every thing is made perfectly plain, and the subject treated in all 
 its details, from the selection of the soil to preparing the producta 
 for market. 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 Men fitted for the Business of O-ardenins. 
 
 The Amount of Capital Required, and 
 
 "Working li'oro^^ per Acre. 
 
 Profits of Market Gardenins, 
 
 Iiocation, Situation, and Laying Out. 
 
 Soils, Drainage, and Preparation. 
 
 Manures, Implements. 
 
 Uses and Management of Cold Frames. 
 
 Formation and Management of Hot-beda. 
 
 Forcing Fits or Qreen-houses. 
 
 Seeds and Seed Balsing, 
 
 How, When, and Where to Sow Seeds. 
 
 Transplanting, Insects. 
 
 Packing of Vegetables for Shipping, 
 
 Preservation of Vegetables in "Winte*. 
 
 Vegetables, their Varieties and Cultivation. 
 
 In the last chapter, the most valuable kinds are describeil, and 
 the culture proper to each is given in detail. 
 
 Sent post-paid, price $1.50. 
 ORANGE JUDD & CO., 245 Broadway, New- York. 
 
AMERICAN POMOLOGY. 
 APPLES. 
 
 By r>oct. JOHN A.. "WA.KDER, 
 
 PKllSIDSKT OHIO POXOLOOIOAI. eoOIETT! TIOE-PMSIDIHT AMBBIOAH POJIOLOOIOi* 
 
 8*0IETT. 
 
 393 ir.l.VSXRATI01\S. 
 
 This volume has about 750 pages, the first 375 of which are de 
 Toted to the discussion of the general subjects of propagation, nur. 
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 fruit, insects, and the lilse ; the remainder is occupied with descrip- 
 tions of apples. With the richness of material at hand, the trouble 
 was to decide what to leave out. It will be found that while the 
 old and standard varieties are not neglected, the new and promising 
 sorts, especially those of the South and West, have prominence. 
 A list of selections for different localities by eminent orchardists la 
 a valuable portion of the volume, while the Analytical Index ot 
 Catalogue Saisonni, as the French would say, is the most extended 
 American fruit list ever published, and gives evidence of a fearful 
 amount of labor. 
 
 OOIT TENTS. 
 
 Chapter I.— IWTRODUCTORY. 
 
 Cbapler n.— HISTORY OF THK APPI.E. 
 
 Chapter III FROPAGATIOW. 
 
 Ends and CuttingB — Grafting— Budding— The ISxaeeij. 
 
 Chapter TV DIVARFING. 
 
 Chapter V.— DISKASES. 
 
 Chapter TI— TKE STTE FOR AN ORCHARD. 
 
 Chapter VII.— PRXlPARATlOiy OF SOII. FOR AN ORCHARD. 
 
 Chapter THI SELECTION AND PIiANTING. 
 
 Chapter IX.— CVIiTURI!, Etc. 
 
 Chapter X.— PHII.OSOPHY OF PRUNING. 
 
 Chapter XI THINNING. 
 
 Chapter XH — RIPENING AND PRESERVING FRITITS. 
 
 Chapter XIII and XIV.— INSECTS. 
 
 Chapter XV.— CHARACTERS OF FRUITS AND THEIR 
 
 VAL.UE— TER9IS USED. 
 Chapter XVI CI.ASSIFICATION. 
 
 Necessity fop— Basis of— Characters— Shape — Its Hegn- 
 
 larity-Plavor-Color— Their several Values, etc., Do 
 
 Bcriptiou of Apples. 
 Chapter XVH.— FRUIT 1,ISTS— CATAL.OGUB AND INDEX OF 
 FRUITS. 
 
 Sent Post-Paii Price $3,00. 
 
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THE 
 
 
 ANDEEW S. FULLEE. 
 
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 THE STANDARD WORK 
 
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 AS IT NOT ONLY DISCUSSES PRINCIPLES. 
 
 BUT 
 
 ILLTJSTHATES PRACTICE. 
 
 BJTory thing is made perfectly plain, and. its teacli- 
 ings may toe follovjred upon 
 
 ONE VINE OR A VINEYARD. 
 
 The following are some of the topics tliat are treated: 
 
 Growinq New Varietiks prom Seed. 
 Propagation by Single Buds or Ete8. 
 ' Propagating Hooses and their Managemkxt fdllt described. 
 How TO Grow. 
 
 Cpttings in Open Air, and now to Make Layers. 
 Grafting the Grape — A Simple and Successful Method. 
 Htbbidizing and Crossing — Mode op Operation. 
 Soil and Situation — Planting and Cultivation. 
 PRn.>fiN8, Training, and Trellises — all the Systems Kxplained, 
 Garden Culture — How to Grow Vines in a Door-Yard. 
 Insects, Mildew, Sun-Scald, and other Troubles. 
 Description op the Valuable aM) the Discarded Varieties. 
 
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THE AMERICAN 
 
 FOR 1868. 
 
 ^ "Year-Book 
 FOR KVKRY HOMK. 
 
 The second number of this serial is .now ready. It Rontains a 
 popular fecord of horticultural progress during the past year, 
 besides valuable articles from 
 
 EMINENT HORTICULTURISTS. 
 
 Among those who contributed to its pages are 
 
 Doctor John A. Wabder, 
 S. B. Paksons, 
 Jab. J. H. Gregokt, 
 
 How. Maeshaii, p. Wildek, 
 Peter Hbndersow, 
 Thomas Meehai^, 
 josiah hoopbs, 
 Wm S. Garpbntbr, 
 Georgb W. Campbell, 
 Doctor Van Ketjrbn, 
 
 George Sttch, 
 Andrew S. Fdlleh, 
 John Sattl, 
 James Vick, 
 
 and other well-known pomological and floricultural writers. 
 
 The engravings, which have been prepared expresBly for the 
 work, are numerous, and make it the 
 
 MOST BEAUTlFULLT ILLUSTRATED 
 
 work of its kind ever published in this or any other country. It 
 contains Tables, Lists of Nurserymen, Seedsmen, and Florists, and 
 other useful matters of reference. Sent post-paid. Price, fancy 
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DARWIN'S NEW WORK. 
 
 THE "VAPaiATION 
 
 ANIMALS AND PLANTS 
 
 UNDER DOMESTICATION. 
 
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 CHARLBS D^RAVIN", Mi.ii.,, m.R.S.. ETC. 
 
 AUTHORIZED EDITION. 
 
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 PROFESSOR ASA GRAY. 
 
 This work treats of the variations in our domestic animals and cultivated 
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 ance of peculiarities, results of in-and-in breeding, crossing, etc. 
 
 It is one of the most remarkable 'books of the present day, presenting an 
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 honey-bees, are discussed, as well as our leading culinary and other plants, 
 making it a work of the greatest interest. 
 
 Its importance to agriculturists, breeders, scientiHc men, and the general 
 reader will be seen by its scope as indicated In the following partial enumera- 
 tion of its cofitents : Pigs, Cattle, Shbbp, Goats ; Dogs and Cats, Hobsbs 
 AND Asses ; Domestic Rabbits ; Domestic Piseoss ; Fowls, Ducks, Geese, 
 Peacock, Tubket, Guinea Fowl, Canaet-bird, Gold-I'Ish; Hive-bees; 
 Silk-moths. Cultivated Plants ; Cereal and Cdlinart Plants ; Fruits, 
 Ornamental Trees, Flotvers, Bud Variation. Inheritance, Keveksion 
 OR Atavism, Crossing. On the Good Effects of Crossing, and on the 
 Evil Effects of Close Interbreeding. Selection. Causes of VARiABn.- 
 ITT, Laws of Variation, etc., bto. 
 
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