DECEMBER. 371 



is no reasonwhy a good one should not some day come forth, that is 

 when they have passed through many stages of improvement like our 

 own, for, in all probability, our original stock, from whence all our 

 present excellent varieties sprang, were natives of America, viz., the 

 Old Scarlet and Carolina. 



The Americans admit that some of the European varieties are superior 

 to their own in size and flavour; still they say, " it is impossible to 

 cultivate them with success, and that every recommendation of these 

 foreign hermaphrodites, as productive and valuable for market purposes, 

 is a gross imposition.' 1 '' They are also termed fancy varieties, 

 and Dr. Bayne, who is said to be a "highly intelligent cultivator," 

 says, " All English varieties have proved with me icorthless trash." 

 Now, I think, we may return the compliment with a good grace ; 

 the only difference is, that we could grow the American varieties in 

 this country perhaps better than they can themselves, only for this 

 simple reason, that they are not worth growing in comparison with our 

 own kinds. 



It seems evident that the climate of the States is not well suited 

 to the successful cultivation of the Strawberry, and that none of our 

 fine European varieties thrive so well as their own inferior strain of 

 seedlings, which are mostly of the Old Scarlet class, and which nearly 

 every grower in this country has ceased to cultivate, to give place to 

 other kinds of superior merit. 



Lately, we have received a descriptive catalogue of American Straw- 

 berries grown by W. R. Prince & Co., of Long Island, N.Y., which 

 enumerates 153 varieties, among which number, 63 named kinds, and 

 said to be splendid, are their own seedlings, and sent out by themselves ; 

 now if all are as good as they are represented, we may suppose them 

 to be the most successful raisers of Strawberries in the world ; and in 

 all, their catalogue contains 109 varieties of American origin, and 

 mostly all the European kinds are rejected, among which are all 

 Hyatt's seedlings ; and, when we find that Nicholson's May Queen is 

 described as of fine flavour, Omar Pacha very large and beautiful, and 

 Sir C. Napier as a late kind, we cannot place much confidence in their 

 display of judgment, or the correctness of the description of other kinds. 



We have also before us a circular respecting a new Strawberry, named 

 Downer's Prolific Seedling, from J. S. Downer, a nurseryman near 

 Elkton, Todd County, K.Y. This wonderful Strawberry is reported 

 to be " ten times as productive as any of the 100 varieties cultivated 

 in that vicinity, averaging 123 berries to each single plant, and of 

 course, in size and flavour, equal to any other variety in cultivation, 

 and not to be sent out till 25,000 plants are ordered;" so Mr. Downer 

 intends, if possible, to be on the safe side, as it is coming out at a very 

 high price, accompanied with a deal of puff; and all who may think 

 fit to favour Mr. Downer with an order will have to pay about £7 

 for 100 plants. 



We must leave our readers to judge for themselves whether it is all 

 gospel that our American friends set forth ; as for ourselves, we think 

 no American varietv would improve our present collection. 



J. P. 



