THE GOLIATH STRAWBERRY. 



The onl}'' summer pruning the vines receive is that above described, together with the 

 removal of a few leaves when they cause too dense a shade over the fruit. His Catawba 

 and Isabella vines, are confined in a space of six feet by eight feet high, and are every 

 season loaded with fruit, from within eighteen inches of the ground to the top of the 

 trellis. The berries are of good size, though the bunches are not quite so large, as may be 

 obtained when a Catawba vine is permitted to run twenty to thirty feet, and bear its fruit 

 on the end, as some amateurs here fancy to train their vines, the bare stems having the 

 appearance of old cordage hung about from prop to prop, with amass of verdure attached 

 to the end. In return for this unsightly mode of culture, they certainly do obtain a few 

 larger bunches of grapes, than I have seen produced in the open air under any other mode 

 of culture. You will oblige j'our correspondent, by saying whether the experience of the 

 past six years has changed the opinion of the mode of summer pruning, recommended in 

 your journal in August 1846. Respectfully, C. 



Loiiistille, Ky., July'.). 1S5'2. 



Our opinion relating to vines out of doors is substantially the same: that is to say, we 

 advise every leaf to be left, and only stop the fruit bearing branches when they become 

 so long as to become unmanageable — i.e. fill up the trellis or stake too much. The severe 

 .system of pruning out of door vines is both unnatural and unsuited to our climate. Un- 

 der glass the vine is placed under artificial conditions and may be successfully subjected 

 to various modes of pruning and culture. 



In cultivating Isabellas and Catawbas for fruit (not wine) in the garden or field, two 

 things are most important. The first is to give the roots — to the very ends — in the au- 

 tumn, an immense top dressing of stable manure (digging it in well,) for no tree needs so 

 much animal matter as the grape; the second is to prune the vine very closely, careful- 

 ly and thoroughly in the early spring or at the close of winter. These two things will 

 always secure a fine crop of very large fruit. Summer pruning is only a secondary — 

 though still important matter. Ed. 



THE GOLIATH STRAWBERRY. 



Among the various new strawberries that have been tested for two years past, the Goli- 

 ath appears to be the finest of that class usually called Pine Strawberries. 



We believe the Goliath is a German variety, introduced into this country by Messrs. 

 TnoMAS Hogg & Son, Yorkville Nurseries, New- York. At any rate, our first acquain- 

 tance with it was through some plants sent us by these experienced and skillful nursery- 

 men — who commended the sort to us as one which had acquired reputation on the conti- 

 nent, and promised well under their own cultivation. 



The advantages of the Goliath over most of the Pine strawberries, appear to be its 

 greater hardiness and adaptation to our climate. We have found the plants to stand the 

 past severe winter well, without any protection, and to bear an abundant crop. Not- 

 withstanding this, we would recommend a mulching of tan-bark two inches deep, as cal- 

 culated to improve both the vigor of the plants, and the size of the fruit. 



Our neighbor, Dr. IIui,L, (of whose success in strawberry culture we have repeatedly 

 spoken,) has grown the Goliath to very great perfection this season, and the sketch of a 

 of the fruit of this variety, which we give in the annexed figure, is one taken from 

 plants. The remarkably high vinous flavor of the Goliath, added to its hardiness and 



