40S BTEAWBEEEEES AT THE 80UTU. 



acliusetts, or than the McLaucjhlin^ of wliioli, by tlie way, nobody can toll the origin, 

 the oldest known trees here being grafted,) perfectly healthy, abundantly productive, 

 vin^orous in growth, and the fruit fairer than as grown in Massachusetts and New 

 York, and tell me what are the particular items of similarity between Belgium and 

 Maine which caused this fruit to retain its vigor and productiveness here ? 



Let me not be understood, by any means, as undervaluing native fruits. Xobody 

 thinks more highly of them, or would more strongly urge their production by every 

 cultivator ; only I do not believe in such a rapid manufacture of a native that one 

 generation, or two, or five will develop the highest degree of excellence. There is 

 doubtless a nucleus of truth to which this, that I maintain to be error, has attached 

 itself. Rare is it for any error to obtain extensively which has not truth enough to 

 hold on by. 



The same paper, by Downing, from which the above quotation is taken, has the 

 following, which may indicate wliat it is : "There a2')pears to be something in our new 

 soil, and distinct climate, which imparts new vital powers and gives a new type to the 

 oflfspring of an old stock in the vegetable races of the other continent." Perhaps a 

 ditierent formula may approximate towards an indication of it, to wit : That there is 

 in the productions of nature a tendency implanted by the benificent Creator to change 

 it into a type specially adapted to the peculiarities of each locality, and this by succes- 

 sive generations from the seed. We see such a tendency with unusual clearness in 

 the case of maize or Indian corn. Plant seed, adapted to one locality, in another at a 

 distance, and year by year we gradually find it varying, until at length it reaches the 

 type best adapted to its new situation. Something analagous to this may prevail 

 among fruits ; but whether just so or not, go on to plant seeds and continue to plant, 

 and when you obtain a desirable acquisition, (your judgment being, perhaps, uncon- 

 sciously warped by parental fondness,) don't spend the remainder of your energy in 

 extolling its wonderful merits as a native, but rejoicing in the accomplishment of one 

 step, go on in the right direction to cross-breed it with others of known merit, and so 

 effect another advance in what may prove a long race before the highest attainable 

 point of excellence is reached. 



STRAWBERRIES AT THE SOUTH. 



BY AVM. W. WHITE, ATHENS, GA. 



I RESUME my notes upon fi-uits with the strawberry — a fruit capable of being brought 

 to great perfection in this climate. To make the most of a strawberry bed, it requires 

 a suitable situation and soil, clean and deep culture, vegetable manures, regular watering 

 in dry weather, and mulching the roots. The varieties we will consider hereafter. 

 As to situation select the lowest part of the garden. A sandy piece of bottom land 

 near some stream where the soil is deep, moist and cool, is particularly suitable for 

 this plant. No trees should be permitted to over-shadow and drink up the moisture 



