EARLY HISTORY 3 



northern settlers, were having similar delightful experi- 

 ences. Young's "Chronicles of the Pilgrims" records 

 expeditions from Plymouth into the surrounding country, 

 on which they found "strawberries innumerable." New 

 England was forest clad at that time (1620) ; it was the 

 custom of the Indians to burn over certain areas each year, 

 in order to secure ground in which to plant corn. Straw- 

 berries thrived in these burnt-over districts. Morton, 

 who was at Plymouth in 1622, says, in his "New Eng- 

 land Canaan," " Wild strawberries grew in plenty in the 

 meadow and champaign lands." 



In 1629 William Wood visited New England; he re- 

 turned to England in 1633 and there published the follow- 

 ing year his "New England's Prospect," which is a record 

 of his experiences and observations in the New World. 

 Of the Massachusetts Plantations he says, "There is 

 likewise Strawberries in abundance, verie large ones, some 

 being two inches about ; one may gather halfe a bushell 

 in a forenoone." In 1643 Roger Williams wrote, "This 

 berrie is the wonder of all the fruits growing naturally in 

 these parts. In some parts where the natives have 

 planted" (that is, planted corn), "I have many times 

 seen as many as would fill a good ship within a few miles 

 compass. The Indians bruise them in a mortar and 

 mix them with meale and make Strawberry bread." 

 Strawberry bread was commonly used by the Indians 

 in other parts of the continent, as well as along the 

 Atlantic coast. 



The colonists of New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, 

 the Carolinas, and other parts of the Atlantic sea- 

 board found wild strawberries no less abundant than in 

 Virginia and New England. In 1683 William Penn 

 mentioned with appreciation the abundance of wild 



