EARLY HISTORY 27 



sorts, and whether they will give satisfaction anywhere 

 except on the grounds of the originator. The introduction 

 of the Hovey marked the emancipation of our horticulture 

 from that of the Old World, and the beginning of North 

 American plant breeding. 



Extension of Commercial Culture, 1838-1854 



In the sixteen years between the introduction of the 

 Hovey and the introduction of the Wilson, there was a 

 considerable extension of the strawberry industry, espe- 

 cially in the territory tributary to Cincinnati, New York 

 and Baltimore. The greatest progress was made at 

 Cincinnati; between 1845 and 1849 it was the leading 

 strawberry market of the country. In 1848 Charles 

 Cist recorded the quantity marketed in Cincinnati at 

 that time : 



"In 1846, 4200 bushels. 



In 1847, 4576 bushels. 



In 1848, 4965 bushels. 



"To this should be added large quantities sent off by 

 railroads. I should put down the entire product of the 

 strawberry in 1847 at 6500 bushels, and in 1848 at 7000 

 bushels." ^ He informs us that these berries were raised 

 on "not over 250 acres," which would make the aver- 

 age yield 896 quarts an acre ; and that " the biggest indi- 

 vidual acreage was 60 acres, in three jSelds, ow^ned by a 

 Mr. Culbertson." The Horticulturist records that this 

 "Strawberry King sent to the market of Cincinnati, in 

 a single day, four thousand quarts of strawberries. He 

 employs sixty hands in gathering them." ^ The berries 



1 U. S. Patent Office Report, 1848, pp. 609-17. 



2 The Horticulturist, 1847, p. 95. 



