318 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



charine qualities ; but they have lost much of their hardy char- 

 acter, beside tliat most highly-prized of jDerfumes, the peculiar 

 fragrance of the American strawberry; 



*' Some of the imported varieties of strawberries could hardly 

 be recognized by their fragrance as belonging to the strawberry 

 family; and it may be questioned if this peculiar characteristic 

 would have been lost, or the hardihood of the plant so much in- 

 jured, if the improvement had been made at home. I, for one, 

 think not, for the new varieties that have been produced here 

 show that such is not so likely to be the result. 



" The strawberry may be taken as a fair sample of what may 

 be expected of other native fruits, if an equal amount of skill is 

 applied to their cultivation. 



" Among our indigenous fruits, which seem to recommend them- 

 selves to our special care, are the following: The Plum, Cherry, 

 Thorn Apple, Persimmon, Custard-Apple, Grape, Cranberry, 

 Whortleberry, Gooseberry, Blackberry, Strawberry, and Rasp- 

 berry. America has of each of these from two to twenty differ- 

 ent species, and why cannot we with this number equal, if not 

 excel in number and excellence, all other countries. There are 

 still many other fruits worthy of attention, but the few I have 

 mentioned must suffice for the present. 



" The many specjes of nuts, such as the chestnut, hickory nut, 

 black walnut, butternut, beechnut, &c., should also, receive the 

 attention that their many excellent qualities deserve. 



" But it may be thought to be asking too much of individuals 

 to undertake these improvements, depending upon their success 

 for remuneration, and doubtless it would be ; but have we not 

 a government which is annually expending thousands of dollars 

 in sending out itinerant nurserymen or botanists to Europe, to 

 purchase seeds, to be distributed through the country at an ex- 

 pense to the public of more than one hundred times their value. 



" Why cannot a portion of this money, so foolishly expended, 

 be paid to some enterprising collector, to travel through our 

 own country and gather seeds, grafts, cuttings, and plants of our 

 truly valuable indigenous fruits ? 



" Let a scientific cultivator, or a number of them, receive these 

 plants and seeds, and propagate and distribute them as fast as 

 the}^ prove worth}' of cultivation. 



•' Ten thousand dollars a year, judiciously expended in this 

 way, I am confident would be of more benefit to the country and 



