132 FROM A NEW ENGLAND HILLSIDE. 



XXIV. 



&quot;DOUBTLESS God could have made a 

 better berry, but doubtless God never 

 did.&quot; Thus genial Izaak Walton quotes 

 Dr. Boteler concerning the strawberry. 

 Upon the hill-top and in the meadow, the 

 ripe, wild berries are now sparkling, a vivid 

 red amid the green in the occasional sun 

 shine, staining the dainty fingers of the 

 picker, and telling tales upon the rosy lip 

 even though the toll be light. This after 

 noon I found them so plentiful over a con 

 siderable space, that I could not put my 

 foot down among them without crushing 

 some. These wild berries are small, but 

 they have a pleasant flavour of freedom 

 about them. I wonder whether this would 

 flee as soon as we tried to tame them ? 



I see that it is said that our present cul 

 tivated berries are descended from a Chili 

 strawberry, this having succeeded an ear 

 lier form developed from the Virginia 

 berry. Perhaps it might not be amiss to 

 take a new start. The markets of our 



