Pomological Gossip. 25 



purchasing public. Individual opinion on such matters is not 

 sufficient, however honorable, high-minded and far removed 

 from suspicion the censor may be. The Josling's St. Albans 

 grape was a proof of this; a verdict of superior excellence 

 was pronounced upon that fruit by a well-known individual, 

 to whose integrity I need not add my humble testimony. But 

 it proved to be nothing but Chasselas Musque, a grape which 

 everybody had been growing for years. In Strawberries, my 

 experience has not borne out the assertions made respecting 

 some of the kinds. I do not find the Black Prince worth 

 culture, and have long dispensed with it. It is certainly 

 early, but not earlier than Grove-end Scarlet ; less produc- 

 tive, and not so fit for the cook and confectioner, on account 

 of its color. In the dessert, it will not be patronized at a 

 season when large dinners, routes, and balls can be furnished 

 with British Q,ueens, of which every body must take " two 

 bites." As a late sort, it has no value with me, but probably 

 if forced and turned out, it would, like other kinds, yield some 

 late fruit. The Goliah strawberry in like manner is with me 

 acid, insipid, coarse, very large, and a shy bearer ; instead of 

 being superior to the " British Q,ueen," it is as much inferior 

 to that excellent kind, as the Q,ueen of the Sandwich Islands 

 would be in comparison witli our august Sovereign ; the Bicton 

 White was another kind only valuable for its color. If your 

 readers refer to the Journal of the Horticultural Society, they 

 will there find much such an estimate of the " tremendous 

 bearer " and <' superior to British Q,ueen" kinds as I have 

 experienced. I for one will buy no more new strawberries 

 from merely advertised descriptions. Myatt's Eleanor has 

 been by some parties described as of " fine flavor ; " it may, I 

 think, prove valuable for preserving, but it is disagreeably 

 acid for the dessert ; it will, however, be useful, on account 

 of its lateness. Myatt's Globe is a good and useful straw- 

 berry, but not equal to Eliza or British Q.ueen. Myatt's 

 Mammoth is only worth growing for display ; it is magnifi- 

 cent in appearance, but horrible in flavor. Prince Arthur will 

 prove useful ; it is, as the late Mr. Wilmot said of it, " as 

 hard as a cricket ball," and will bear packing well. Unques- 



VOL. XVIII. NO. I. 4 



