HUCKLEBERRY. 257 



of the history or cultivation of this fruit, from the fact that 

 there is nothing connected therewith which would make 

 the subject interesting. The Huckleberry is one of those 

 fruits which have always been neglected ; none of our horti- 

 cultural writers have deemed it worthy of any particular 

 description, and but very few have thought it worthy of 

 mention. 



Why this neglect, I am at loss to understand, for the 

 Huckleberry possesses naturally better qualities than even 

 the Currant and Gooseberry. 



All of our northern species are perfectly hardy, produc- 

 ing no thorns, (which is such a disagreeable feature with 

 many of our small fruits,) and the plants are generally 

 quite productive. 



The berries are more firm than the Raspberry, Black- 

 berry, or Strawberry, consequently, will bear carriage 

 well, and are suitable for market. 



Thousands of bushels are annually gathered from the 

 woods and fields, but these sources of supply will not al- 

 ways be available ; besides, we should not be content with 

 depending wholly upon nature for either the necessaries 

 or the luxuries of life, while a helping hand would not 

 only increase the quantity, but improve the quality. 



Those species, which naturally grow upon high, dry 

 soils, will probably be the best for garden culture ; still, be- 

 cause a plant is found in its wild state in any particular 

 soil or situation, it does not follow that similar circum- 

 stances are always necessary for its best development when 

 under cultivation. If nature invariably located plants un 

 der the most favorable conditions for growth, then improve- 

 ments would be less certain and far more difficult than 

 now. The history of horticulture affords abundant testi- 

 mony to the fact that many plants succeed far better in 

 soils and locations differing very materially from the one 

 in which nature has placed them, than otherwise. 



The Swamp Huckleberry, ( V. corymbosum,) is some 

 11* 



