666 THE STRA WBERR 7. 



house ; or it may be planted in pits, and trained under the glass, 

 which is the practice in Holland. 



The Nootka raspberry (R. Nutkanus, * Arb. Brit.,' vol. ii. p. 745, 

 and 'Encyc. of Trees and Shrubs,' p. 318), produces large red fruit, 

 which is found to make excellent tarts. If the same care were bestowed 

 on this species which has been given to the raspberry, we have no 

 doubt it would become one of our standard fruit shrubs. R. odoratus, 

 a closely allied species, or perhaps, only a variety, with fragrant foliage, 

 is said to produce yellow fruit of a large size, and a very fine flavour. 



The Strawberry. 



The strawberry (Fragaria, L.) is an herbaceous stoloniferous plant, of 

 which there are several species, natives of Europe, the temperate parts 

 of Asia and North America. The fruit has received its name from 

 the practice, more common in former times than at present, of laying 

 straw or litter between the rows. The fruit of the European straw- 

 berry in a wild state, gathered from the woods, has long been esteemed 

 by the rich as well as the poor, but little or no improvement took place 

 in its culture till the introduction of the Virginian Strawberry or 

 Scarlet, the Pine or Surinam Strawberry, and the Chili Strawberry, 

 which are considered by botanists as distinct species. All these sorts 

 may be crossed indiscriminately ; and thus have been produced 

 some hundreds of sorts, many of very great excellence, and chiefly by 

 British gardeners; for till within these few years, no other straw- 

 berry was cultivated on the Continent than the small sort common in 

 the woods. What gives the strawberry a special value is, that like the 

 gooseberry, it can be grown in as great perfection in the ground plot 

 of the peasant, as in the finest walled garden of the peer. 



Use. The fruit is much valued in the dessert, of which, without 

 the aid of glass, it may form a part from the beginning of June to 

 November, and by the aid of the forcing pit from March till June, thus 

 giving an eight months' season of this most delicious fruit. It is of 

 very general use in confectionery, and is recommended medicinally in 

 cases where acid fruits are injurious. It dissolves the tartareous in- 

 crustations of the teeth, promotes perspiration, and has many other 

 good qualities. 



Varieties. The following list includes all the best. The earliest 

 varieties: Black Prince, Princess Alice, Keen's Seedling, Sir Joseph 

 Paxton, Prince Frederick William, Prince Imperial, La Bonne Marie. 



Choice Dessert Strawberries. British Queen, Dr. Hogg, Eliza, 

 Myatt's Pine, Old Pine, La Constante, Carolina Superba, Victoria, Sir 

 Charles Napier, Deptford Pine, White Pine-apple, Prince Arthur, 

 Victoria, Empress Eugenie, Admiral Dundas, Ascot Pine-apple, Elton 

 Pine, Mr. RadclyfFe. 



Culinary or Preserving Strawberries. Old Scarlet, Grove End 

 Scarlet, Black Prince, Elton Pine, Oscar, President, Prince of Wales, 

 Sir Harry, and Eleanor. Hautbois : The Royal is far superior to all 

 other varieties in this class. 



Alpine and Wood Strawberries. These comprehend the Fragaria 



