iDg and resowing seeds of the best varieties under cultivation, 

 by transplanting to the garden plants of the choicest wild ber- 

 ries, and by crossing and hybridizing, a process that will be 

 hereafter described. 



The result is, that we now have raspberries, blackberries, 

 grapes, and currants, nearly equal in size and quality to the 

 finest foreign sorts, and greatly surpassing them in hardiness 

 and general adaptation to our climate. The progress made 

 seems more rapid every year, as the methods are better under- 

 stood, and it is to be hoped that the ideal berry will soon be 

 produced. 



SMALL FRUITS NEGLECTED. 



It would seem that no owner or lessee of land for a term of 

 years would omit to plant out on his place a variety of small 

 fruits, sufficiently abundant to supply his family during their 

 entire season. There should always be a surplus for the liberal 

 entertainment of friends, always numerous in the berry sea- 

 son, and for preserving in various ways for winter use. The 

 first cost of plants would be but a trifle, no more than a meer- 

 schaum pipe, a box of cigars, or a gallon of whiskey, and 

 they are so rapidly propagated that the sale of surplus plants 

 may be made a source of some income. 



When urging farmers to plant out small fruits, we are fre- 

 quently told that there is an abundance of wild berries in the 

 neighboring fields and pastures, to be had for the mere picking. 

 Now, while there may be wild berries of an inferior quality in 

 some localities, it is more often the case that the supply is lim- 

 ited to one or two kinds, and these are only attainable by mak- 

 ing rambling journeys over brush and brake. There is nothing 

 like a continuous supply during the small fruit season. 



It is often claimed that wild fruits strawberries and the like 

 are superior in flavor to cultivated varieties. This is a great 

 mistake, arising in part from lack of familiarity with the best 

 cultivated sorts, and in part from an uncultivated taste. I have 

 seen persons who preferred the flavor of the wild, foxy grapes 

 of the swamps to that of the best foreign variety grown under 

 glass. 



The wild strawberry is not usually picked as soon as colored, 

 as frequently occurs in case of those under cultivation, but 



