STRAWBERRIES. 



REMARKS OK DlFFEBEN't VARil5tJEi3, 



The Strawberry crop is becoming an important one, 

 both to the cultivator and consumer. It is a very 

 delicious fruit, admirably combining rich acid and 

 saccharine qualities, -which render it very welcome 

 in hot weather ; and its being the earliest fruit in 

 the season gives it an additional iraiiortance. 



Every family in the country should have a good 

 supply of strawberries, they are so delicious, and so 

 much more palatable and wholesome than meat, but- 

 ter, rich cake, &c. AVe would rather have for supper 

 a piece of good bread, with fine-flavored strawberries, 

 tempered with sugar, than the most costly and rich- 

 est dishes that the wide world can afford. 



So valuable is this fruit, that every farmer, and 

 every one who has room in his garden, should raise 

 it for his ov.i\ family, at least, unless he is fortu- 

 nately in a region where the delicious wild strawberry 

 abounds. And we trust that so much attention is 

 now given to the cultivation of this fruit for the 

 market, that every family can have a supply at mod- 

 erate prices. 



The farmer should consider that a bed of strawber- 

 ries, two rods long and one wide, yielding a fair crop, 

 ■will give him two quarts a day for twelve days, and 

 twice that quantity if the yield be very large. A 

 gardener*in formed us that from less than one square 

 rod he had twenty quarts. But little land, ma- 

 nure, and time, is required to afford this most de- 

 licious and healthful luxury — to children a most 

 delightful treat. \Mio will neglect to cover their 

 bright faces with smiles of joy as they partake of 

 the delicious feast, or lose the opportunity of illus- 

 trating the beneficence of our heavenly Parent in 

 his bountiful gifts, and the kindness of friends in 

 providing such fine delicacies to cheer their grateful 

 hearts ? 



With these preliminary remarks on the importance 

 of the strawberry, and the advantages of extending 

 its culture, we proceed to give an account of a num- 

 ber of the most prominent varieties in general culti- 

 vation, or wliich seem to have claims to this distinc- 

 tion. V.'c hare often said that the cheapest of all 



ilViprovements in the cultivation of vegetables, or 

 rearing of animals, was the selection of the best va- 

 rieties ; for, although this may cost a little more a^ 

 first, a beginning may be made, and soon enough will 

 be produced for one's own supply, and perhaps a sur- 

 plus that will bring an extra price, and make an am- 

 ple return for the original stock. 



We cultivate strawberries for our own use, also for 

 the purposes of experiment, that we may test all the 

 varieties that have claims to excellence, in order to 

 learn their hardiness, vigor, the quality of fruit, time 

 of ripening, and various other habits ; and to supply 

 a few plants with other nursery productions. Li ad- 

 dition, we have examined for years the principal 

 strawberry plantations in this region, also our mar- 

 ket, and we confer with the principal cultivators and 

 dealers in this fruit. If these advantages can enable 

 us to give to the cultivators of this fruit any useful 

 information, we do it with pleasure. 



Whether we cultivate fruit for our oAvn use, or for 

 the market, the time that each variety ripens is wor- 

 thy of consideration, in order that we may have fruit 

 in succession, or have it for the market when it will 

 bring the highest price. Our strawberries are on a 

 fine loam, tolerably drj'; the immediate location is 

 rather warm, having a southern aspect, but not for- 

 ward, as it is not far fi-om the water. 



The following are the times of ripening of several 

 varieties, which, in regard to comparing one with 

 another, will not differ much from an average of sea- 

 sons : — 



Early Virginia, June 22 



Ijargc Early Scarlet, •' 22 



Boston Pine, «« 26 



Willcy, " 26 



Jenncy's Seedling, " 27 



Black Prince, " 27 



Hovey 's Seedling, " 28 



Fay's Seedling, " 28 



Wood, or Alpine July 1 



Ncwiand's Mammoth, " 1 



Milford Native, " 4 



Tlie time named is when the fruit began to ripen, 

 and, generally, it continued about one week. Jen- 

 nev's continued in use nine or ten days. This tablo 



