10 



NEW ENGLAND E ARMER, 



Julv 81, 1S29. 



thii.s described. The beds were upon fliit f,'round, 

 each about three feet wide, and bi-lween them 

 were ircmthcs about nine inches wide, and tour 

 inch walls of brick on each side of the trenches, 

 to keep u|) the earth on the sides of the beds. — 

 Thi-r^e trenches were about tlie depth of two or 

 tlirce courses of bricks laid flat, without mortar, 

 and were intendeil I'or the purpo.-^e of lioMing 

 water, which was su])plied from a pump, when- 

 ever the ground was dry, white the planla tcere in 

 fruit, hy this method, a much greater crop of 

 fruit was obtained, and the plants continued bear- 

 iui; much longer than in beds where there were 

 no trenches for water. 



" In Devonshire, strawberry beds are construct- 

 ed against the side of a hill onbarik, by building 

 up beds in steps, with rough "anite at the front, 

 to keep up the earth, each step being about two 

 feet high and three feet wide. These ste|)s were 

 filled with good loam, and the surface of each was 

 covered with rough |)iecea of granite, bedded into 

 the Joam, leaving openings between the stones, 

 just sullicient to put in the pli/^ts. The surface 

 being covered with granite kept the ground long, 

 cr in a moist state, and llie fruit always clean. 



" I have found a great advantage in keeping 

 liie fruit clean, by laying a row of common bricks 

 on each side of the rows of strawberry plants ; I 

 tried plaiu tiles, but found bricks answered better, 

 ns the tiles are apt to be broken in gathering the 

 fruit. 



" The fruit has received its name from the an- 

 cient practice of laying straw between the rows, 

 which keeps the ground moist and the fruit 

 clean." 



In this country we have ahnost a cloudless sky, 

 and fervent heat, while showers are very uncer- 

 tain, and commonly not sufliciently copious, from 

 the lime slrawbcrrics conunencc blossoming, until 

 the period of their rij)ening has passed, and too 

 often half or two thirds of the crop is lost from 

 the effects of drought. The plants suddenly 

 wither, and the fruit is cither not formed, or pre- 

 maturely dried up, or shrivelled. 



If the beds were so situated, that a shallow 

 trench between the rows, could be filled with 

 water every evening, when rain does not fall in 

 Hullicient (juantity the result woulil fully reward 

 the care and extra labor of the cultivator. 



A few years since I had s\x rows of strawber- 

 ries which promised a great crop, until the fruit 

 began to ripen, when the weather becoming hot 

 and dry, there was great fear of the consequence. 

 As they were at a considerable distance from the 

 ]ium|>, all of them could not be conveniently wa- 

 teied, but as an experiment, two rows were boun- 

 tifully supplied, every evening, until all the fruit 

 was gathered, and they yielded nearly twice as 

 much as I he remaining four rows. 



We have received most of our information on 

 horticulture from England, and have introduced 

 many of their modes of cultivation, without suf- 

 ficiently considering the difference of climate. — 

 Tlii;re they have frerpieni showers, or damp, cloudy 

 wi.-ather, with but few clear, anil seldom any hot 

 days; while in this country we. generally suffer 

 from excessive lu'al, ami such as is never experi- 

 enced in (Jrcat Uritain. 'J'licse lulificial means 

 are resorted to lor obtaining the reipiisite bent to 

 mature many ganlen vegetables ami most of the 

 fruits which ripen hero in the open air. Here 

 there is usually a superabundance of heat, and a 

 lack of moisture, which must be sup|>lied by art. 



We must imitate the cultivators of Portugal, 

 Spain, Franc, Italy, Greece, Asia, and Egypt, 

 where irrigation is considered so indispensable 

 that it has occasioned an adage as old as the his- 

 tories of those countries, that " Tukke ca.v be ^o 



UARDF..N WITHOUT A KOU.VTAl.N." 



Damp, cold land will not answer for strawber- 

 ries ; it should be mellow and warm, but not ele- 

 vated and dry, unless proper means are taken for 

 complete irrigation. 



The most perfect scientific account of the 

 strawberry family, which has been published ia 

 contained in a re|)orl made to the Horticultural 

 Society of London, by James Bariiet, L iider Gar- 

 dener in the Fruit Department of that disiinguish- 

 ed institution.* 



On the establishment of the Garden at Chiswick, 

 circulars were sent to the Fellows, and Correspon- 

 dents of the Society, to ascertain the names, char- 

 acters, history, &c. of the different kinds possess- 

 ed by each individual. Seventy answers were re- 

 ceived, and upwards of four hundred parcels of 

 runners, — small quantities of each kind of which 

 were planted and carefully cultivateil through the 

 seasons of 1823 and 1824. To facilitate the ar- 

 rangement of this vast collection the whole were 

 disposed into the following seven classes, and des- 

 criptions given of the varieties of the fine fruit 

 with their synonymes. 



1. The Scarlet Strawberry, 26 varieties. 



crease the size of the fruit if effectually done ; b 

 from an experiment made a few years since the 

 did not ap|icar to be such a favorable result 

 was anticipated. To produce the largest fn 

 from the most magnificent varielies, the lunn 

 should doubtless be eradicated. 



It will afford me pleasure to furnish plants 

 the kinds 1 possess, to tlie members of the Ma; 

 achusetts Horticultural Society, who will call I 

 them, during the next month. 

 Very respectfully, 



Your most obedient servant, 



n. A. S. DEARBORN. 

 Brinley Place, July 23, 1829. 



which have 228 synonymes. 



Mr Unrnet states, that with the addition of the 

 two remaining classes, and of the varieties of the 

 other classes, yet undiscovered, which are either 

 in the ganlen of the Society, or which, though ex- 

 isting, have not been received, the list may be ex- 

 tended to near one hundred. 



He conmienced as a good selection from the 

 kinds, which have been enumerated, the follow- 

 ing, as possessing the proj'erties most desired for 

 cultivation. 



" Scarlets. Old Scarlet Roseberry, Carmine, 

 Scarlet, Grove End, Duke of Kent's Grimstone, 

 American, Hudson's Bay, Cockscomb, and Wil- 

 mot's late Scarlet. 



"Blacks. Pitmaston, and Downton. 



"Pi.NF.s. Bastack, Sm-inam, Olil Pine, Kccn'.-^ 

 Seedling, and Rouiwl White Carolina. 



"CniLis. Wilinot's Superb, Ilautbois, Prolific, 

 and Flat." 



" If to these twenty sorts, were added planta- 

 tions of Red, and White Alpines, the whole would 

 form a more (jcrfect coHcclion of strawberries than 

 has, i)robably ever cxi.sted together, in any on ■ 

 garden. It is to be observed, that flavor has not 

 been the only iiro|)erty attended to in the above 

 selection ; certain kinds, though deficient in that 

 important i)oinl, have been included, because of 

 their superior productiveness ; it being considered 

 that qmintity, as well as quality and variety, is 

 usually required." 



Many cd' the writers on the cullivnilon of the 

 strawberry reconunend that the runners should be 

 carefully cut cdV. It no doubt wr)uld tend to in- 



" \ ol. Ni. TrujK. Ilor. So., Lutiiluu. 



rOR THE NEW ENGLAJCD rASMEB. 



HORTICULTLRE. 



The recent exhibiiions at the meetings of t 

 New York, and Philadelphia Horticultural SocJ 

 ties are highly gratifying, as they prove the gn 

 interest felt hi the cause of Horticulture. If the 

 is any fact which may be taken as certain, in : 

 lation to improvements, it is, that Horticuitu 

 shows, and exhibitions have done more for tl 

 art in Europe, than all other causes put togeth 

 and if we are ever to rival the transatlantic cu 

 vators, it must be by the same course. In ord 

 liowevcr,to renderthcse exhibitions of the great 

 possible value, there should be precision in stati 

 the /ac<s — there should be a common langu: 

 known and understood equally at New Vo 

 Philadelphia, and Boston. .At New York th' 

 were *ix competitors for the pri/es for the b 

 gooseberries — the three first exhibited gooseb 

 rics weighing from 4)t ounces and 7 penny weig 

 the dozen gooseberries, to 4^ — and the rest fel 

 3<i. Now we ask were these taken from prtpa 

 bushes ? Every one knows, that the berrie^ 

 the centre, and near the ground, are much 

 largest — if the berries from the other parts 

 removed in May, those that are left will swel 

 a great size. I have gooseberries imported 

 years since from Lancashire. 1 did not Ihiii th 

 out, but from bushes which bore 2 ijuarts cac 

 selected 24, and each dozen weighed 4 ounce.' 

 if they had been thinned they-would have wei 

 ed 5 ounces at least. Perhaps the New York 

 hibitors did not thin their bushes, in which c 

 their berries were finer than mine — what is 

 fact ? 



Mr Prince, of Flushing, made a noble e.xhibit 

 of rare plants, which did honor to his zeal, i 

 proved his great attention to the interesting art 

 which he is the most extensive ])rofessor in t 

 country. Among other plants he exhibited a 1' 

 fa fdamento3a, which is said to have been 7 fee 

 inches high. Now I ask was the foicerinf; p 

 so Ions; ' If .so the whole height of the stalk m : 

 have been 12 feet! We are embarrassed, Ik t 

 to the north, in understanding this statement, 1 

 cause Dr .Mea.-ic presented at Philadelphia, i 

 same plant measuring beiween 8 ami 1> feet 

 height, but it is said the flowering part was oi 

 between 3 and 4 feet. I had two flowering sic 

 of the Vuccn filnnxntosa \\\i\i\i were very fine. 

 One i sent to Gen. Dkarrobn, President of < 

 llorticnliur.'il Society, which 1 did not nieasu 

 but the other I find to be 8 feet high, wi;h 1 

 Indls, or flowei-s. 1 have had one producing 1 

 bells. It seems to me that it wouhl be belter 

 give the number of flowers, which will arcurati 1 

 test the vigor and beauty of the [dant. These 



