292 Notes and Gleanings. 



many days in the year when more or less rain falls ; and an American misses the 

 clear skies and bright sun to which he is accustomed in his own country, some- 

 times for weeks together. But this is not wholly without its compensation. 

 Many of the rains are but slight, and of no very long duration, — not more than 

 sufficient, in the summer season, to keep the ground well supplied with moisture, 

 and prevent the droughts that in the United States are, very often, so severe and 

 injurious. The average fall of rain in the year is much less in England than 

 in Massachusetts ; and I am inclined to think that there are fewer days in the 

 year in the former than in the latter when labor cannot be performed or exercise 

 taken with comfort in the open air. Ordinarily there is sufficient warmth to 

 bring the crops to maturity. Clear skies and bright suns are not of rare occur- 

 rence ; and great heat for days in succession is sometimes felt, as I know from 

 my own experience. It may be that I am best acquainted with the more favored 

 part of the island ; but, so far as I have formed an opinion in relation to it, my 

 conclusions are that the climate of England is not unsuited to health, comfort, 

 or enjoyment. Joseph S. Cabot. 



Jan. 12, 1S68. 



Strawberries in Alabama. — In reading the first and second volumes of 

 " The American Journal of Horticulture " attentively, I noted the almost entire 

 absence of communications from this section of country ; and hope it may inter- 

 est some of your readers to have some notes on the strawberry from Alabama. 



I am an amateur cultivator, passionately fond of gardening and raising, and 

 experimenting with strawberries, and find that this berry can be brought to as 

 great perfection here as in the East, or anywhere else, and can be made as 

 profitable. 



This winter has been one of the mildest ever experienced here up to this 

 date (Jan. 15), — not one week of cold weather; and, for the first time in my 

 recollection, strawberries have come to maturity, and ripened in the open air, in 

 December. A cultivator in Mobile County, commencing about 15th Decem- 

 ber, has, until this time, brought strawberries to market every morning ; as 

 many as thirty-two quarts one morning. The variety was Wilson's Albany ; 

 and the berries were very large and beautiful, and sold for two dollars per 

 quart. I must admit that the berries lacked the true strawberry flavor, and, it 

 seemed to me, were nearly tasteless. These berries had no particular care be- 

 stowed upon them. I give this instance to show, that, with a little trouble, ber- 

 ries will ripen in this latitude in December. 



My ground I had spaded deep, about thirty inches, and manured with leaf- 

 mould and well-decomposed cow-manure, before planting my strawberry-plants ; 

 cultivating them in hills as a general thing. I clipped oflF all runners once 

 a fortnight, and have fine bushy plants. The Wilson does well, of course ; 

 although I do not recommend it as a table-berry. This berry, which does 

 well even when abused by poor culture, actually bearing when allowed to be 

 nearly overgrown by grass and weeds, can only be seen in its glory when planted 

 in deep soil, runners kept clipped, and neither grass nor weeds allowed near the 



