36 Notes and Gleanings. 



than in Massachusetts. It may be that England possesses some pecuHar ad- 

 vantages for the cultivation of this fruit ; but I have seen it fine also in France 

 and Belgium. 



Ciierries in Europe are very large and fine, of different varieties, both of the 

 red and black sorts ; and are to be found in much greater abundance than in 

 the north-eastern parts of the United States, where, of late years, it has been 

 comparatively rare to find those of good quality. Cherries of superior quality 

 are raised in great quantities near Dresden and the upper part of the Valley of 

 the Elbe, and are abundant in all parts of Europe, where, it seems to me, they 

 succeed much better than in the United States. 



Gooseberries are abundant in Europe, and much superior to those that I 

 have seen in the United States, where they are so subject to mildew as to pre- 

 vent their successful cultivation. But of the other small fruits, as currants, rasp- 

 berries, &c., I have noticed no difference, in respect to size, beauty, and flavor, 

 between those of Europe and those grown in Massachusetts ; and they are, I 

 presume, capable of an equally successful cultivation in both regions. I have 

 occasionally seen blackberries in Germany, that seemed in all respects identical 

 with what is known as the high-bush variety in the United States. I doubt 

 whether this fruit is much, if any, cultivated in Europe. I once saw in a garden 

 some bushes of what I supposed to be the large Dorchester variety ; but have 

 never met with it in the market. 



Apricots, that are in their season abundant and fine in all parts of Europe, 

 are seldom found in Massachusetts, where it seems as if they could not be 

 grown successfully. Gages and plums of all kinds, of superior quality, are 

 abundant ; while, on account of the diseased state of the trees, they can be 

 hardly raised in Massachusetts. And all these fruits, it must be allowed, can 

 be cultivated with much more success in Europe than in the eastern part of the 

 United States. The disease of the plum-tree known as the black-wart, is, I 

 think, unknown in Europe. Although I have looked for it carefully, and made 

 inquiries concerning it, I could never find or hear of an instance of it. 



Very fine peaches of the white-flesh varieties, large, high coloied, and very 

 beautiful, seem to be every year plentiful in the Paris market ; whereas it is ex- 

 ceptional to have them in Massachusetts. And although I think, that, on some 

 of these exceptional occasions, I have seen this fruit more highly flavored there 

 than I have seen it in Europe, yet as it is a regular crop in Europe, and a very 

 uncertain one in Massachusetts, it must be considered as capable of a more 

 successful cultivation in the former than in the latter country. 



It would be difiicult to say positively, whether pears could be most success- 

 fully cultivated in Europe or Massachusetts, as in both they are certainly fine ; 

 some varieties, perhaps, better in one, and others in the other country. Pears* 

 are, I think, smoother, handsomer, and more free from blemishes, in Europe, than 

 in the United States ; and some varieties that can no longer be grown in the 

 latter are still produced of good quality in the former. I have seen fine winter 

 St. Germains in the Paris markets, where Brown Beurres, large, fair, and fine, 

 are plenty ; while it has been necessary in Massachusetts to abandon the culti- 

 vation of both these varieties. The Flemish Beauty, too, is unfit for general 



