358 hongwortK s Pamphlet on the 



varieties unusually productive, and of large size, can be planted out for that 

 purpose." He here of course refers to his own seedlings. To put this 

 question at rest, 1 make the following proposition — He shall send a plant of 

 each of his seedlings to Mr. Wilder of Boston, and Mr. Jackson of this 

 city ; and if, after a fair trial, they report them " unusually productive," I 

 will present the Massachusetts Horticultural Society with $500. 1 will do 

 this, if they report them as producing as large a crop as the old seedling 

 will do, where one-tenth of the ground is lost, by barren plants being in- 

 serted. I will go further. If they report his old seedling as producing half 

 a crop of perfect fruit, I will do the same thing. If they report the con- 

 trary, he must present the like sum to the Cincinnati Horticultural Society. 

 Mr. Hovey now states, that among all the species and varieties of straw- 

 berries there are only four worthy of cultivation — the Virginia Scarlet, Al- 

 pine, his old seedling, and a new seedling of his, which he calls the Boston ; 

 and, though raised in 1834, he has never before discovered its fine qualities. 

 This he pronounces " perfect in both organs, a great bearer, and fine fruit ; 

 and also suitable to impregnate his old seedling.'''' He is here wide of the 

 mark. The Scarlet is an old native fruit of Virginia, and its greatest merit 

 is its early maturity. The fruit is of good quality, but not large. The 

 Alpine was introduced into Cincinnati fifty years since from the Alpine 

 Mountains, by Governor Sargeant. Itis deemed of little value. The flavor 

 is not good. Its size is small, and it is only cultivated in a few of our gar- 

 dens as a curiosity, and not a quart of them is ever found in our markets. 

 What will English cultivators, who have raised so many new seedlings, 

 say to this? What will they think of their wisdom, in having enriched 

 some of their Horticulturists, by paying high for new varieties? By the 

 time Mr. Hovey has cultivated his new seedling eleven years more, he will 

 discover that it has not one-tenth the value of his old seedling, and its only 

 value to impregnate it ; and, for that purpose, we now have as good bear- 

 ers, as fine flavored, and larger fruited seedlings. His old seedling stands 

 unrivalled with us for size, where impregnated. But we have other varie- 

 ties, that are as good bearers, of nearly equal size, and of finer flavor. But 

 I would highly recommend his old seedling to all cultivators, whether for 

 family use, or for sale. His new seedling, I have not seen. The new doc- 

 trine of Mr. Downing, " that all plants in their natural state are perfect in 

 both organs, and staminate and pistillate ones, chance monsters produced by 

 high cultivation," surprises me, for he deservedly stands high as a Horti- 

 culturist. In a late number of the American Agriculturist, I discover V\^m. 

 R. Prince disputes his theory, and contends for the true character of the 

 plant. Mr. Prince is an experienced Horticulturist, and the discussion will 

 call out other experienced Gardeners ; and I hope, in a few years, to see 

 strawberries in as great abundance, and sold as cheap, in the Eastern cities, 

 as in our own. The plant, be it staminate or pistillate, never changes its 

 character in running." pp. 11, 14. 



The substance of these remarks has already appeared in 

 our pages in Mr. Long worth's communications upon the straw- 



