164 Pomological Gossip. 



Art IV. Pomological Gossip. 



The Three Best Varieties of Strawberries. — It will 

 be recollected, by many of our readers, especially those inter- 

 ested in the cultivation of fine strawberries, that we stated 

 some years ago, (1845, vol. XI. p. 294,) that of all the new 

 varieties which had been produced up to that period, we had 

 found '■'■ only four which could be commended for general 

 cultivation." These were the Early Virginia, Hovey's Seed- 

 ling, Boston Pine, and English Wood. This statement 

 greatly surprised our old correspondent and champion of the 

 strawberry culture, at the West, Mr. Longworth, who was 

 induced to ask, " What will English cultivators, who have 

 raised so many new seedlings, say to this ? " Again, in our 

 volume for 1848, (XIV., p. 364,) when noticing the ex- 

 hibition of a great number of kinds, at Rochester, N. Y., we 

 remarked, that in the vicinity of Boston " all of them had been 

 discarded as loorthless, except the Early Virginia, (called the 

 Large Early Scarlet,) Hovey's Seedling, and Boston Pine." 



We were not aware that Mr, Longworth had noticed the 

 latter statement, until a few days ago, in looking over the 

 Transactions of the New York State Agricultural Society, 

 for 1848, we observed a long article on the strawberry from 

 his pen, from which we copy the following : — 



" I discover, from Hovey's Magazine, that they have but 

 three varieties of strawberries, in Boston, worthy of culti- 

 vation : the Early Scarlet, Boston Pine, and Hoveys' Seed- 

 ling. The Early Scarlet we do not deem worthy of cultivation. 

 We have staminates that are better bearers, — the fruit larger, 

 and equal in quality to the Early Scarlet. The Boston Pine 

 is also staminate. and does not, with ordinary cultivation, 

 with us, average one fourth of a crop of perfect fruit. 

 Hovey's Seedling bears larger fruit than any we cultivate." 



Our only object in noticing this, is to show Mr. Long- 

 worth, that we did not make the statements above, without 

 due thought and deliberation, after some little experience in 



