ROSACEA. 155 



tho inner, hut narrower. Petals obovate-roundish, entire, wliite, 

 Avitli the daw indistinct. Fruiting-receptacle ^ to j inch long, 

 Ih'sliy, red or white, closely studded with small yellowish-brown 

 ghibrous carpels. Want deep-green, clothed with rather long soft 

 hairs. 



Wild Strawberry. 



French, Fraider Commun. German, Gemeine Erdbeere. 



To inquire into the origin of the name of this familiar and delicious fruit seems 

 almost unnecessary ; but it is curious to analyze the meaning of even our household 

 words, and to revert to their original use. In old English, we read of the " Streow- 

 berie ; " and Dr. Pryor tells us that this name was suggested either by its straw-like 

 buhns — the little seeds situated on the delicious red juicy receptacle we like so much — 

 or from the fruit lying strewn on the ground, or from the custom of layiug straw 

 between the rows to prevent the fruit being soiled. Some have supposed that the 

 name is derived from the custom in some parts of England to sell the wild ones 

 tlireaded on grass straws. But the name dates from a much earlier time than any at 

 wliich Wild Sti-awberries are likely to have been marketable. We learn from several 

 old writers that Strawberries were cultivated in England from a very early period. 

 They were much grown in London, a fact mentioned by Hollingshead ; and Shakes- 

 ]>eare alludes to them as growing in the gai-den of the Bishop of Ely in Hoiborn. 

 Gloucester says, in the play of " Eichard the Third," — 



" My Lord of Ely, when I was last in Hoiborn, 

 I saw good strawberries in your garden there j 

 I do beseech you send for some of them. 



Ely. JIarry, and will, my lord, with all my heart. 

 Where is my lord Protector ? I have sent for these strawberries. 



Uast. His grace looks cheerfully and smooth this morning." 



Strange as it may now seem to us who connect the names of Holbom and Ely Place 

 with all that is dusty and noisy, dingy and unattractive, given up to busy trade or 

 duller law, not longer ago than the time of Shakespeare " good strawberries" grew there, 

 and rural scenes and pastimes flourished ; and so, as time goes on, and men increase 

 and spread in this gi-eat metropolis of ours, will it be with many a wild district or 

 bloomiug garden when we have passed away. The Wild Wood Strawberry is the 

 parent of all our cultivated varieties of Aljiiue Strawberries, as distinguished from the 

 Hautboys, or latter sort of Strawberry, which seems originally to have come from 

 the high woods of Bohemia. In their native uncultivated state, the Wild Strawberries 

 are without much flavour, very small, but extremely charming objects : amidst their 

 dark rich green leaves, the pretty bright berries cannot fail to attract the admiration 

 of even those whose palates are too highly cultivated to appreciate such rustic delicacies. 

 With cream and sugar, however, we can affirm that they are not despicable, only their 

 minute size reduces the feast to very moderate dimensions. The Strawberry is perhaps 

 the most wholesome of fruit, and may be eaten by most people when quite ripe with 

 impunity. They are said to promote perspiration, and are undoubtedly very cooling. 

 Hoff'man thoiight them beneficial to consumptive people ; and Gerarde tells us that 

 " the berries quench thii-st, and do allay the inflammation or heate of the stomach." 



