CHAPTER XIII 

 A CLUSTER OF BERRIES 



THE little fruits classed scientifically or popularly as 

 "berries" form a most exquisite group, beautiful 

 in variety of form and colouring, delightful in rich fragrance 

 or bouquet and in delicacy of flavour, appealing to and 

 stimulating the appetite through every JEsthetic sense; 

 cooling, in refreshing the whole system ; subtly satisfying 

 the intellectual and physical natures alike. The chief 

 members of the group, whether wild or cultivated, are the 

 strawberry, blackberry, and raspberry (with subdivisions) ; 

 the huckle- or blue- or whortleberry; the mulberry, 

 cranberry, gooseberry, and currant; the elderberry and 

 barberry. 



THE STRAWBERRY 



The strawberry, or FrQgaria ( Nat. Ord. Rosacew), while 

 in its wild state not perhaps so lavishly generous with its 

 riches as is the blackberry over both southern and north- 

 ern latitudes, yet, speaking broadly, grows from the Arctic 

 to the Antarctic zones; the mountains of Switzerland and 

 even the Himalayas not too high or chill but that it may 

 be found nestling close to Mother Earth, giving out 

 beauty and charm in unexpected spots. It was, undoubt- 

 edly, this shy, rich sweetness — so free from tearing thorns — 

 which stamped from the first with indelible favouritism 

 the wild crimson berry, and its being found so amenable to 

 cultivation, (therefore making its season long, from the 

 width of belt from which it may be shipped,) gave it con- 

 tinued first rank in favour. 



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