Stfambemes and Grapes. 
By M. J. Huffington. 
STRAWBERRIES. 
The strawberry is the most delicious and wholesome of all ber¬ 
ries, and is more universally cultivated in our gardens than any 
other fruit. It is a native of the temperate climates of both hemi- 
sheres, though the species found in different parts of the world are of 
distinct habit, and have each, through cultivation, given rise to dif¬ 
ferent classes. In no other fruit, perhaps, has there been greater 
improvements made over the wild types, by the untiring efforts of 
the horticulturist, than the strawberry. The great superiority of our 
varieties of the present time, over those of the original forms, from 
which they have sprung, is in the size of fruit, greatly increased 
productiveness, and keeping qualities. Although this fruit has been 
brought up to such a degree of excellence by man, through cultiva¬ 
tion, cross-fertilization, and selection, as regards size and product¬ 
iveness, yet quality and flavor have not been improved upon, as 
some would expect, but rather have deteriorated, and in some cases 
have been almost entirely lost. Some of our mammoth berries, beau¬ 
tiful indeed to the eye, are deficient in flavor, and are often really 
insipid; but there is a peculiar, pleasant, sprightly flavor about the 
strawberry, in its native wilds, that will satisfy the most fastidious 
taste. Perfection, we know, is never attained, yet we believe a berry 
nearer the ideal will some day be originated—such a one as this, as 
large as any one of the largest at the present time, productive, a 
good shipper, and equal in flavor to the wild form. What can be 
more interesting work, to the true lover of horticulture, than that of 
originating new varieties of fruit, and especially is this true of the 
strawberry. Aside from the pleasure derived from such work, it is 
highly important that there should be, from time to time, worthy 
new candidates for admission to the already long list. All varieties 
of strawberries are constantly changing, just as with the potato and 
all plants propagated by any other method except from seed — the 
only source from which a new life can be generated. Hence the 
need of new varieties—seedlings, to take the place of those that were 
once popular, but have run down, or have degenerated until they 
are no longer profitable. The strawberry being so generally liked, 
