STRAWBERRY. FRAISIER. Fragaria.

The Cherry, the Currant, and Strawberry red.
To the rich and the poor their refreshments have shed;
Pomona has scatter'd her blessings abroad,

The full-bearing branches bend down with their load.

This is a genus of fruit-bearing herbaceous plants, of which there are few in the vegetable kingdom that can equal the Straw

berry in wholesomeness and excellence. The fruit is supposed to receive its name from the ancient practice of laying straw

between the rows, which keeps the ground moist and the fruit clean. They are natives of temperate, or cold climates, as of Europe and America. The fruit, though termed a berry, is in botanical language a fleshy receptacle, studded with seeds. It is universally grateful, alone or with sugar, cream, or wine, and has the property, so valuable for acid stomachs, of not undergoing the acetous fermentation. Physicians concur in placing Strawberries in their small catalogue of pleasant remedies; as having properties which render them in most conditions of the animal frame positively salutary. They dissolve the tartareous incrustations of the teeth, and promote perspiration. Persons afflicted with the gout have found relief from using them very largely; so have patients in case of the stone; and Hoffman states that he has known consumptive people cured by them. The bark of the root is astringent.

CULTIVATION AND MANAGEMENT.

In cultivating the Strawberry an open situation and rich loamy soil, rather strong, are required for most varieties; and from their large mass of foliage and flowers, they must, till the fruit is set, have copious supplies of water. The row culture is best calculated to produce fruit; and frequent renewal insures vigorous plants as well as large fruit. Some plant them in single rows, from eighteen inches to two feet apart, according to the sorts. Others form a bed with four rows. If several beds be intended, a space of two or three feet may be left between each bed as a path; and in the second or third season the paths may be manured and dug, to admit the runners taking root. By this means a renewal may be made so often; and the old stools being taken away, leave spaces between the beds as before. Or new plantations may be made every season; because, after the roots are fairly established, they multiply spontaneously, as well by suckers from the parent stem as by numerous runners; all of which, rooting and forming a plant at every joint, require only removal to a spot where there is room for them to flourish. If the runners be taken off, and planted

small. A native of Britain. Some of the varieties are in in August and September, they will produce fine fruit the following season, and will bear in full perfection the second summer. Some, however, prefer spring planting, which answers very well if done in damp weather.

A plantation of the Alpine yields fruit the same year that it is made. The Wood and the Alpine are often cultivated from seed, which generally produces fine fruit. The other species are uniformly propagated by offsets, except the intention be to try for new varieties. The Alpine and Wood species may be planted in situations rather cool and shady, in order that they may produce their fruit late in the season, which is desirable. The Strawberry, with a little trouble of choosing a succession of sorts, may be forced so as to be had at the dessert every month in the year; though during the winter months it has not much flavor.

Some gardeners lay straw an inch or two thick over their beds in March, and set fire to it, in order to promote a stocky growth of plants and early fruit; others recommend mowing off the tops of such as are not required to fruit early, while they are in blossom, with a view to obtain a crop of Strawberries late in the season.

The London Horticultural Catalogue contains the names of about one hundred and fifty varieties of all the species, which are classed according to their nature, color, etc. Class 1. Scarlet Strawberries; 2. Black Strawberries; 3. Pine Strawberries; 4. Chili Strawberries; 5. Hautbois Strawberries; 6. Green Strawberries. 7. Alpine and Wood Strawberries. To select all the most esteemed from this, or any other extensive catalogue, is a difficult task. The following description of species and varieties may serve to direct the choice.

SELECT DESCRIPTIVE LIST OF STRAWBERRIES.

THE WOOD STRAWBERRY, Fragaria vesca, with oval serrated leaves; the fruit red, white, and green, which is round and

great repute, as they are very productive and continue long in bearing.

THE SCARLET. Fragaria Virginiana, with leaves like the preceding; the fruit roundish and scarlet-colored. A native of Virginia. Varieties-Methven Scarlet, Knight's Scarlet, Austrian Scarlet, Early Scarlet, Wilmot's Late, Common Late, Wilmot's Early Scarlet, etc.

THE ROSEBERRY, Fragaria, Virg. Var. An Aberdeen seedling, introduced in 1810. The plants have few roundish leaves, larger fruit than the scarlet, and are very prolific; continues bearing till August.

THE BLACK Var. Downton. Dark Scarlet Strawberry, originated by Mr. Knight. The fruit is large, irregular, and cock'scomb-like; plant hardy and prolific.

THE CAROLINA Fragaria Carolinensis. Color dark red; a native of America. There are several choice varieties of this fruit, as-Elton's Seedling, Keen's Seedling, Mulberry, Wilmot's Black Imperial, Blood Pine, North's Seedling, Knevet's Seedling, etc.

THE MUSKY, OR HAUTBOIS, Fragaria elatio, with oval, rough, javelin-edged leaves. A native of Britain. Varieties-Black Hautbois, White Hautbois, Globe Hautbois, Conical Hautbois,

Double or Twice Bearing, producing delicious fruit in spring and autumn.

THE CHILI, Fragaria Chiliensis, with large, oval, thick, hairy leaves, and large flowers; the fruit large and very firm; a native of South America. Wilmot's Superb, or Large Cock'scomb Scarlet, Knight's Seedling and Greenwell's New Giant, are highly esteemed varieties.

KEEN'S IMPERIAL OR NEW CHILI, Fragaria Chili var., raised by Mr. Keen, of Isleworth; a most excellent bearer, ripening early. The fruit is very large, the flesh firm and solid, without any separate core; color scarlet.

THE ALPINE OR PROLIFIC, Fragaria Collina, commonly lasts from June till November, and in mild seasons till near Christmas; the varieties of this fruit are red and white. Natives of the Alps of Europe.

THE ONE-LEAVED, Fragaria monophylla. The pulp of the fruit pink-colored. A native of South America.

The following varieties have been lately propagated from some of the above species :

BISHOP'S ORANGE, Bishop's Globe, Bishop's New. Fruit large, of roundish or conical form; orange-scarlet color, and very delicious flavor; ripe early in July.

GARNSTONE SCARLET. A fine, highly esteemed scarlet variety, of large size, roundish form, and peculiarly rich flavor, which ripens early in June.

ELTON, Elton Pine Strawberry. Fruit very large; form heart-shaped, or obtusely conical; color bright dark-scarlet; rosy red; flavor very rich, spicy, aromatic, and agreeable. A beautiful drawing of this fruit is given in "Hoffy's Orchardist's Companion," from which the above description was taken.

GROVE END SCARLET, Atkinson's Scarlet. A Seedling raised by Wm. Atkinson, at Grove End, Marylebone, in 1820; fruit large, oblate, of a bright vermilion color, and rich flavor; ripe by the middle of June.

HOVEY'S Seedling. This favorite variety was raised by Messrs. Hovey & Co. of Boston, in 1834. Fruit very large;