Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1867-02-07
farmers Department,
Small Fruits.

fruits. The wild straWpetfies sias
sprung up in old, neglected meadows
Weld 2 meager supply of small and
indifferent fruig the wild raspberry
was to be seen in the hedge rows or
forests, or hanging over the rocks;
and biackberries were looked upon
as evidences of bad farming, and
were only suffered in old, neglected
fields, or in crowded and decaying
fence corners. The native goose
berry OF our Western forests, with
its repulsiye, prickly surface, was
cooked by the pioneer guide wives,
and made into sauce or pies.
Such fruits as these seldom came
to the market. and they commanded
only the lowest prices when offered
for sale. Many of US can remember,
however, when the markets OF our
lea1ing cities were furnished with
these inferior articles.
Improved horticulture has chang
ed all this, and saucy public has
had its tasts go cultivated, and its
notions of quality in fruits SO elevat-
ed, by familiarity with the superior
products of our modern gardens,
that the cultiyaters must aim at 8
higher standard when catering to the
public demand. 1t is proposed to
notice some of these small fruits:
STRAWBERRIES.
Very great Improvement has been
made in the size aud appearance, as
well as in the productiveness of this
fruit, though some may think that
these have been furnished at the ex-
pense of the exquisite flavor of the
little native berries Of the meadow.
The intermixture of foreign blood,
brought with the Pine strawberries
that now prevail, has, no doubt had
their effect of modifying the native
flavor. But the extra size of our
fruits will alone account for con-
siderable dilution of the flavor; and
if this element be seated in the skin,
or on the surface only, as has been
asserted, we should expect to find
less superfcies on quart Of large
berries than in a similar measure of
small ones. NY own opinion is that
the difference depends more upon
the varity than upon the size of the
individual berry. Some sorts are
naturally and always more highly
favored than others, and there are
different dayors characteristic of the
different species of strawberry
There is no disputiDg about matters
of mere taste; some will prefer the
peculiar milkiness of the Hautboys;
some the delicate character of the
Alpine and Wood strawberries; 9th
ers that of the Chilli Pines, while
not q few will fall back for our stand |
ard of excellency, upon the native of
our own country, with its peculiar
and often rather sharp piquancy and
fine favor.
VARIETIES.
Twenty-Five years ago, our chief
supplies of this fine fruit, the earliest
and therefore the most desired, were
natives that had been reduced to cul
tivation. Of these, the Hudson took
the lead, on account of its firmness,
color and richness. Next in public
esteem was the Naked Pine, which is
very productive, and of spicy, acid
flavor. but soft, for transportation,
and Of pale color that is not attrac
tive in market. The Iowa, or, as it
has since been called, the Washing
ton, was brought from the prairie
bluffs west of the Mississippi, and
introduced into cur gardens. as a
stanimate that bore good crops of
fine fruit. The finest berry in those
DAYS was the Hovey Seeding, pis
tiliate, large, handsome and produe-
tive, but not highly favored. Seve-
ral foreign kinds were grown, but
none were satisfactory.
The late Mr.. N. Longworth then
suggested the propriety OF growing
seedlings from our best kinds, in
hopes of producing something supe-
rior to what we had in cultivation
He saved seeds from the best berries
of several sorts and gave them to
his tenants to plant, snd the next
season thousands Of plants came into
fruit, some of which were valuable,
bnt most OF them were worthless
To one of the few good berries that
resulted from this planting, the Sa-
perior, was awarded the hundred dol
lar premium offered by our Horticul-
tural Society for q strawberry better
than the Hoycy seeding.
Among the other seedlings pro-
duced at this time were the Prolific
and the Extra Red, which still re-
main in cultivation, and have not
been rechrIstened, as has their sister,
the Superior, which is now brought {
out as the Buffalo, and highly recon-
men6ed as valuable Few sort.
In other parts of the country, also, +
there has been q great effort to pro- 6
duce new strawberries, and the result
is a long list of varieties, of greater
or less value, besides the foreign
sorts that have been introduced into
our gardens, many of which are of
great excellence; among these are
the Triumph de Gand, the Ritley,
the Jueunda and many others.
Among our American varieties the
Fillmore, of Baltimore; the Wilson,
Of Albany; the Agriculturist, of New
York, and the Russell, have taken
prominent place in the lists, and are
the favorites of cultivators fer mark,
ct The Wilson has been more mi
versally successful than any other; it
is essentially market fruit, and not
by any means of good quality.
New candidates to our favor are
being offered every year, many Of
them of superior quality, but they
have yet to be tested in different soils
and climates
HEDnnTA Mn rRA