The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-06-28

Webster defines strawberry as fruit
Of the genus FTagaria, and then adds
with an assumed air Of superlative wis
dom, 'iStrawberries are Of various kinds; !;
all delicious fruit" This is all that en-
inent photographer has to say about so es-
timable berry. But then he had SO
many other things to write about. His
mind was given up to varied research.
He lacked concentration-Noah Webster
did-or he would have given up at least
one-half Of his "Unabridged' to the ex-
altation of the strawberry.
This can be said for him by way of
excuse, that in his day the strawberry,
though an acknowledged "delicious
fruit" was nothing the kind of berry j
has now become, in flavor, size and prac-
teal utility, by a careful attention to
the survival of the iittest." The berry
has shown itself capable of unlimited
development, and, as it is about to be-
come for the season thing Of pleasant
memory only Excepting when canon
ized), tbs meet to pronounce its eulOgy-
not in despair-but in hope of another
seasons crop. There is no fruit of the
earth possessed of such evangelizing
force as the strawberry. 1t makes popu-
lar spring festivals, and. renders the
works of the prophets profitable.
1t helps to pay church debts, balances
arrears in the minister's salary, and
braces up the Sunday-sohool and its
Library. The Church Strawberry Fcs
tival is per SC an irresistible financial en-
terprise. 1t can not fail of success. II
insures prodigious profit on outlay, in
as-much as the fruit is almost always do
mated with the sugar, and the cream, anC
the minute saucers. 1t is retaled out tt
Jealous young men in attendance will
their sweethearts at 4 profit of severa
hundred per cent. on market value, ant
several million per cent. on cost 1t be
comes the bonanza of bonanzas. A bushe
will go great ways on such an occasion
much farther of an evening than cal
Weston or Madame Anderson in whole
day, let them do their best.
A bushel Of Strawberries is capable O
infinite diyisibility, but all the while
they make an honest showing, no matter
how isolated their position on the ten
cent plate, The berry is not at all like
the festive oyster, who, on similar occa
sions, hides himself in an ocean of weal
soup and asserts his shriveled, over
cooked individuality, with few bits oi
floating cracker at the rate of twenty
five cents per bowl. Only the plea that
"'the end justifes the means" saves the
bivalve of charity festivals from the
charge Of being an accessory to the crime
of obtaining money under false pre-
lenses.
But the strawberry stands forth upon
the white delf, solitary and almost alone
perhaps, but without deceit or hypocracy
always to the eye tangible reality, and
to the taste delicious" qualification
1t has its degrees of excellence. There
is the positive, comparative and superla
tive strawberry We have only so fal
regarded its positive merits as a mean.
of unlocking purses for charitable OIL
pious purposes Its comparative excel
lence is realized when it comes plump
and fresh upon the table in gcnerou!
abundance, leaving nothing to be de
sired but greater physical capacity fol
its enjoyment.
To learn its superlative capabilities i
must be sought when it rustles among
the dewy leaves, and by cooling lover
who with mock rivalry contest the pos
. session of each royal fruit, ending no
unfrequently in the demoralization O.
Sthe luscious berry, and the joining o.