Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-06-25

Transferred from some celestial cline afar.
Where beautiful and char ming all things are
Ana where OF happiness there comes no dearth;
When our low lives appear increased ia worth.
When hangs no clog on Fancy's wiuge to mar
Her tocund Tight, nor. from our sight to bar
The alluring rcene, have envioHs vapors birth.
Skies bluest. balmiest airs. and loveiest flowers;
Greenest of leaves that closelest festoon
The woodland afsles and cultured garden bowers:
Clearest Of streame. and songs that rchliest ring
From Threats of birds-such gifts are thine, o
June.
And perfect make the days that thou doss bring.
June 22d, 1881. W. L. SHOEMAKER.
|
The Horticultural Society.
THE QUESTION OF HOLDING AN RxHIBIr1os-AN
ESSAY ON 'SMALL FRUIT"
The D. G. Horticultural Society met Wednes-
day evening at German Hail. Mr.. John Saul pre-.
siding, and Mt. j. T. C. Clark secretary pro ten.
| Robert ]. Fisher, IT,, Oliver P. Dom and Mrs.
John Lowe were elected members. The ques-
MI. Saul said had It not been for the efforts OF
MI. CLARK last year the exhibition would not
have been success Mr.. Clark said that while
and creditable exhibition could be given, he
was not In favor Of having one unless lore
help was provided than last year. Mr. VIM.
oa saa ns sn saSd e sHT
The subject OF an exhibition was referred to
the executive committee Mr.. Saul called
attention to the ngo9ssnerrles SMs C,arks(
from the East Indies and other flowers from his
nursery, tea roses, wax plant, &o., from Mr..
Clarks, aeplendid collection of roses from Capt.
81. 1. Prince, and collection OF flowers fcom
Mrs. Quinn.
An essay on small fruit was read by Col. D. 8,
Curttss as follows:-At the last few meetings
we have had very instructive essays on flower
culture; and as flowers are followed In the
course OF nature by fruit, will offer few re-
marks on small fruits: particularly strawber-
and blackrerries; as they are the SORTS most
common and useful; and may be grown by
almost any one. even on very small space, With
very little sre1 n by Observing few simple
soil. though they thrive best with plenty of
moisture, but there must be no stagnanI or
standing water IN the earth. Any porous. frIa.
bic soil, enriched with swamp muck. leaves or
Old manure, VIII give good growth and produce
fine berries They also like considerable shade
and shelter from sun and severe Winds AS in
most other culture, nature will be found to be
safe guide TO follow In growing all Of these de-
lcious berries: that Is, the locations and condt.
tions In which they are found naturally to
cations to follow 10 raising them. Ashes, SCOT.
lime and salt, mixed into the SOIL, has been
found to produce very good results.
fore the Others. Best culItvators ind that they
thrive and yield best where they are covered or
muiched during winter by spreading Old leaves,
and then to be literally irrigated ted With e Water Water
frequently during the dryer weather while they
are In bloom and making fruit. There are off
in beds and rows viii give best results, Yet all
OF these modes succeed well With different
growers. Some OF the more popular varieties
are TIE Cnaa Downing, Wilson, Monarch of
Kentucky and some Others, which give good
succession for several weeks.
A brief history for the last few centuries will
be found OF some interest to many growers OF
this berry:
shakespeare informs US that the Bishop of
Eys garden In Holoorn was distinguished for
the excellent Strawberries 1t produced, even as
far back as the reign OF Richard the Tbird u4s3)
Ana Judging from the remarks OF an old writer
In 1918, iJ would appear that the only straw
strawberry and perhaps the White Alpine. He
says: strawberries grow In shadowy woods
and deep trenches and banks by highway sides.
fruit is green at first but red wien it IS rips.
Sometimes also you shall find them very white
when they be ripe; In taste aud Saoo,tr very
a and oa wTf IN 1897 speaks OF
Fru1ted; the two last not to be found save only
In gardens. johnson, In his edition OF the
work containing the last statement, published
In 1868, does not mention any other variety
Another writer IN 1856 mentions the Virginia
scarlet Tor Canada) and the Bohemian. rhis
last variety is supposed to ba the Hautbois, and
ne says: This variety hath been with us butO
late days, and is the goodliest ana the great
est
ut would seem that up to this time no at
from seed or from crossing the different kinds
And no mention Is made up TO thtS p9ri I'd so
far as have been able TO read, OF Strawberries
eetDg imperfect In their flowers, except WIN q
attempts were made to grow then u ader glass,
Then some gardeners used to complain bl--
terly Of their Strawberries running bind, as
they called 1t
1.-THE first improvement made In gro wing
strawberries from seed was about the year 1863,
variety called at first the C!apperon, I'd
Grown by person by the name OF Fressanr,
Frenchman. This variety was obtained from
the seed Of the Wood strawberry"
Currants, coming Ia about the time straw
berries are gone. are convenient and valuable,
in a variety Of forms. Tne bushes may be
grown In clumps or thick punches or they may
oe trimmed In form Of miniature trees, allow
ing ngh1 Tar ana ar 70 circulate more freely among
berries, but perhaps not quite as great guam
rfty from the same space. The long, even,
Well-nlled clusters OF red and white currantS
present one OF the most beautiful sights in ma
sure. Strings OF cofals and pearls do not LOOK
richer or handsomer tnan clusters OF currantS
OF the two colors hanging from the bushes.
Old Dutch red. the cherry red, and the rlco,
creamy white or amber, and some others, all
rich and handsome. Many people esteem the
musky black currant-both for flavoring and
medicinal purposes sand many, like myself, are
very fond OF eating them.
But as whole, considering the season when
ana other fruits besides the many ways In
which they are used, we do not think the hum
Die little currant Is sufficiently appreciated or
as plentfully grown as its value ana merits de-
serve.
Next comes the gooseoerry, when perfectly
ripe and at It's best equal to almost any berry;
Tut 1t Is rarely eaten In its best condition In this
country-say OF the large fine varieties, when
perfectly ripe-such as the Do WING and HOugh-
ton or the large but delicate English gooseberIy
Here they are generally gathered and used
Wnen quite green. cooked In various ways 80
that Their real excellence is not generally known.
Choice var1e les, when fully ripe, are sweet,
rich and highly favored with delicious arc
matte taste. They are very liable to mildeW,
but this can be largely prevented by trimming
out, and mulching with ashes, lime, aud sprink-
ling sale about the roots in autumn and early
spring.
OF raspberries and blackberries we will say
but word, as they are already more generally
understood, and are more plentiful. The old
canes or stalks should be cleaned out In au-
tumn or winter. and scraggy limbs Cut out Of
the way to make room for new bearing branches:
They should have plentiful covering or mulgh-
Ing about the roots, with sprinkllng OF ashes
or lime and little salt in the fall and all The
letter II repeated In the sprlug, all of which
treatment ts also highly DeEef1claI-even essen
Ilal-for best results in growing all the Others
straw berries, curraniS and blackberrieS Let
US have plenty OF berries.
How to Prevent Drowning.
Mr.. Harry McCormac communicates to a