Mr Lindley has described sixtytwo varieties. Mr Barnet has recommended for a select list, the same generally, as the Pomological Magazine, and Mr Lindley.

In 1822, the London Horticultural Society, by their circulars congregated from all quarters, a vast collection of strawberries at Chiswick. The whole were examined by Mr Barnet; there were two hundred distinct names or synonymes, and fiftyfour varieties; his account of them occupies eighty pages quarto. - See Hort. Trans. vol. vi. p. 145.

Let us enumerate the names of the strawberries which Mr Lindley has described, and which are not recommended either by him, or in the Pom. Mag. for a small garden. Some of them may yet perhaps prove fine in our climate, as is the case with the Mulberry Strawberry, and Methven, and all are evidently thought worthy in a large collection. In this list I omit the numerous synonymes generally.

1. American Scarlet. 2. Autumn Scarlet. 3. Bath Scarlet. 4. Bishop's Seedling Scarlet. 5. Blood Pine. 6. Bostock or Wellington. 7. Bullock's Blood. 8. Carmine Scarlet. 9. Charlotte. 10. Chinese. 11. Clustered Scarlet. 12. Cockscomb Scarlet. 13. Common Hautbois. 14. Conical Hautbois. 15. Dutch. 16. Dwarf White Caro

lina. 17. Garnestone Seedling. 18. Gibbs' Seedling Black. 19. Glazed Pine. 20. Globe Hautbois. 21. Green. 22. Grimstone Scarlet. 23. Hudson's Bay Scarlet. 24. Keen's Imperial. 25. Knight's Large Scarlet. 26. Lewisham Scarlet. 27. Methven Scarlet, or Methven Castle. 28. Morrissania Scarlet. 29. Mulberry. 30. Nairn's Scarlet. 31. Narrow Leaved Scarlet. 32. Oblong Scarlet. 33. Pitmaston Black. 34. Pitmaston Black Scarlet. 35. Red Wood. 36. Round White Caroline. 37. Scone Scarlet. 38. Sir Joseph Banks' Scarlet. 39. Surinam. 40. True Chili. 41. Variegated Pine. 42. Vernon's Scarlet. 43. White Wood. 44. Wilmot's Late Scarlet. 45. Yellow Chili.

Other varieties which were unknown, or are not described by those authors, and which may prove fine in our climate.

1. New Black Musk Hautbois.

2. French Musk Hautbois.

3. Southborough Seedling.

4. Large Lima.

5. Melon, &c. &c.

CULTIVATION.

Lindley directs that as early in summer as the young runners have taken root, they should be transplanted into nursery beds five or six inches asunder. By this management they will by autumn have become fine strong plants capable of producing fruit the following summer.

For the reception of these plants he directs the ground to be trenched twenty inches deep: and a quantity of half rotted manure incorporated to half this depth. For economy he has also recommended in the final transplanting to set the plants in beds of four rows each; the rows running in a longitudinal direction. The distance between the beds to vary from two to two and a half feet according to the sorts to be planted, as some varieties require much more space than others. As to the distances of the rows asunder and the distance of the plants in the rows, I will lay down on Lindley's authority the following rules.

3d CLASS. In rows 15 inches asunder; the plants fifteen inches' distance in the row. Wilmot's Superb the

same.

2d and 4th CLASSES (except Wilmot's as above.) In rows fifteen inches asunder and twelve inches' distance in the rows.

6th and 7th CLASSES. In rows twelve inches asunder; and twelve inches' distance in the row.

1st and 5th CLASSES. In rows twelve inches asunder; and nine inches' distance in the rows.

During the first year the runners are to be carefully destroyed before they have taken root. Around such as show fruit, grass or straw is placed; (Keen recommends the same; for the plant derives its name from this circumstance.) This protects alike the soil from washing rains; from a scorching sun, and the consequent evaporation of its moisture; it protects the fruit from becoming soiled. But as soon as the fruit is gathered this covering is to be removed; and the soil kept clear of weeds by the hoe till autumn.

In autumn he directs the leaves to be cut off (only a portion I presume) and all the spaces including the alleys to be dug carefully over with a pronged fork, so as not to injure their roots. Both Keen and Mr Knight, however, direct manure to be applied before this last operation is com

menced; and Mr Knight has particularly cautioned against digging so deep as to disturb the roots, as it weakens the force of the plants.

The second summer Lindley further states that the plants will bear their best crop and finest fruit; the beds and outside of the alleys should be covered with mown grass or with straw three or four inches thick; by this method he states he has found the fruit not only more abundant but of finer quality.

It has been recommended to raise the Alpines from the seed. But Mr Williams of Pitmaston (Hort. Trans.) condemns the practice.-Lindley joins him in this; for having procured a good sort it is recommended to increase and continue it; and have no mixture of inferior sorts with the idea that such mixtures will improve. Some have directed in regard to the Alpines and Hautbois that a certain proportion of male or sterile plants should be preserved. But the experience of Lindley and some others seems opposed to this practice. These sterile plants, never producing fruit, outgrow all the rest; they overrun those which produce fruit and soon take possession of the whole soil; they are neither useful nor necessary, but on the contrary ruinous, as the whole bed soon becomes barren. But by excluding the sterile plants in the beginning the whole will remain productive.

As to the Alpines, Lindley directs to set them out in August; and by spring the beds will be covered with runners; these are not to be disturbed or removed, as in the case of other sorts; for they will produce fruit during

autumn.

Management of Alpine and other sorts of Strawberries, when large and late crops are desired. - The Alpine strawberries are chiefly valuable on account of their continuing fruitful after all other varieties are gone. In order to make the utmost of this valuable property which they possess, Mr John Williams of Pitmaston has directed (see Hort. Tran.) to form the beds in August; by spring the beds will be well stocked with plants. When they have come into full blossom in spring, cut off every flower without injuring the leaves. This operation is to be again repeated as soon as a second set of blossoms appear. The third set of blossoms are suffered to remain: and the plants having by this system accumulated strength, heavy crops are pro

duced after other strawberries are gone, and when alone the Alpine strawberries are highly valuable.

Another mode has been stated by which a large crop of the common varieties of strawberries are produced in autumn. When the first crop is gone, the plants are shorne of every leaf, and at suitable intervals profusely watered: by this mode it is stated they not only renew their leaves, but a crop of blossoms and fruit is produced.

With regard to the produce of strawberries, all agree that the crop of the second year is more valuable than any succeeding crop. I will briefly detail three different modes in relation to this subject.

1st. The mode adopted by Mr Keen.

2d. That adopted by T. A. Knight, Esq.

The Hautbois

3d. A mode not unfrequently adopted near Boston. Mr Keen forms his beds in the spring. and Pines are placed in rows three feet asunder and eighteen inches in a row. [Other classes at a proportionate distance.] The objects in placing them at this great distance is that there may be room for the feet of the gatherers: also room for the vines to spread to the end of the 3d year; when the bed is taken up and the ground planted anew. The first year little fruit is expected the second year a very great crop the third year a very moderate crop. Mr Knight condemns this system in part; his mode is as follows: like Mr Keen he forms his beds in the spring: he places the Pine and Hautbois in rows, sixteen inches asunder and only eighteen in the row[other classes at a proportionate distance]. This is from three to four times the number of plants on the same ground as Mr Keen. Mr Knight takes off no runners except for the purpose of of forming new beds: and he thinks he must obtain near twice the produce in the second year, which all acknowledge to be the fruitful year, from the same ground as Mr Keen. For Mr Knight leaves no unoccupied ground for the feet of the gatherers: as he considers the amount thus destroyed very inconsiderable compared with the waste of land. Mr Knight destroys his beds in the autumn of the second year after the first great or main crop is taken off. He esteems this the most economical mode.

In the vicinity of Boston the following mode is often adopted. The vines are usually transplanted in August. The rows are formed from eighteen inches to two feet

asunder. The runners during the first year are destroyed. In the second year they are suffered to grow and fill the interval, and in the autumn of that year, the whole old rows are turned under with the spade and the rows are thus shifted to the middle of the space. The same process is repeated every second year.

LIME PLANT.-(Podophyllum peltatum.)

A hardy and singular production of nature. The stem, foliage, flower, and fruit are formed in the earth; and after the plant has come up, there is nothing more than an extension of parts. The stems, at the height of from eight to twelve inches, branch out in two arms, at the extremity of each large palmated leaf. In the fork proceeds the fruit stem. The fruit is about the size of a large lime, green while growing, and yellow when ripe; it has the flavor of a pine-apple, and as to eating, is little inferior to that fruit. The plant requires a moist soil, in a cool, shady situation. It may be propagated by seed, but best by dividing the roots, which are jointed and creeping. The root is medicinal. A native of America.-New England Farmer, vol. VIII. No. 16.

MELON.

MUSK MELON. (Cucumis melo.)

A delicious, large, oblong or globular fruit, too generally known to need a particular description. It is a native of Asia, and besides its use at the dessert, it forms, while young, an excellent pickle.

27