About eighty acres in the vicinity of Edinburgh are oc cupied by marke•gardeners, in strawberry crop, for the supply of the Scottish capital ; and the amazing average quantity of 60,000 Scots pints (240,000 English) are yearly sold in Edinburgh and its neighbourhood. In a favourable season, about 75,000 Scots pints (300,000 English) have been brought to market ; and it will be remembered, that the berries are freed from the calyx-leaves, which leaves in the English market greatly swell the measure. When the distance is considerable, the wicker baskets are pack ed over each other in a hamper-creel, and conveyed to town on a light cart hung on springs. The highest price is commonly half a guinea a Scots pint ; but this is only got for a few pints at the beginning of the strawberry sea son : the average price is about Is. ; the lowest 9,1. a Scots pint. The berries are picked as they ripen, by women and children hired for the purpose, to whom the strawberry harvest is a profitable time.
As soon as the strawberry season is past, the plants 're shorn over, and all runners are again cut off Towards the end of October, the ground between the rows is delved over. The cultivation of strawberries is thus attended with -a good deal of expense, requiring much labour and constant assiduity in digging and hoeing between the plants, clear ing them of weeds, cutting off runners and leaves, water ing (where that is practised,) and picking the berries for market. They may, with success, be continued on the same land for an indefinite space of time, but the plants must be renewed every fourth or fifth year, and manure at that time supplied. It is however found preferable to change the crop altogether after twelve or fifteen years.
176. Strawberries are generally placed in a quarter of the garden by themselves, and it should be one which is freely exposed to sun and air. They are sometimes, how ever, planted in single rows, as edgings to borders, and in this way they often produce great crops. In either case, care must be taken to replant them every fourth or fifth year at farthest. The alpine and wood species may be placed in situations rather cool and shady ; perhaps as an edging in the shrubbery. In such places they produce their fruit perfectly well, and late in the season, which is desirable.
177. The fruit has evidently received its English name from an old practice of laying straw between the rows: in clear weather, the ground is thus kept from drying too much, and less watering is requisite ; while, in drench ing rains, the berries are preserved from being soiled by the earth. This custom is still followed in some parts of France ; and it has of late been partially revived in the neighbourhood of London, through the recommendation of Sir Joseph Banks, contained in the first volume of the English Horticultural Memoirs. When the fruit is form ed, some lay tiles or moss around the plants ; these an swer the same purpose as straw, but certainly not more effectually, and the procuring and applying them must be attended with more trouble.
178. Strawberries are a favourite dessert fruit, and by different means they are brought to table from February till November. By various kinds of forcing (to be after wards noticed) they are procured from February till June ; they are produced abundantly in the open air during the months of June and July ; and by means of the alpine and wood sorts, the strawberry season is prolonged till the end of October. The fruit should be used very soon after be ing gathered. If kept only for a few hours, the flavour is found to have considerably diminished. The berries are generally eaten along with cream and pounded sugar.
179. Strawberries are readily raised from the seed, and new varieties are thus procured. If sown early, they sel dom fail to produce flowers and fruit in the succeeding year. In collecting the seeds, it is proper to observe that the berries be perfectly ripe, so that the seeds may be brushed from their surface, or may part with facility.
Having thus given an account of the fruits which are usually cultivated within our walled gardens, in the open. air, it may be proper in this place to take some short no tice of several other fruits, and nuts, which are occasion ally cultivated in the garden, but more commonly in the lawns or pleasure-grounds surrounding it, or in the or chard and its environs ; and likewise to mention more par ticularly some of the native fruits which are still gathered for use in the country.
Fruits occasionally cultivated.
180. The Pomegranate-tree (Punica granatunz, L.; /cos Indria Mcnogynia ; Myra, Juss.) is a native of the Levant, but naturalized in the South of Europe. It was introduced into England toward the end of the 16th century. At first it was treated as a delicate plant ; but now it stands in the open border. It is only, however, in sheltered situations, against a south wall, and in favourable seasons, that it pro duces tolerable fruit: it acquires indeed a considerable size, nearly that of an ordinary pippin, but is quite de ficient in flavour. The tree requires a rich strong soil ; in a poor and dry soil, it will not even show flowers. To the northward of London, the fruit scarcely ever approaches maturity. A variety with double flowers is frequently planted against the sides of houses by way of ornament ; and when clothed with its scarlet flowers, it is not only very beautiful, but grateful by its odour. The pome granate is generally propagated by layers. The flowers proceed from the extremities of branches produced the same year. The stronger branches of the former year are therefore shortened, in order to obtain a supply of new shoots. The best time for this pruning is November.