gorged themselves with meat; while the modern man makes larger and
larger use of fruits and vegetables, until this generation is doubtless
better fed than any that has preceded it. The strawberry and the apple,
and such vegetables as celery, ought to lengthen human life,--at least
to correct its biliousness and make it more sweet and sanguine.

The first impetus to strawberry culture seems to have been given by the
introduction of our field berry (_Fragaria Virginiana_) into England in
the seventeenth century, though not much progress was made till the
eighteenth. This variety is much more fragrant and aromatic than the
native berry of Europe, though less so in that climate than when grown
here. Many new seedlings sprang from it, and it was the prevailing
berry in English and French gardens, says Fuller, until the South
American species, _grandiflora,_ was introduced and supplanted it. This
berry is naturally much larger and sweeter, and better adapted to the
English climate, than our _Virginiana._ Hence the English strawberries
of to-day surpass ours in these respects, but are wanting in that
aromatic pungency that characterizes most of our berries.

The Jocunda, Triumph, Victoria, are foreign varieties of the
Grandiflora species; while the Hovey, the Boston Pine, the Downer, are
natives of this country.

The strawberry, in the main, repeats the form of the human heart, and
perhaps, of all the small fruits known to man, none other is so deeply
and fondly cherished, or hailed with such universal delight, as this
lowly but youth-renewing berry.