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The Strawberry

The strawberry, or Fragaria (Nat. Ord. Rosacea), while in its wild state not perhaps so lavishly generous with its riches as is the blackberry over both southern and northern latitudes, yet, speaking broadly, grows from the Arctic to the Antarctic zones; the mountains of Switzerland and even the Himalayas not too high or chill but that it may be found nestling close to Mother Earth, giving out beauty and charm in unexpected spots. It was, undoubtedly, this shy, rich sweetness-so free from tearing thornswhich stamped from the first with indelible favouritism the wild crimson berry, and its being found so amenable to cultivation, (therefore making its season long, from the width of belt from which it may be shipped,) gave it continued first rank in favour. Its generic name of Fragaria was given it by the old Romans because of its inviting perfume. Its second baptismal name of "straw," by which we of to-day designate it, had also ancient origin of which, however, two explanations are given, one tradition asserting that it came from the Anglo-Saxon "strae," meaning to stray (because of the vine's wandering habits), and from which we derive directly our English verb "stray." But the name is also said to have come from the old English custom of placing straw under the plants to mulch or to prevent the fruit from rotting.

It is not everyone who can eat strawberries, unfortunately, as their decided and peculiar form of acids does not agree with everyone, but these people are exceptions and should know that the addition of a little Cayenne pepper will not unpleasantly detract from the fruit and will very often prevent difficulties in the digesting of them. They contain such proportion of citric and malic acids and salts of lime that in general they are considered excellent for those of gouty or bilious temperament and even when acids are supposedly contra-indicated they prove acceptable to the system if taken with a small quantity of bicarbonate of potash (see Note 1: Preface). Holbrook states that the use of this berry cured Wilson, the ornithologist, of chronic malarial fever after the doctors had failed. Another celebrated cure, handed down among strawberry devotees, was that of the botanist Linnæus from gout, and patients of lesser note have been entirely relieved of liver troubles and maladies associated with the respiratory organs, particularly the lungs. One Swiss physician reported as restricting patients with serious pulmonary diseases to an almost exclusive diet of strawberries. Wild strawberries are more readily digestible than almost any berry known and the red drops, like heart's blood, seem to be congealed sunshine with all the therapeutic value of the sun concentrated in them. It seems a pity that they are comparatively rare and not usually to be bought in open market, although if they were to be had at every corner grocery most of their healing agency would have departed. Only by gathering them in their native haunts may all this value be given and received.