the STRAWBERRY-TREE: A genus of the monogynia order, belonging to the decandra class of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the 18th order, Bicones. The calyx is divided into five parts; the corolla is ovated; and the fruit is a berry with five cells.

Species. 1. The unedo, or common strawberry-tree, is a native of Italy, Spain, and also of Ireland; and is now very common in the British gardens. Of this species there are four varieties, viz. The oblong-fruited, the round-fruited, the red-flowered, and the double-bloomed. One description is nearly common to them all; and their inconsiderable variation is almost sufficiently shown in their respective appellations.

The oblong-fruited sort will grow to be a middling-sized tree in some countries; for we read of the large uses its wood has been applied to; such as Arbute crates, &c. Arbutean harrows, &c. With us it may be kept down to any size. The main stems are covered with a light-brown bark, rough, and falling. The younger branches are of a kind of purple colour, whilst the last year's shoots are of a fine red, and a little hairy. The leaves grow alternately on the branches, and are of an oblong oval figure. They stand on short foot-stalks, and the oldest leaves make a contrast with the younger by having their foot-stalk and mid-rib of a fine scarlet colour. They are smooth, and beautifully serrated. Their upper surface (as in most trees) is of a stronger green than their under; and the young twigs are garnished with them in plenty. These are beauties in common to most trees, in some degree or other; but every thing else almost of this tree that presents itself to consideration is singular: The time of its flowering will be in November and December; when it is rather singular to see a tree in the open ground in full blow; and the fruit ripens by that time twelvemonth after. The manner and nature of the fruit, fruit, which look like very large red strawberries, give it also a singular and delightful look; and this is heightened as they appear all over the tree among the flowers; for that is the time of its being ripe, when the flowers for the succeeding crop are fully out. The flowers themselves make no great figure; they are of a kind of whitish-yellow colour; and are succeeded by the abovementioned strawberry-fruit, which will require a revolution of twelve months before they perfectly arrive at their maturity and colour. The flowers of the first fort are larger than those of the second; and the fruit is oval, and much larger than our common scarlet strawberry.

The round-fruited fort has its pitcher-shaped flowers, which are succeeded by round scarlet fruit, as wide as they are long; and this is all the difference between these forts.

The red-flowered fort differs in no respect from the common fort, only the flowers are red, and these constitute a variety from the other sorts of flowers; but the contrast is not so great between their fruit and them as of the other sorts, their colour approaching too near to a sameness.

The double-bloomed fort differs in no respect, only that the flowers are double; but this difference is so inconsiderable, that it will not be seen without looking into the flower; and even then the doubles will appear so trifling as scarcely to merit notice; so that a plant or two, to have it said that the collection is not without it, will be sufficient. Neither ought any more to be admitted; for they will not produce the same plenty of fruit, which constitutes the greatest beauty of these trees, as the single sorts.

The above forts thrive best in a wet soil, and is seldom hurt by hard winters, though the young and tender branches are often destroyed by frost; but, however dead the trees may appear, they ought always to be suffered to remain till the following summer shows what are living and what are dead.

The method of propagating the varieties of the umedo is by layers and cuttings: the species itself may be raised from seed.—1. Propagation by layers. The operation must be performed on the youngest twigs; and in some soils they will strike root pretty freely, whilst in others they can hardly be made to grow at all: but before they have lain two summers, you may scarcely venture to look for any. When the roots are struck, the layers should be carefully taken off in the spring, and planted in separate pots: and after well watering them, they should be plunged up to the rims in an hotbed, and this will set them forward; for without this affluence many of the layers will be lost; since they are difficult plants to make grow. After the hotbed has forced the seeds into a state of vegetation, the pots may be taken out, and plunged up to the rims in some natural mould, to keep them cool and moist; and here they may stand for two or three years, or longer, if the pots are large enough, without ever removing or sheltering in winter; for they are hardy enough to resist our severest cold. When they are to be finally set out, all the mould may be turned out of the pots hanging to the roots; and having proper holes made ready, they may be planted in them, and the plant will be ignorant of its new situation.

2. By cuttings. These must be planted in pots, and have the benefit of a good bark-bed; in which being constantly shaded and duly watered, many of them will grow. As the plants raised this way will be rather tender by being forced in the bark-bed, it will be necessary to remove them into the greenhouse, or to place them under a hotbed-frame during the first winter; and after that, the pots may be set up to the rims in the ground, and, like the layers, the plants may be turned out at a convenient time into the places where they are to remain.

1. Raising from seeds. Let these be taken from the oblong or round-fruited sort. The seeds, which will be ripe some time in November or the beginning of December, for they will not be ripe at the same time in all places, must be then gathered; and as they should not be sown until the spring, it will be proper to put them into a pot or jar, mixing with them a quantity of drift-sand; and this will preserve them sound and good. The beginning of March is the best time for sowing the seeds; and the best soil for them is maiden earth, taken from a rich pasture at least a year before, with the fward; and this, by constant turning, being well rotted and mixed, will be ready to receive them. Having filled a different quantity of pots with this fine mould, let the seeds be sown, and but just covered, scarcely a quarter of an inch deep. A dry day should be chosen for the sowing; and no watering by the hand should be given them, as it will endanger the setting the mould hard in the pots. Leave them abroad until some rain falls, which at that time may be hourly expected; and after that, having an hotbed ready, plunge the pots therein. In less than six weeks you may expect your plants to appear; when much air should be afforded them, and frequent waterings, in small quantities, gently sprinkled over them. After this, they may be hardened to the air by degrees, and the pots set up to the rims in the natural mould, in a shady place. In October they should be removed into the greenhouse, or some shelter, in frothy weather; though they should always be set abroad in mild open weather. In the spring they may be shook out, and planted in separate pots; and they should have the advantage also of a hotbed to set them a-growing; their future management may be the same as was directed for the layers. When these trees are to be planted out, very little regard need be paid to the soil or situation; for they will grow almost anywhere, and resist our severest northern blasts. One thing, however, the gardener must constantly observe, in order to continue his trees in their beauty, viz. As often as a heavy snow falls, so constantly should he go and shake the boughs; for it will lodge amongst the leaves and branches in such great quantity as to weigh down and split the largest branches; the deformity of which afterwards may be easily conceived. Besides, many years must expire before the tree will, if ever it should, grow to its former beauty; to preserve this, therefore, makes the narrowly watching these trees in snowy weather highly necessary.

2. The andrachne will grow to a larger size than the arbutus. The leaves are smooth, and nearly of the same figure as the preceding sort; though they are larger, and have their edges undivided. The flowers grow like the other sorts; are of the same colour; and they Arcade they are succeeded by large, oval, scarlet fruit. It is called the Oriental Strawberry-tree, because this fort grows plentifully in many parts of the East, and is useful to the inhabitants for many purposes in life.

The andrachne may be propagated in the same manner as the arbutus; but the plants must be preserved in pots for three or four years till they have obtained strength; and may be then planted in a warm situation and on a dry soil, for this species will not thrive on wet ground.

Besides the above, there are three other species of arbutus, viz. The acadiensis, a native of Acadia; the alpina, or mountain strawberry-tree, a native of Britain; and the uva urfa, a plant lately discovered in the Highlands of Scotland, and which formerly was thought not to be a native of Britain.