T BANS ACTIONS AT THE ANNUAL MEETING. 85 



Mr. Stickney said he thought we could safely recommend the 

 Snyder and Stone's Hardy for trial. He had visited Mr. Stone's 

 grounds the past season and saw the two varieties side by side ; 

 both were loaded with fruit, but the Hardy seemed to be the 

 fullest. The canes of one, two and three year old plants were 

 black with fruit. It was a great treat to see them, and paid him 

 well for his journey. The wood of the Hardy wa3 short jointed, 

 and quite stocky. He had great confidence in the Snyder, but 

 more in the Hardy. The quality of the fruit was also the best in 

 the Hardy. He had raised the Aucient Briton. It is apt to kill, 

 but he could not do without it. He thought it paid to cultivate it 

 even though it was killed occasionally. When it does escape it 

 is fairly loaded with fruit. The quality is good, but the berries 

 are too soft for anything but a near market. 



Mr. Stone's experience with blackberries was called for, and he 

 said that with reference to the Snyder and Stone's Hardy he could 

 recommend them for trial. He had cultivated both for six years. 

 In that time the Snyder had killed down twice, but he regarded 

 it fully as hardy as the black raspberries that are in general cul- 

 tivation throughout the state. Stone's Hardy originated near 

 Eockford, Illinois. In 1874 he obtained a few roots from a friend 

 there who had cultivated it for four vears in his garden with ex- 

 cellent success. The same spring he bought plants of the genuine 

 Snyder, and set them side by side, and had given them the same 

 cultivation ever since ; had not given winter protection to either. 

 Had set out plants of each every season since 1874, and after 

 growing them side by side for six years he could give a better 

 description of both by comparing them with each other. The 

 Snyder is conceded to be the hardiest variety under general culti- 

 vation at present; but it had killed, as stated before, down to the 

 ground twice in the six years; the Hardy had only been injured 

 at the tip ends of the branches, not farther down than you would 

 naturally cut back the cane in the spring. The crop of the Snyder 

 for those two years was a failure, but that of the Hardy was good. 

 It was the universal opinion of those who visited his grounds 

 and saw the two varieties side by side in their prime, that the 

 Hardy was the most productive, bore the largest berry, and was 



