STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. I05 



and season will make considerable difference, and each one must be 

 governed by his own circumstances. The laterals ought not to be allowed 

 to grow more than fifteen inches. Red raspberries, when land is an object, 

 may be planted in rows six feet apart, and with a little modification the 

 same rule will apply to blackberries. It will, however, be necessary to 

 rigidly cut up the suckers or the quality of the fruit will suffer for that 

 season. As the plants get older they do not sucker nearly so much. 



Black raspberries may be set from five to eight feet in rows, and 

 should be pruned to two-and-one-half feet high and the laterals to one 

 foot. This will be a rule when fruit is grown for market. For family 

 use, when space is limited, the rule will admit of variation. 



Shipping. — I have found it best to make two grades of fruit. They 

 may not always have been sold as such, depending upon the market; still 

 the responsibility rests where it should, with the commission-man. If the 

 lower grade fruit did not bring good prices, there could be no misunder- 

 standing. 



Packages. — The full quart box is best for blackberries and black 

 raspberries. Some shippers may be using the "snide" box, which I 

 consider a fraud and as such ought to be condemned by this Society. It 

 may be said, and to a certain extent truly, that this kind of fruit is sold 

 by the package, but at the same time the public expect them to hold a 

 full quart. This they certainly do if the proper kind is used and boxes 

 are properly filled. This confidence on the part of the public ought not 

 to be abused ; fair dealing will soon bring its own reward. 



Red raspberries ought to be packed for shipping in pint boxes. 



Such are my views, drawn from observation made on my own plan- 

 tation, and I offer them with diffidence before this body. It would be 

 presumption to claim that they are perfect, especially before many of 

 you, "fathers in horticulture," who have given a life-time to the study 

 and practice of fruit-growing. If they elicit discussion and bring out 

 new light upon our work I shall be fully satisfied. 



DISCUSSION UPON THE REPORTS. 



Mr. Dennis. — The originator of the Sweet Home raspberry, men- 

 tioned by Mr. Vickroy, claims that it is earlier than Miami ; but my 

 observation of this variety convinces me that it is identical with the 

 Mammoth Cluster or Miami. A neighbor has them both and I can 

 discover no difference. In reply to a question asking if the canes of 

 Sweet Home do not stand higher than those of Mammoth Cluster, he 

 said he could detect no difference in cane or leaf. 



Mr. McWhorter. — The Sweet Home seems to be a little longer 

 berry than Mammoth Cluster, and has the same bloom on it ; I think 

 it is distinct, but I cannot extol it; I think the originator has exag- 

 gerated somewhat ; I would plant it, however, as I think the berry a 



