98 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



flavor, and bids fair to exceed them all. The culture of the black- 

 berry does not differ materialh' from that of the raspberr}'. The}- 

 are set about the same distance apart and the same course of setting, 

 pruning and cultivating will apply equally to both. Most sorts are 

 quite tender. I have found but one or two kinds that can be grown 

 in this State without winter protection. They are a fine fruit, com- 

 ing at a time when they are most needed and staying with us until 

 the early frosts take them. The wild berries are abundant in some 

 localities. We are not growing enough of them to supply our home 

 markets, and hundreds of bushels are brought here, so that we have 

 an abundance of them. I have had some very good crops, having 

 at one time a half acre in cultivation, half of them the Wilson early, 

 the balance Kittatinny and Lawton. These are all tender varieties 

 requiring protection. They were a paying crop at first, the first ber- 

 ries selling at 25 cents per quart, while the wild ones were sold at 

 8 and 10 cents. I have had good crops some seasons ; at others 

 they were killed in spite of all precautions, until I became discour- 

 aged and ploughed them all under and planted the ground to cab- 

 bages. Since then I have tried sorts that have proved more success- 

 ful. The Snyder stands our winters pretty well, also the Agawam 

 and Western Triumph. The Snyder is my favorite and will succeed 

 two-thirds of the time without covering. Blackberry bushes are not 

 pleasant to work about, the sharp thorns scratching the hands and 

 face, tearing the clothing, which is not pleasant. One of the best 

 of all of our summer fruits is the currant. They are both useful 

 and ornamental ; they take up but little room, bear abundantly and 

 unquestionably add to the attractiveness of the garden. 



There is no plant that will bear so much neglect, and yet produce 

 a crop of berries year after year, like the old currant bush. Nearly 

 every garden in the land contains a few plants sometimes a little 

 compost is thrown around them, but the weeds and grass are allowed 

 to grow, and it struggles on for an existence when other plants 

 would have given up long before. It seems to be a fact fully estab- 

 lished in the minds of most people, that the currant is a hardy plant, 

 after being once transplanted, and will do well enough if left to take 

 care of itself. They are not pruned unless it is done by the brows- 

 ing of domestic animals, instead of a proper use of the knife at the 

 right season. Grown in this way it is small and insipid. How 

 much better it would be if the plants had better care, and how much 

 larger the crop. The currant is propagated by cuttings. As a 



