BLACKBERRIES AND RASPBERRIES. 393 



every berry.' He went on then describing how it branches out, and liow it 

 was completely tilled with fruit so tlnit the branches would bend over to the 

 ground, and described the enormous quantity obtained from one branch, their 

 delicious flavor, etc., etc." 



These and other reports of the wonderful character of this new variety seem 

 to have induced Mr. Charles Downing to inquire carefully into the facts in the 

 case, and also to visit and examine the fruit upon several plantations. His 

 conclusions are embodied in an article which appears in the Horticulturist for 

 1855, at page 451, from which we quote as follows, alluding to the article of 

 Mr. Hubbard: 



" A species of bramble it certainly is; but that he ever saw this identical 

 blackberry is a matter of doubt. If it is an old fruit and so well known in 

 Europe, how is it that it has not been introduced and propagated among the 

 nurserymen and amateurs here, along with their other importations of new 

 and good fruits ? One thing is certain : it is a valuable fruit and deserves the 

 attention of amateurs and fruit growers, and every person who cultivates even 

 a small portion of ground would do well to procure a few plants. A dozen or so 

 in full bearing will give fruit sufficient for an ordinary family for some six 

 weeks. 



The society only recommends this blackberry for market, with a caution as 

 to hardiness. Our impression is that it went upon the list in compliance with 

 the preferences of St. Joseph planters and with reference to the wants of plant- 

 ers along the Lake Shore, where its success was assumed to be more certain 

 than in the State at large, where, if not protected, it is frequently winter-killed 

 at the top on account of its habit of making late growths and hence going into 

 the winter with imperfectly ripened wood. Still there are not lacking cases in 

 which, with winter protection, it has proved highly profitable even in the in- 

 terior of the State. 



One of its most serious drawbacks as a market fruit is its extreme delicacy 

 of texture ; which, to some extent at least, unfits it for lengthened transporta- 

 tion by rail. To Lake Shore growers who can pick it over night, and have it 

 put down in Chicago or Milwaukee by steamer in the early morning, it will no 

 doubt be found profitable when carried safely through the winter, the chief 

 danger being that even a slight killing of the top is pretty certain to seriously 

 diminish the next crop. Owing largely perhaps to this difficulty some of the 

 more recent sorts seem to a great extent to be superseding it even there. 



The fruit becomes fully colored some time before it acquires its full flavor. 

 Hence experience is requisite to properly determine the time of picking, and it 

 usually goes to market while yet partially unripe and sour. The most experi- 

 enced growers advise to leave the berry upon the plant till it will drop into the 

 hand upon the mere touch of the fingers. When picked in this manner and 

 the plants kept low and well branched by clipping or pinching in summer, 

 with protection in winter when requisite, we are persuaded that it will be found 

 satisfactory, and under such treatment we have little hesitation in commend- 

 ing it to even amateur planters for home use throughout the State, except 

 possibly at the extreme north. 



KITTATINNY. 



The first published notice of this blackberry that has come under our obser- 

 vation, occurs in the November number of the Magazine of Horticulture for 

 1864, at page 407, before it had been offered for sale by the introducer. It was 



