394 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



5. The peculiar demerits of the dewberries are the failure of the flowers 

 to set, the formation of nubbins, and the difficulty of picking the fruit. 

 There is no positive method known by which the first two difficulties can 

 be overcome, and the causes of them are unknown, but there is reason to 

 believe that pruning and thinning of the canes will tend to make the 

 plant productive. The labor and unpleasantness of picking may be 

 avoided by training the plants on a rack or trellis and by keeping them 

 well pruned. 



6. Various methods of training and cultivation are advised, but the 

 plants are generally set at about the same distance as blackberries (3x7 or 

 4x7 ) and the canes are allowed to lie upon the ground, being headed in 

 when they reach about three feet in length. A mulch of straw beneath 

 the canes keeps the berries clean and renders picking pleasanter. A wire 

 trellis like a grape trellis, or various styles of racks, may be used upon 

 which to tie the fruiting canes, and for amateur cultivation, at least, some 

 such upright training seems to be advisable. Only four to six fruiting 

 canes should be allowed to the plant. Some varieties, particularly Win- 

 dom and Bartel, appear to do best if the fruit is shaded. 



7. Twelve varieties of dewberry have been named and more or less dis- 

 seminated during the last twenty years. Of these, four (omitting the 

 Mammoth) have gained more less prominence, and are found to possess 

 decided merits in certain places. This is a fair proportion of good 

 varieties to inferior ones, as indicated by the annals of other fruits. 



8. Many persons have found dewberry culture to be profitable. This is 

 evidence that the fruit is an acquisition. But it has not yet found general 

 favor, and it is probable that it will never become as popular as the black- 

 berry. The varieties which enjoy most prominence are Windom, Lucretia, 

 Bartel, and Manatee. 



9. The Windom possesses promise for the northwest, of which it is a 

 native. It has not yet been tested to any extent elsewhere. It appears to 

 demand partial shade for the best success. 



10. The Lucretia has been found to be a desirable and profitable fruit in 

 many places over a large extent of territory, and it is therefore safe to 

 conclude that its range of adaptation is large. Many, however, have failed 

 with it. It appears to be variable and many of the plants are worthless. 

 It is seriously attacked by anthracnose and by a bramble rust. 



11. Bartel has found great favor with some growers in the west, from 

 Wisconsin to Nebraska. It has not succeeded well in the east so far. 

 Some of the variety known as Mammoth appears to be identical with 

 Bartel. 



12. Manatee is probably valuable for the south, and it appears to be the 

 most useful form of Rubits trivialis yet tested. 



L. H. Bailey. 



