136 State Horticultural Society. 



weeds and grass. The fruit, growing low down, is harder to pick than 

 the blackberry with its upright canes. The dewberry is larger in size than 

 the ordinary blackberry, sweeter and more palatable than the blackberry ; 

 its canes or vines are very hardy ; in fact, it is nearly impossible to kill 

 them out when once established. We have never grown the dewberry 

 for market, but have understood that the late lamented Mr. Speakman, 

 of Neosho, Mo., has been growing the dewberry for several years on a 

 large scale and a cheap plan, if we have been informed right, by simply 

 mowing the vines and burning over the fields as soon as the crop is 

 gathered, thus getting rid of all weeds and insects. A new growth 

 comes up at once and makes ready for the next crop, thus renewing the 

 field easily and cheaply season after season. 



Mr. Bonham, of Clinton, Mo., an old horticulturist and nurseryman, 

 has been growing the Austin dewberry very successfully, also in rather 

 a novel way. He makes a ridge similar to the usual plan for sweet 

 potatoes, plants his dewberries on the ridge and allows them to grow 

 and trail along the sides and top of the ridge. The bearing stems grow- 

 ing upright, having a larger surface (both top and sides) to grow upon 

 and the pickers standing in the furrows between the ridges, makes it 

 easier picking. His dewberries completely cover the ridges, keeping the 

 weeds and grass choked out. Mr. Bonham says all he does to them 

 after the crop is gathered is to mow them down and new canes at once 

 grow and take their places. He also says they are much more productive 

 and pay him better than the same amount of ground planted to black- 

 berries. We have never tried either of the above plans, but think we 

 shall try the ridge plan when we get started to growing fruit again on 

 our new place at Boonville. 



As to the best varieties, the Lucretia, Austin. Premo and others have 

 their friends. We do not know which is best. The dewberry as a fruit 

 being scarcer and less grown than blackberries, brings a better price and 

 should be a paying crop, and is a fruit that should be more largely grown. 

 The successful berry grower should have all kinds of berries to meet the 

 demands of all kinds of customers. 



DISCUSSION ON DEWBERRIES. 



Mr. Tippin — I have seen plenty of land around here that is fine for 

 dewberries. They are a good fruit to plant, when you are as near a good 

 market as you are here. Prepare the land to set the plants, cultivate 

 them the first year. After the vines come into bearing, you can mow off 

 the patch and burn it over. They are easy to grow and are a most 

 luscious fruit. 



