182 SYSTEMATIC POMOLOGY 



BLuVCKBERRIES 



Tlie cultivated blackberry is almost wholly an American fruit, 

 derived from several native species. Two sorts only, neither of 

 much importance, the Oregon Evergreen and the Himalaya, 

 belong to Old World species. The blackl)erry is one of the 

 newest cultivated fruits. ]\Iost of the varieties are not more 

 than a generation from the wild, and the domestication of plants 

 from the woods is still under way. Nevertheless, the classifica- 

 tion of the few varieties is difficult for the pomologist as is that 

 of the native species for the botanist. 



267. Species of cultivated blackberries. — There are many 

 variations in wild blackberries out of which botanists have 

 made many species, and have variously defined the few- species- 

 types that have been given general recognition. Species cross 

 and recross in the wild and in the garden. With present 

 knowledge of Rubus, it is almost impossible to classify varieties 

 with reference to the species from which they came; therefore, 

 in a pomological work, it is needless to describe the species that 

 are now represented in cultivated blackberries. It is best to 

 attempt only a brief characterization of well-recognized species- 

 types from which pomological blackberries are derived. 



1. Buhus argutus, Link. The prevailing group of wild blackberries in 

 eastern America is represented by B. argutus which is widely distributed 

 from Canada to North Carolina and westward to Iowa. Several cultivated 

 varieties come from this species of which Early Harvest is the commonest 

 representative. The plant is erect and stout with very prickly stiff stems; 

 leaves small, with short-pointed leaflets, ribs and petioles thorny; flower- 

 clusters short and usually glandless. 



2. Bubus allegheniensis, Porter. This is a high-bush blackberry with 

 canes medium in height or tall, but more or less recurving, with the old 

 canes purplish and armed with stout slightly curved prickles ; the leaflets 

 are ovate, often glandular, pubescent beneath; flower-clusters mostly elon- 

 gated but not leafy; fruit generally subcylindric, ratlier small, with many 

 small druplets, and of very good flavor. This species is often known as 

 B. nigrobaccus. 



White blackberries, usually amber-colored fruits, while occa- 

 sionally occurring in other species, most often belong to 

 B. allegheniensis. The habitat is from Canada to North Caro- 

 lina and westward to Illinois. A sport of this species with dry 



