1878.] 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



287 



Saisons, and a recent American variety of the 

 same class, the Herstine, none of these made 

 their appearance among our exhibits, and have 

 mostly disappeared from cultivation. The pres- 

 ent popularity of the Raspberry dates from 1863, 

 when the Philadelphia was brought prominently 

 to notice by Parry, of Xew Jersey ; and what- 

 ever kinds have become popular since then have 

 been chiefly of the same race from which the 

 Philadelphia sprung. Many seedlings came be- 

 fore us during our examinations on the tables of 

 the Exhibition, some of which may in some re- 

 spects excel this •, but all are of this native class. 

 The Rubus occidentalism or " Thimbleberry," a 

 native Raspberry, has been improved during this 

 era by selections from wild places. One before 

 us, the Gregg, from Indiana, was far superior to 

 the ordinary wild forms. Xeither of these two 

 classes of native Raspberries, even in their best 

 improvements, equal in size or flavor the best 

 varieties of the European race. 



In Cranberries there has been a marked im- 

 provement in size, solidity, and flavor, and 

 chiefly by the efforts of Connecticut growers, 

 they have been made profitable crops in com- 

 paratively dry land. Upland Cranberries, of a 

 quality superior to many grown in swamps, 

 were exhibited by Mr. Trowbridge of Milford, 

 Connecticut. The Cranberry has become a crop 

 of immense importance, and the exhibitors, 

 chiefly from Xew Jersey, represented many 

 thousands of acres. 



Of Cherries, a large number of the kinds po- 

 pular at the Revolution have disappeared. The 

 Carnation, Late Duke, Oxheart, Yellow Span- 

 ish, and May Duke are still planted ; but, in the 

 main, other and better kinds have taken their 

 place. The Black Tartarian, a European 

 variety, came in soon after the beginning of 

 our era, and the Early Richmond an American 

 variety, found in Virginia has been in general 

 culture about three-quarters of a century, and 

 these two are about the only ones of the older 

 sorts that are now grown. Many of the im- 

 proved* varieties have been imported from Eu- 

 rope, but much of what we have gained is due 

 to Professor J. P. Kirtland, of Cleveland, Ohio, 

 who made their improvement a matter of special 

 attention. With the exception of magnificent 

 fruit from Oregon, and afew kinds from the vici- 

 nity of Philadelphia, there was little in Cherry- 

 culture developed by the Exhibition. In the 

 Plum, however, the Exhibition was a great sur- 

 prise. No such fine collections as were made 



here were probably ever exhibited before in the 

 world, and this too, in the face of a generally 

 prevailing impression that Plum-culture on the 

 American continent had nearly died out. The 

 enemies of this fruit are numerous now. The 

 borer weakens the trunk; the black knot de- 

 stroys the branches: and when these foes to the 

 Plum-culturist are absent, the curculio deposits 

 its eggs in the fruit, which then generally rots be- 

 fore maturity. It does not seem clear that any 

 of these troubles existed at the commencement 

 of our era ; but we may believe that they were 

 not serious impediments to general success. 

 They at length became so powerful that Plum- 

 culture was generally abandoned. A few per- 

 served, of whom notably were Dr. Hull, in 

 Southern Illinois, and EUwanger «fe Bariy, of 

 Rochester, New York. A knowledge of the in- 

 sects and of the disease has been obtained by 

 gardeners sufficient in a measure to control 

 these evils, and now Plum-culture is meeting 

 with considerable success. The displays of 

 Messrs. EUwanger & Barry on several occasions 

 during August and September afforded great 

 pleasure to visitors. To these succeeded exhibits 

 from various parts of the Dominion of Canada. 

 These were continuous through the whole sea- 

 son. Numerous fine samples were received 

 from Oregon, chiefly of the varieties of prune, 

 foreshadowing a useful and extensive industry in 

 that far-oflT region. It is chiefly in successful 

 culture that progress has been made. Many 

 valuable varieties have, however, been added to 

 the list of good Plums during the century. 



In Peaches our progress has been wonderful. 

 The list of those in cultivation at the time of 

 the Revolution was very small. A few of these 

 may be found in an orchard occasionally, but 

 the Old Mixon is perhaps the only one that may 

 be considered popular to this time. So many 

 good ones abound that it is often difficult to get 

 good growers to agree on a selection. Progress 

 has been especially marked in the production of 

 superior early varieties, and we find our markets 

 1 supplied with them from June till October, and 

 ; even earlier in the South. Some fine Early 

 Beatrice were exhibited from Alabama together 

 with early Strawberries grown in the vicinity of 

 Philadelphia. 



In regard to vegetables, the most noteworthy 

 advance has been in their extension to field-cul- 

 ture. In the olden time vegetable-raising was 

 more especially the gardener's work, and the 

 spade the great implement in the work. Now 



