THE NEW ROCHELLE BLACKBERRY AGAIN. 



THE NEW ROCHELLE BLACKBERRY AGAIN. 



BY CHARLES DOWNING, NEWBURGH, NEW YORK. 



Ed. Horticulturist: — Mr. C. Hubbard, in the August number of tlie Horti- 

 culturist, speaking of impostures, relates a conversation of his Scotch Gardener 

 respecting the New Rochelle Blackberry, in which he calls it the Scotch Bramble, 

 and an old fruit he seems well acquainted with ; 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 valu- 

 able fruit, and deserves the attention of amateurs and fruit growers, and every per- 

 son 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. 



Having a desire to see more of it this season, in company with my friend Dr. C. 

 W. Grant I visited the grounds of George Seymore & Co., South Norwalk, 

 Conn., where we saw them in perfection, and the crop large and fine. 



We also called on Mr. Wm. Lawton, Mr. S. P. Carpenter, and Mr. Lewis 

 A. Seacor, all of New Rochelle, and at each of these places we found the same 

 varieties in cultivation. The quantity of each bush is enormous; fruit large, and 

 all any one could desire. 



If any one has doubts of its being a valuable Blackberry they should visit the 

 grounds of any of the growers between the 1st and 20th of August, and their doubts 

 will vanish like the dew. 



The quality and productiveness of this Blackberry is as much affected by soil and 

 cultivation as any other fruit, deep tillage, rich and moist (not wet) soil are favour- 

 able to its greatest excellence. 



The origin of this Blackberry is uncertain, but most likely is an accidental seed- 

 ling, and was found by Mr. Seacor on a farm in New Rochelle, and has been propa- 

 gated and disseminated by him — Mr. Seacor being absent we could not get his 

 history of it, but it has been published in journals of late, and especially in the 

 June number of the Horticulturist. 



