Small jFritlts for the I^aviily Garden. 105 



deserved. It is a strong, healthy grower, thus far hardy and quite productive. I 

 would not say more from my own observation, as I have not tried it long enough. 

 From actual measurement I found the following varieties to yield per stool, in 



1871 and 187'i, as follows : 



1871. 1872. 



Naomi \\ quarts, 1§ quarts. 



Eranconia 1 " -2 



Belle de Fontenay ^ " Ig 



Clarke \\ " 1.5, 



Parnell i " 1 



Philadelphia 2 " 1| 



Surprise d'Antoinne l^ " '-g 



I am satisfied that it will, when once well known, become a favorite in every fruit 



garden. 



JilacUberfies. 



Before raspberries are fully gone, blackberries make their appearance in market ; 

 I consider them, next to the strawberries, the most profitable fruit crop, while they 

 require less labor and are more reliable. They should be planted in moderately good 

 soil, 4 feet by 8 ; very rich land should be avoided, as they are not particular about 

 soil or location, and the canes in rich land would grow so strong as to require too 

 much pruning, while they are apt not to mature their wood and thus become subjected 

 to being winter-killed. A repeated shortening-in of the cane and side branches dur- 

 ing summer is beneficial, as they will become thereby self-sustaining, and be covered 

 with berries from the ground upwards, instead of bearing only at the top. When 

 desirable to stake them, I would recommend Mr. Ohmer's admirable plan, who trains 

 blackberries and raspberries on wires, which requires less labor and expense than 

 stakes, while better fruit is developed and the picking facilitated. 



Of all the varieties that have appeared from time to time, we have only the Dor- 

 chesters, Wilson's Early, Kittatinny and Lawton — as valuable — left, and where the 

 Wilson succeeds, the first may be dropped, as earliness is all that recommends it. 



The Wdson is the largest and earliest, very productive and will yield more money 

 per acre than any other; but the great question is its hardiness. The strong canes 

 with me are regularly killed to the ground by frost, and only the smaller ones bear, 

 but my soil is new and very rich, which may account for it; on thinner land they 

 will prove, probably, more hardy. 



The Kittatinny is also very large and productive, of excellent quality, and continues 

 longer in bearing; it seems to succeed almost everywhere. 



The Lawton, in strong loam, is very productive, but not reliable in light soils ; 

 wherever it does well, it will stand a comparison with the other varieties, while if 

 you let it get fully ripe, there is no better berry for the table. I would recommend 

 it for the garden, but not as a shipping berry, as it easily changes color. 



For some years past a fungus or rust has been thinning out blackberry fields, and 

 in some localities it has also attacked Black-cap raspberries ; where it once takes 

 well hold of the plants, it is as sure death as the pear blight, and if the plants are 

 not removed, it will spread and destroy the patch in a few years, I think that a 

 superabundance of moisture is the first cause of it, as some years ago, when we had 

 a very cool and moist spring, I saw many plants in a Kittatinny patch attacked. 



