274 Small JFruits— The 23orer, mc. 



Small Fruits— The Borer, Etc. 



BY A. K. CAMPBELL, NEWTON, IOWA. 



ED. Western Horticulturist: There is a great amount of careless writing 

 on the subject of fruit raising, which is causing to the people of the State great 

 vexation and irreparable loss. Our Horticultural reports are full of it. For 

 examples : The Kittatinny Blackberry is recommended — my experience, and the 

 experience of all others 1 can hear from is, that it is worthless, like all other fancy 

 varieties ; our own native being the only kind worth cultivating. I would give con- 

 siderable to know that I am mistaken on this point, but have no hope that I am. 



Again : the Early Richmond Cherry is almost the only one recommended. With 

 us, within the last five years, the Hichmond has missed two crops from frost, and one 

 was almost ruined by wet, while I have English Morellos which have borne five years in 

 succession /i<Z^ cro^s of a finer cherry, we think. It blooms later than the Richmond 

 and escapes the frost. Is there then any comparison as to the value of the two ? 

 We need a few Kichmonds for early fruit, that is all. 



Agaia : the Lombard Plum is highly recommended. It has never borne but one 

 good crop in this section. It certainly fails to meet its reputation, and we need to be 

 looking out for something better. 



Certainly more caution is needed in recommending fruits for cultivation. In full 

 view of this fact I give the following items concerning small fruits : 



J{tis2>f>errie.s, 



They should be raised by everybody in Iowa owning so much as a garden, I make 

 those I raise stand five tests, to wit : 



1st, As to hardiness ; 2d, ' As to amount of yield ; 3d, As to ease of picking ; 4th, 

 As to care required ; 5th, As to size and flavor. The varieties I cultivate are — 

 Philadelphia, Mammoth Cluster, Doolittle, Purple Cane, Ohio Everbearing, and 

 Ellisdale. 



With us the Philadelphia stands all the tests, the flavor, however, not being so 

 generally liked as that of the Purple Cane. 



Next in order come the Doolittle, Black Cap and Mammoth Cluster, so easy to 

 pick, yielding great crops, easy to cultivate, but more easily injured by wind and 

 winter than the Philadelphia. 



The genuine Purple Cane is worthless as a market berry, but every family should 

 have a row to mix with the others for table use. It bears great crops but it costs 

 twice as much to pick a quart as it does to pick a quart of Black Caps, and is such 

 a rampant grower that it takes an extra amount of labor to take care of the bush. 

 Many seedlings of this variety, some very good and some very poor are scattered over 

 the country. 



I have cultivated the Ellisdale five years, and have decided it is one of the best ; 

 a very vigorous grower, yields full crops of rather soft fruit, endures bad treatment 

 better than any other kind I have tried. 



I rank these varieties as follows : 



1st, Philadelphia for all qualities — though it propagates from sprouts, it is very 

 easily taken care of. 



