1879. 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



175 



osities extravagantly puffed by propagators, and 

 which to the purchaser is only to end in chagrin 

 and disappointment. I should think them to be 

 about as hardy as the fig tree. Perhaps they 

 would do in South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, 

 Louisiana, and some parts of Texas. 



1 have now given my experience ; if any of 

 your readers in the Northern or Middle States 

 think they can raise them as a hardy standard 

 tree, let them try it. 



[Four years ago a Philadelphia friend wishing 

 to get ahead with a stock for nursery purposes, 

 secured a dozen. They grew admirabl}- during 

 the Summer, but were all killed but one the suc- 

 ceeding Winter. This was however referred to 

 the extraordinary severity of that season. We 

 believe that the one plant is still living, though 

 it has not been risked to the " full severity of 

 the Winters " since. 



As for the value of the fruit in this climate 

 we do not know of an)' one in California or 

 Eastwardly than have fruited any. We have 

 very often had sent to us specimens of the dried 

 fruit, prepared by Japanese and imported from 

 Japan. These are excellent ; but how much of 

 this delicious character is due to the preparation 

 and how much to the persimmon, we would not 

 like to decide. We know that these Asiatics are 

 famous for their mixtures. A couple of dozen 

 of very different dishes were sef out at a Califor- 

 nian banquet, and the guests assured by the 

 Chinese waiters they were "allsamee labbit" — 

 it was rat. And we have a strong suspicion that 

 when this much vaunted fruit bears in our 

 country, it " all samee persimmon " over again. 

 At any rate we are in no haste to procure a 

 "very long persimmon pole, " whereby to knock 

 down the first prize. — Ed. G. M.] 



THE BRANDYWINE AND PEARL RASP- 

 BERRIES-ARE THEY IDENTICAL? 



BY J. A. DONALDSON, ST. JOSEPH, MICH. 



In the September number of the Horticulturist 

 for 1869, 1 find the following editorial, taken 

 from the Practical Farmer : "At Reese Pyatt's, 

 on the West Chester road, about twelve miles 

 from Philadelphia, we found growing in luxuri- 

 ance a raspberry called the ' Pearl.' This is of 

 a firm texture, so as to carry well to market, 

 and of a bright scarlet color — always an attrac- 

 tion to purchasers. In market, after carrying 

 twelve miles, it looks as if just picked. They 

 have retailed readily for fifty cents per quart, 

 being fifteen to eighteen cents over market 



price. The Pearl is a profuse bearer, of full 

 medium size, fruiting early and picking late, 

 and is a decided acquisition. We found it at 

 several places ; at Samuel Holmes, in Burlington 

 County, New Jersey, who has about eight acres 

 of it in full profit, also at Wni. Parry's and 

 other places. Being curious in such matters, we 

 have tried to trace up its history as to who 

 named it, and where it originated, but without 

 success. It is now growing to a considerable 

 extent in Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsyl- 

 vania. And in the Wilmington market, under 

 the name of Susqueco, as well as in Philadel- 

 phia, brings an extra price, and has a uniform 

 reputation." 



Wm. Parry says it is very difficult to dis- 

 tmguish them, and makes only this distinction: 

 " Brandy wine puts out its leaves a week earlier 

 in the Spring, makes a stronger growth, and the 

 foliage is a lighter green." Another very ex- 

 tensive small fruit grower of New Jersey says : 

 " I have known the Pearl and Brandywine rasp- 

 berries to be planted side by side, but never saw 

 a fruit grower who could tell which was which, 

 or where one sort left off and the other began. 

 Even when the berries were ripe the difference 

 could not be pointed out. I do not say there is 

 no difference, but if so it is so slight that, in 

 some cases at least, it could not be observed." 



Now it is very easy to understand how an 

 editor who does not grow the fruit may be mis- 

 taken in regard to the distinction of these two 

 varieties, but how a dealer can be induced in the 

 same market, on the same day, to pay thirty 

 cents per quart for Brandywines when he can 

 get Pearls for sixteen cents per quart, and yet the 

 difference in the fruit of the two sorts cannot be 

 seen by experienced growers. Yet such appears 

 to be the fact, for it is stated on high authority 

 that on the seventh day of July, 1871, raspber- 

 ries sold in Philadelphia as follows : 



Black Cap, 5 cts. per quart. Philadelphia, 8 cts. per quart 

 Pearl, 16 " " Susqueco, .'!0 " •' 



[It is said in the public prints that "tliousands" 

 are often subscribed "just to start the list" on 

 church debts, with the understanding that these 

 " leading " subscriptions are not to be called for. 

 We fear that often the extraordinary prices 

 many new fruits " bring in market " are a little 

 of this character. The point our correspondent 

 makes is a good one. If two I'aspberries are so 

 near alike that good judges can hardly tell the 

 difference, what was it that induced thirty cents 

 for one and sixteen for the other? — Ed. G. M.] 



