THE GARDENERS' MONTHLY 



[January, 



was referred to, but that was only " a common 

 Concord that would stand anything." 



The worst complaints, however, were in regard 

 to blackberries and raspberries. New kinds were 

 continually being bought, to do well for a year 

 or two, but finally to degenerate. One of his rasp- 

 berry plantations of Cuthbert had been carefully 

 tied to a cross rail about two feet from the ground. 

 The space between the rows was carefully dug 

 and kept clear the whole summer. This year the 

 growth was not much more than a pipe-stem in 

 thickness, and did not actually reach in many in- 

 stances the cross-rail. The reason for the failure 

 was, that Sir Andrew Somebody had shown nearly 

 a hundred years ago, that varieties would surely 

 wear out. It so happened that at the end of the 

 raspberry rows was a place where grass from the 

 lawn, weeds, and so forth, were thrown into a 

 heap. Some of the raspberry suckers had 

 reached to the boundary of this heap, and had 

 canes four or five feet long, as thick as one's little 

 finger, at ground, and large, healthy grassy-green 

 leaves from the ground to the apex. Beyond the 

 remark that it was " queer," no further thought 

 seemed to be given to our reference to them. 



Well, our readers know that to have fruit trees 

 healthy and vigorous, in our hot and dry climate, 

 the feeding roots must be encouraged to keep al- 

 ways at the surface, — but that we must take pains 

 to keep that surface dark and cool. When they 

 get this no ordinary manure will ever be too rank. 

 The vital power will seldom meet with any un- 

 bearable strain, and we shall find under such 

 practices that though the teaching at Sir Bountiful 

 Buncombe's was e.\cellent as far as it went, the 

 experiences of an American climate may be added 

 to the lessons of Buncombe Hall with great ad- 

 vantage. 



COMMUNICATIONS. 



NEW FRUITS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. 

 liV JA.MES M. HAYES. 



The season of 1884 cannot be classed as a suc- 

 cessful one for the small fruit grower and orchard- 

 ist. The spring was unusually backward, and 

 hard frosts continued until nearly June ; that of 

 May 30th being the most severe ever known at 

 that season of the year. The early strawberries 

 were in full bloom and those of the older varieties 

 that withstood the freezing best with us were the 

 Crescent. Of the new varieties the Manchester 

 came out best and bore a handsome crop of 



smooth fine berries, and of the tested varieties 

 this promises to become a leading berry in the 

 market. The Old Ironclad and Piper seemed to 

 be much injured by the frost. We planted our 

 first Atlantic and James Vick in the spring of 1884, 

 both varieties run well and have the appearance 

 of being hardy and vigorous. Of the newer 

 raspberries the Cuthbert is far the most vigorous 

 and is everywhere giving satisfaction. The Han- 

 sell does not seem to be so vigorous, but it ripens 

 early and the fruit is so good that it must become 

 a favorite with fruit growers. Of the cap varieties 

 the Louhegan is much esteemed and promises to 

 be one of the best. The Early Harvest black- 

 berry was killed to the ground last winter. It 

 has made a fair growth the past season, and if it 

 winters without killing may prove of value. The 

 Snyder has thus far proved the best blackberry 

 for the North and is growing in favor from year 

 to year. We saw the first New Hampshire grown 

 Keiffer's Hybrid pears the past autumn exhibited 

 at one of our local fairs, but as they were not 

 matured we cannot give an estimate of their 

 worth. Tree agents have been selling large num- 

 bers of the Russian mulberry, representing it as of 

 great value as an orchard fruit and the tree as fine 

 for shade and timber. We have two small trees, 

 sent us from Minnesota. They do not show re- 

 markable vigor and at their present rate of growth 

 ■will be long in making timber trees. At one dol- 

 lar and fifty cents each (the price asked by tree 

 agents), we should not invest largely. Fruit 

 growing is progressing slowly at the North ; an 

 indication of this advancement is the better culture 

 that growers are giving their orchards. 



Dover, N. H. 



THE SHAFFER RASPBERRY. 

 RV MANSFIELD MILTON. 



A good many fruit growers object to the color 

 of tliis raspberry, asserting this fault will tell 

 against it on market. I think this peculiar color 

 will be a benefit to its sale when it becomes better 

 known. It is one of the best flavored black caps 

 we have got ; and as soon as it has been generally 

 tested along side the other varieties for quality, 

 hardiness and productiveness, it will be much 

 sought after. Its color will be to its advantage 

 by distinguishing it from the many other kinds 

 which are similar in color but different in flavor. 

 For a family berry I do not know of a better 

 among the caps. It not only produces a full crop 

 of fruit as a main crop, but continues to fruit more 



