180 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



BLACKCAP RASPBERRIES. 



O. M. LORD, MINNESOTA CITY. 



Blackcap raspberries were mentioned in the U. S. Ag-ricultural 

 Department Report for 1853 as being- grown only in the gardens of 

 private gentlemen, and that being found wild so plentifully it would 

 be a long time before they could be profitably cultivated. In 1858, 

 the Doolittle, which originated near Buffalo, in New York, attracted 

 particular attention from its unusual size and great productiveness. 

 Though numerous chance seedlings and selections from wild ones 

 were brought to notice about this time, the Doolittle took the lead 

 as a commercial variety for several years. As late as 1866 it was 

 considered the hardiest and best variety for general planting. 



The character, habits of growth and appearance of the different 

 varieties are so nearly alike that no particular description is neces- 

 sary here. The type of fruit, however, is quite variable. The 

 methods of cultivation were not materially changed till about 1882, 

 when their cultivation received quite an impetus from the fact that 

 that the dried fruit was in good demand, at good prices, in the gen- 

 eral market. The old way of using stakes or trellis was abandoned, 

 and the bushes were made self-supporting by pinching back 

 the canes at an early stage of growth and also shortening' the later- 

 als before the fruiting. 



Among the varieties that have attracted particuliar attention for 

 distant marketing and for drying, the Gregg and Nemaha are prob- 

 ably the leading kinds at present, though many individuals and 

 localities have their special favorities among other varieties. For 

 early fruiting, the Souhegan, or Tyler, has long occupied a promi. 

 nent place. The Palmer will eventually supersede all other early 

 varieties in this vicinity. Some varieties appear to be better adapted 

 to some localities than others. I do not know of any well attested 

 experiments that would determine the particular varieties best 

 adapted to particular soils. The Older, the Ohio, Davidson's Thorn-, 

 less, Johnson's Sweet, Progress, Kansas, Babbitt, Hannibal and 

 others, are highly recommended in some places. Mr. Harris states 

 that wild ones were common about LaCrescent when the country 

 was first settled, but there were none growing wild in this vicinity 

 till 1864 or about twelve years after the first settlement. 



It is not found necessary here to protect the canes in winter. Mr. 

 Underwood says they need winter protection about Lake City. J. 

 M. Smith, of Green Bay, Wis., said it paid him to lay down and 

 cover the canes in winter. 



The markets in nearly all towns and villages are generally well 

 supplied with the fruit in its season, but whether the practice of 

 laying down is general I do not know. 



From improved varieties and methods of cultivation, the fruit has 

 become very popular, though a late Rural New Yorker says, in Mich- 

 igan many are abandoning the cultivation from a glut in the 

 markets, while others find it profitable and are increasing the aver- 

 age. The only problem seems to be, cheaper methods of produc- 

 tion, picking and marketing, as no difficulties occur in growing on 

 account of soil, climate or special adaptability. 



