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BEST THREE VARIETIES OF RED RASPBERTIES. 131 
BEST THREE VARIETIES OF RED RASPBERRIES 
FOR HOME USE. 
C. W. SPICKERMAN, EXCELSIOR. 
It may make a difference in the minds of some how far we should 
carry the expression,“ home use.” Some time ago the society de- 
cided that the object of the horticultural society should be to 
cultivate and distribute the knowledge of raising fruit of the best. 
quality, but there are times when for home use or market it is more 
a matter of quantity than it is quality. 
But in considering the subject at this time, it seems as if we 
should suggest the varieties that are of a good quality and prolific 
bearers, and looking at it from this view I would say the Cuthbert 
and Marlboroughare the best two varieties in generalcultivation for 
home use. 
The Marlborough is astrong grower, more hardy than the Cuthbert, 
a prolific bearer, and, with me,it is the very earliest. One may finda 
few ripe berries on the Hansel or Turner, but where I get my 
first picking is off the Marlborough, and they will bring in the gen- 
eral market twelve to fifteen cents a quart as quick as the Hansel or 
Turner will ten to twelve cents, and on damp, rich soil will produce 
in a season one-half more than the Hansel and one-fourth to one- 
third more than the Thompson’s Prolific or the Turner. In regard 
to quality, some of my best home customers said they thought the 
Marlborough was the finest flavored of all the red raspberries they 
had ever seen, and when ordering berries for their table use they 
invariably ordered Marlborough as long as they lasted. They have 
along bearing season, and for canning purposes they havea fine 
flavor, holding their color and shape well, perhaps, the best of 
any. 
The Cuthbert is the strongest grower of all the raspberries in 
general cultivation and bears well down on the cane, which pro- 
duces a large, fine berry, good for home use in any shape, and if 
one gets tired of raspberries three times a day they can turn the 
Cuthbert in the market for other kinds of fruit to a good advantage. 
_ The Cuthbert isa late berry and can not be counted on to enrich 
our breakfast tables with the first ripe raspberries, but in its season 
is one of the best. Itis an abundant bearer of fine fruit of good 
quality, and a long keeper, also excellent for canning purposes. It 
is more subject to anthracnose and cane rust than the Marlborough. 
As to curly leaf, the two varieties are affected about the same. 
If I were going to put out three rows of red raspberries in my 
garden for home use,I would put out the third row to Loudon. It 
is coming into considerable favor in our section, and so far has 
proved a strong resister of disease, and if it continues to resist those 
diseases that infest our best and most popular varieties, it will soon 
be our leading raspberry. It is not as strong a grower as the Cuth- 
bert, but bears well down on the cane. One good feature of the 
Loudon is the fruit hangs well to the stem when ripe, and its bear- 
‘ing season is as long or longer than the Cuthbert. So far it has 
proved hardy and of good quality. 
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