STATE HORTICTLTUEAL SOCIETY. 31 



consumer does not get the benefit. It is a fraud upon the grow- 

 er and the consumer, and there ought to be a law to protect 

 those two parties. The middleman will protect himself. Com- 

 mission men usually sell to retail dealers, in the original pack- 

 ages, and are therefore not subject to this criticism. 



DISCUSSION. 



• 



Mr. T. M. Smith. In protecting the blackberries and cover- 

 ing them for winter, wouldn't it be as well to use a fork as a 

 spade ! 



Mr. Harris. I would just as soon use a fork; but I am sup- 

 posed to be talking to farmers. 



President Elliot. You haven't named the variety of black- 

 berries that would succeed here. 



Mr. Harris. There are but two varieties that I would recom- 

 mend for this State; first, what is known as the Ancient Briton, 

 and next the Snyder. The Ancient Briton will produce more 

 berries, but the Snyder might stand when the Ancient Briton 

 would kill down. And it is perhaps a week or ten days earlier 

 than the Ancient Briton. 



Mr. Jackson. I would like to inquire about a berry found in 

 old pastures in Wisconsin known as the Dewberry. Is it hardy 1 



Mr. Harris. I have had no experience with it but know that 

 it is being cultivated to some extent. The difficulty in the va- 

 rieties found in this State is that they are not productive. In 

 Virginia they have found two or three varieties that are immense- 

 ly productive. The advantage in raising that berry would be 

 that it is still earlier than the Snyder, the fruit is larger and I 

 think it is better in flavor than any other species of the black- 

 berry, and being of a trailing habit it is very easily protected in 

 the winter, and in some seasons would perhaps need little or no 

 protection. They grow them some in our locality and they do 

 not winter-kill. 



Mr. C. L. Smith. They are growing right here in the garden, 



Mr. Jackson. One question in regard to raspberries. Is 

 there any well-recognized variety of raspberries grown without 

 prickers on the vines ? 



Mr. Harris. Davison's Thornless has few if any briers on the 

 canes. It produces very well some years. But I do not think 

 there is much difficulty in that regard with the thorny kinds 

 where they are properly trained on wires; it makes very little 



