THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



17 



EARLY HARVEST BLACKBERRY. 



THE EARLY HARVEST BLACKBERRY 

 Of this new early ripening Ijlackberry, 

 Mr. J. T. Lovett, of New .JTersey, says, 

 It Ls a chance seedling. It was found 

 growing in the proverVjial fence corner, 

 nearly ten years ago, in Illinois, where 

 it was so hardy, productive, luscious 

 and extremely early as to attract the 

 attention of the unobserving farmer — 

 in no wise interested in fruit culture — 

 on whose land it sprang into existence. 

 A neighboring horticulturist, being in- 

 formed of it, went in after yeax'S to see 

 it in fruit, but owing to its very remark- 

 able earliuess was for two seasons frus- 

 trated in his endeavors, as he did not 

 2 



reach the spot until the fruit had ripen- 

 ed and disappeared. At last finding 

 the Vjushes laden with such excellent 

 fruit he made arrangements at once for 

 its propagation, and succeeded in get- 

 ting enough in fruit to make a shipment 

 to the Chicago market in 18S1, which 

 sold for twenty-one cents per quart, 

 wholesale. From that date the propa- 

 gation of the variety has steadily gone 

 forward, but there being only a small 

 stock at the beginning, the supply of 

 plants is as yet limited. As the berry 

 was found ripening with Winter wheat 

 in an adjoining field when discovered, 

 the appellation of Early Harvest was 



