234: 



THE CANADIAN aORTlCtJLTtJRISt 



how to pi'une go and cut away the next 

 year's cherries. 



GATHERING THE FRUIT. 



Don't let any person go up the tree 

 with heavy boots on, so that he injures 

 the bark. More trees ai-e killed this 

 way than any other, for where the bark 

 is broken away the tree generally rots; 

 and they should always pick the fruit 

 with the stalks attached. This is very 

 important, for in point of value the 

 buyers prefer them with the stalks on 

 than the other way, even though they 

 get less cherries with the stalks on 

 than off. E. C. F. 



SHAFFER'S COLOSSAL RASPBERRY. 

 Peoria Co., 111., Aug. 13. 



Ed'r Prairie Farmer : — Among the 

 multiplicity of new and " best " varie- 

 ties of small fruits which are annually 

 advertised and sent out, it is a relief 

 and gratification to find an occasional 

 one of superior merit. I think we have 

 such a variety in the Shaffer raspberry. 

 Its characteristics are the following : 



1st — It is a hybrid between the black 

 cap and red species. 2d — The canes 

 grow immensely large, and on this ac- 

 count should be clipped off while grow- 

 ing; first at 18 inches from the ground ; 

 again, about July 10, at 2 to 2^ 

 feet ; and again about August 10, at 3 

 to '3h feet from the ground. 3d — It is 

 extremely hardy — even hardier than 

 Gregg or Cuthbert. 4th — It is an im- 

 mense bearer, far surpassing any vari- 

 ety in cultivation in this I'espect. 5th 

 — The canes root at the tips and it 

 does not throw up suckers all over the 

 ground like the red varieties. This is a 

 strong point in its favor for planting in 

 gardens for family supply. 6th — The 

 flavor of the fruit, though not rich, is 

 peculiarly agreeable for table use, and 

 especially for pies, jams and jellies. It 

 is more acid than either the red or black 

 species, and is free from the rank "me- 



dicinal" flavor so common in reds, and 

 the " buggy " flavor of the blacks. My 

 family prefer it for table use, with sugar 

 a ad cream, to any other variety. 7th 

 — In size it surpasses any other variety, 

 and can be picked at half or two thirds 

 the cost of any other known to me. 8th 

 — In color it is first a rather light red, 

 turning quite dark purple when fully 

 ripe. For market the berries should be 

 picked when bright red ; they then 

 cleave from the crown very well, but 

 for family use they should be left until 

 dark and ripe, when the flavor is deli- 

 cious. 9th — As a shii)ping variety it 

 is as good as the average, if picked 

 when red, and then brings the highest 

 market price. Shaffer's shipped 100 

 miles, sold in Peoria at from 2 to 3 

 cents per quart more than very fine 

 Cuthberts grown near the city. 



Although the color is not in its favor 

 yet its superior size will secure its sale 

 at the best prices. Plants of this vari- 

 ety are now pi-etty plentiful at the nur- 

 series, and can be pi'ocured at low rates. 

 The high prices which have prevailed 

 for this, also for those best early black- 

 caps, the Souhegan and Tyler, have 

 restricted their planting for home v;se. 

 The season of the Shafler is rather 

 late — extending the raspberry season 

 well up to the blackberry season. I am 

 now using Shatter's splendid, large, fine 

 berries from canes clipped in spring to 

 within a foot of the ground, and there 

 are still many green ones on the shoots 

 from the shortened canes. It surpasses 

 other varieties in this habit. The fol- 

 lowing has just come to hand: Chas. 

 W. Garfield, Secretary of the Michigan 

 State Horticultural Society, thus 

 writes : " Shaffer's is the best market 

 berry I have. Last year I sold a few 

 for canning pui-poses to people of good 

 sf^nse, and this year they were in great 

 (Inmand at the ])rice of the best reds. 

 Without question it is the best canniiig 

 V)erry we have. O. B. Galusha. 



