FRUIT CULTURE. 833 



The black caps are somewhat more productive, and will yield from fifty to a hundred and 

 fifty bushels to the acre, although both the red and black varieties have been known to 

 produce much larger crops than these. 



Rust. This is the principal disease with which the raspberry plant is affected, and is 

 characterized by a bright golden or orange red fungus that forms on the under sides of the 

 leaves, causing them to curl up and wither. Sometimes it turns black after assuming the 

 above-mentioned color. Such plants soon lose their vigor, and fail in the fruiting season. 

 This disease, unless SOOH exterminated, will rapidly extend throughout the whole plantation; 

 he-nce the best method is to dig up all plants thus affected, and burn them, root and branch. 

 This should be done when the leaves are wet with dew or rain, so as to prevent the dust from 

 being scattered upon other plants, and the disease thus spread. The application of wood 

 ashes, salt, and lime, scattered around the plants, is said to be a good remedy, but too large a 

 quantity of either of the last two would be liable to kill the plants. 



Blackberries. Like the raspberry, the blackberry grows wild in a large portion of 

 both hemispheres, and is also becoming quite extensively cultivated for home use and market. 

 The plants are very hardy, vigorous growers. The fruit 

 ripens at the close of the raspberry season, and before the 

 appearance of peaches and grapes. It holds an important 

 position among the small fruits, bringing a high price in 

 the market, while its rich, pleasant flavor makes it a favor 

 ite with everyone. Some of the finer varieties are very 

 large, being from an inch to an inch and a half or more in 

 length. Blackberry plantations that are propagated from 

 the cuttings of healthy young shoots will, with good care, 

 continue to yield good crops from twelve to fifteen years, 

 or even longer. 



Varieties. There are several varieties of black 

 berries, although the number at present cultivated does not 

 perhaps equal those of the raspberry. Most of the valuable 

 varieties in cultivation have been found growing wild, and 

 were selected and saved on account of their superiority 

 over others. From the thousands of seedlings that have 

 been produced, but few, if any, have yet proved superior WILSON, JR. 



to the original plants. This may perhaps be due to the fact that less care and attention has as 

 yet been bestowed upon this fruit, than upon some others, such as the strawberry and the 

 grape. Although we have some very fine varieties at present in cultivation, doubtless those 

 that are greatly superior could be produced by careful painstaking in propagating by hybrid 

 izing, and from seedlings. Some of the best varieties at present cultivated are WILSON S 

 EARLY, DORCHESTER, KITTATINY, SNYDER, TAYLOR S PROLIFIC, WACHUSETT THORNLESS, and 

 WILSON, JR. The cuts of the three varieties of blackberries which we insert represent 

 fruit grown by Mr. Win. Parry, of Cinnaminson, N. J. The WILSON, JR., is a seedling from 

 the Early Wilson, to which it bears a close resemblance. 



Planting and Cultivation. The general cultivation of blackberries is similar to 

 that of raspberries, with but few exceptions. They require soil that is less rich than the 

 raspberry, and the plants, being more vigorous growers, require more room. They need but 

 one planting, as the canes send up a spontaneous growth of suckers annually, thus renewing 

 themselves for fruit growth the following year. If planted on soil that is too rich, there will 

 be a luxuriant growth of vines, but a sparse growth of fruit. Mr. Wm. Parry gives the 

 following statement with reference to his experience with this fruit: &quot; We planted ten acres 

 VOL. II. 45 



