230 THE CHIEF SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL CROPS 



gardens. It is locally called a currant, but it does 

 not compare with that favorite Northern fruit in 

 flavor or usefulness. 



Of the other small fruits strawberries and black- 

 berries are the only ones that can be successfully 

 grown. Raspberries, currants, gooseberries, and cran- 

 berries all fail except in the mountainous districts. 



Strawberries {Fragaria) succeed well in all parts 

 of the South, as also in Cuba, Porto Rico, and other 

 tropical countries. They are grown extensively for 

 Northern shipment, and, in fact, in certain regions 

 they constitute the chief market crop. Refrigerator 

 transportation must be utilized to reach points more 

 than twenty-four hours distant. A great number 

 of varieties are in cultivation, and various cultural 

 methods are used, but the subject is too large to be 

 considered in detail here. 



Blackberries (^Ruins') are of much less commercial 

 importance than strawberries. Some, at least, of 

 them can be grown successfully in all parts of the 

 Southern states. The varieties in cultivation are 

 descended from a number of wild species. They 

 may all be classed in two groups, the high-bush black- 

 berries and the trailing blackberries. The last are 

 usually called dewberries. 



Grapes (^Vitis). — Some of the many kinds of grapes 

 can be grown successfully in all parts of the South- 

 ern states and even in favored localities in the West 

 Indies. In no part of the South, however, do they 

 have the same commercial importance as along the 

 shores of Lakes Erie and Ontario or in California. 



Grapes will grow under a great variety of soil and 



