SMALL FRUITS 55 



The farmer finds no exception to that law confronting mankind, 

 the survival of the fittest, briers vs. flowers, tares vs. grain, insects 

 and fungi vs. vegetables and fruit. Much to our surprise we found 

 that the long yellow papaw and plum-like astringent persimmon 

 thrived. 



Cherries. 



Cherry Lane which led to the pastures was lined each side with 

 black eagles, black Tartarians, Governor Woods and yellow Spanish. 



Wild cherry trees were left in the hedge-rows (unless they 

 shaded other planting) as a spread net to segregate the tent cater- 

 pillars for our kerosene torches of destruction. We ashed for 

 yellows, tried successfully the alliteration "potash paints the peach," 

 cut the blighted branches of the pear trees and sprayed Bordeaux 

 mixture and other solutions from a horse-barrel-cart and pump to 

 the very topmost twigs of our fruit trees to destroy fruit and 

 leaf blight.* 



Grapes. 



Grape settings numbered hundreds, possibly thousands, of 

 varied kinds, and judicious winter pruning before the sap started 

 gave a prolific yield of Niagaras and Concords which with us rarely 

 mildewed, although the former under conditions is a mildewer, but 

 the Rogers seedlings in our climate were far from immune. Roses 

 no longer satisfied the rose bug. The grapevine was to his special lik- 

 ing, and his inroads, as well as that of black rot, the active grape-leaf- 

 hopper and the spotted pelidnot kept us destructively busy among the 

 vines. Paper bags protected, and thinning grapes in cluster and bunch 

 vastly improved the fruit. 



Rough, grape-vine-embowered and crude-angled cedar, walnut, 

 and chestnut pergolas lasted longer than those planed and painted, 

 curved and jig-sawed, arched arbors made and set by the carpenter, 

 and were far more appropriate and picturesque. The first cost was 

 less and the repair bill nil. They made fine dog-trots, while the grassy 

 space between centred with a bird font answered for a crow-walk and 

 bird rendezvous. 



Small Fruits. 



After investigation, the Wachusett was decided upon as the semi- 

 thornless blackberry best suited to our needs. Some gooseberries 

 were large as damson plums ; the red, white, and black currants grew 

 fairly well in the shade, and made rare preserves, but the wild bar- 

 berry, when in flower or fruit a most ornamental shrub, gave the 

 best jam. There were dewberries, or running blackberries, whortle- 

 berries and strawberries of varying degrees of sweetness, but few 

 of the latter as good flavor as the wild strawberry, also a wealth of 



*Copper sulphate, six pounds, lime, four pounds, to thirty five or forty gallons of water 

 was the formula. 



