38 CALIFORNIA FRUITS: HOW TO GROW THEM 



Raspberries (Rubus sp.). In the mountains of the eastern part 

 of the State is a scarlet hemispherical berry of pleasant flavor, which 

 is called "thimbleberry" (Rubus parviflorus.) It seems to have an 

 advantage over a variety (velutinus) of the same species which is 

 found near the coast and has a dry, insipid fruit. Another raspberry, 

 which is found in all hilly and mountainous regions, both on the coast 

 and in the interior is Rubus leucodermis. It resembles the black-cap 

 raspberry of the Atlantic slope, except that it has yellowish-re 1 fruit. 

 This fruit is quite largely gathered for domestic uses, and some efforts 

 have been made to cultivate the plants. 



Salmon Berry (Rubus spectabilis). The beauty, size, and de- 

 licious flavor of this fruit are highly commended by all who have 

 enjoyed it in the upper coast counties of California and farther north- 

 ward. The plant makes a strong bush, five to ten feet high, and 

 delights in the woods and shady banks of streams. The praise of all 

 who know the fruit has led to frequent attempts to introduce the 

 plant to warmer and drier parts of the State, but such efforts have 

 thus far uniformly failed. 



Wild Blackberry (Rubus vitifolius). This fruit should perhaps 

 be called a "dewberry," as it has trailing, or, at most, but partially 

 raised stems, which extend from five to twenty feet. The plant occurs 

 abundantly on banks of streams and other sufficiently moist locations, 

 both in the coast and interior regions of the State. Around the 

 margin of Humboldt Bay, on land cleared by fire or axe, blackberries 

 spring up abundantly on the denuded land. Tons of the fruit are said 

 to remain after the local housewives have done their utmost in pre- 

 serving and jelly-making. In the low-land region around Stockton 

 considerable quantities are sometimes gathered for sale. The fruit, 

 which has been held in high repute ever since pioneer days, is oblcng, 

 black, and sweet. The species is variable, and the anomaly, a white 

 blackberry, has been reported from Del Norte county. The native 

 wild blackberry is one of the parents of the Loganberry and of some 

 of Mr. Burbank's hybrids which are widely know. 



Wild Strawberries (Fragaria sp.). We have in California two 

 Eastern species : Fragaria vesca and F. Virginiana. Thus far these 

 have only been reported from localities in the Sierra mountain region. 

 Another, the sand strawberry/has been found identical with a South 

 American species, Chilensis, and it occurs along the coast, where the 

 fruit is esteemed, and is sometimes abundant enough to gather in 

 quantity. A fourth species, wood strawberry, is local, and is named 

 California. It bears a small round fruit and is partial to the coast 

 region. Recently some cultural attention has been given to the wild 

 strawberries, and varieties worthy of propagation have been reported 

 by growers resident in the Sierra region. Mr. Albert F. Etter of 

 Briceland, Humboldt county, has secured notable results in crossing 

 with the wild strawberry, as will be noted in the chapter on that fruit. 



Wild Gooseberries and Currants (Ribes sp.). Some of our 

 currant species are achieving quite a reputation abroad as ornamental 

 shrubs, but they bear insipid fruit. The fruit of Ribes tenuiflorum is, 



