220 



Cranberry, yet it lias the advantage of being able to flourish in 

 poorer and drier land. Propagation is easily effected by seeds, or by- 

 layers from the trailing stems which root freely. 



BLACKBERRY. 



i 



HISTORY AND USES 



Under the name of Blackberries or Brambles are included several 

 species of the genus Rubus, which belongs to the natural order Rosacsea. 

 The genus is widely dispersed, and species are found in Europe, Asia, 

 Africa, North and South America, and Australia has also representa- 

 tives. All the species yield edible fruits of more or less value, 

 including the Raspberry, and several are worthy of attention by 

 cultivators. The common or English Blackberry is Rubus fruticosus, 

 a thorny rambling plant, which is found growing naturally throughout 

 Europe, Middle and Northern Asia' It adapts itself to a variety of 

 soils and other local conditions, and in England and other European 

 countries the fruit, which is produced in abundance, is extensively 

 used for dessert, in tarts and puddings, or, when preserved, in the 

 form if jam. It also makes an excellent wine. The common Black- 

 berry has been naturalized in many parts of Australasia, but it does 

 not maintain its European reputation as a fruit-producer, as the crops 

 are often poor and uncertain. Then, again, from the rapid growth 

 and straggling habit of the plant, it is apt to spread and become a 

 noxious weed if not kept within bounds by constant attention. This 

 has proved to be the case in many localities, and consequently the 

 Blackberry has obtained a somewhat bad reputation. A little care, 

 however, in trimming will keep the plants in order, and in suitable 

 localities it may be cultivated profitably for its fruit, and as a hedge 

 plant. Other European Blackberries are obtained from Rubus 

 corylifolius and various other species, and some of these are worth 

 cultivating for their fruit. North America is rich in having several 

 useful species of Rubus, some of which yield excellent fruits that are 

 much cultivated in the United States, but are scarcely known in 

 Europe or Australia. The more prominent and useful of the American 

 species are Rubus cuneifolius, or Sand Blackberry, which attains a 

 height of three or four feet, is shrubby in habit, and produces well 

 flavoured, black, medium-sized berries that ripen late. This species 

 grows naturally in light sandy soils. Rubus vi llosus is a robust upright 

 species, known in America as the High Blackberry. It attains a 

 height of eight or ten feet, and has very strong thorns. Several 

 excellent varieties have been raised from this species, including the 

 Lawton. Rubns vitifolius is the Californian Blackberry. It is a 

 strong free-growing species, with large, oblong, well flavoured fruit. 

 Some of these have been crossed with the Raspberry, and the results 

 have been some very desirable varieties. The British Dewberry is 

 the product of Rubus coesius, a species indigenous to Europe, Northern 



