RUBUS 451 



the older, worn-out stems occasionally. Some of the Rubi, especially 

 these with biennial stems, have a tendency to decrease in vigour after 

 a few years. The base in time forms a large woody root-stock which 

 does not send up such vigorous stems as younger ones. The remedy 

 is, of course, to renew the stock by seed or other means. 



PROPAGATION. The mode of propagation depends largely on the 

 character of the individual species. Those that form thickets (like 

 odoratus and nutkanus) can be divided up into comparatively small 

 pieces ; this is best done in autumn just before the leaves fall, or in 

 spring. Apart from any desire to increase the stock, the plants are 

 benefited by undergoing this process occasionally. For many of the 

 pure species, especially those with white stems like biflorus, seeds when 

 obtainable give the best new stock. Where neither division nor seeds 

 afford means of increase, recourse must be had to either cuttings or 

 layers R. deliciosus is best increased by layering ; the double-flowered 

 brambles strike root quite well from cuttings. 



In the following descriptive notes the scores of so-called species 

 native of Britain and Europe are ignored, with the exception of a few 

 leading types. The late Mr Bentham reduced the shrubby species of 

 Great Britain to three, viz., R. Idaeus (the wild raspberry), R. caesius 

 (the dewberry), and R. fruticosus (the blackberry). The inclusion of all 

 the blackberries under one species had the merit of simplicity, although 

 it was perhaps taking too broad a view. It is, at anyrate, preferable to 

 the making of an endless number of supposed species which differ from 

 each other only in particulars so obscure and unimportant that no two 

 authorities agree about them. The advanced study of British Rubi 

 as carried on in recent times is only suited to persons of abundant 

 leisure. The best and most authoritative work on the subject is the 

 Handbook of the British Rubi^ published in 1900 by the Rev. W. Moyle 

 Rogers. In this work the author describes one hundred and three species, 

 besides which there are numerous sub-species and varieties. The descrip- 

 tions of the few British blackberries here included are based on those 

 given in this work. 



The wild brambles of the British Isles have little or no garden value, 

 but they are useful in woodland not only for their fruits, but because they 

 furnish one of the best of all ground covers for shady places a cover, 

 too, that is nearly evergreen, and entails no trouble to maintain. 



The following selections of a score of species may be of use : 



1. For flower beauty. Deliciosus, nigrobaccus fl. pi., nutkanus, odoratus, spectabilis, 

 thyrsoideus fl. pi., ulmifolius fl. pi. 



2. For white stems. Biflorus, Giraldianus, lasiostylus, thibetanus. 



3. For beauty of leaf and habit, Bambusarum, coreanus, flagelliflorus, irenaeus, 

 trifidus. 



4. For ground covering. Hispidus, nutans. 



5. For fruit. Laciniatus, phoenicolasius. 



Remarkable as many of the new Chinese species are in introducing new types of 

 foliage to our gardens, they are curiously and almost invariably devoid of any floral 

 beauty. 



A species of Rubus has lately come into notice because of its 

 remarkable strawberry-like, red fruits and has been called "strawberry- 



