134 HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF NEW YORK. 



Doolittle Black Cap was fertilized with pollen of the Philadelphia, a red rasp- 

 berry, a form of Rubus strigosus. The black raspberry propagates by rooting 

 from the pendulous tips of the branches, while the red raspberry sends tin 

 suckers from buds developed on the roots, and the roots extend under the 

 surface to a considerable distance from the base. Twenty-four plants were 

 raised from this cross, all of which fruited in 1873, and some of them were 

 very prolific. In every instance the seedlings rooted from the tips, but not 

 freely, and in two or three instances an occasional sucker was thrown up from 

 the roots a few inches from the crown. Subsequently these plants were 

 propagated more freely by layering in spring the canes of the previous sea- 

 son's growth, when they rooted at almost every joint. The fruit of the 

 best of these hybrids was larger than that of either of the parents. In color 

 it was intermediate, being a dark purple, with a whitish bloom. The flavor 

 was a striking combination of the characteristics of both parents. During 

 the following four or five years many additional crosses were made. Among 

 others, the raspberry (Rubus strigosus) was crossed with the blackberry 

 (Rubus villosus). Most of these efforts failed, but seeds were several times 

 produced. Usually these did not germinate; but once or twice, when one 

 or two of the seeds did start, the plants were weakly and died before much 

 growth was made. 



BLACK CURRANT AND GOOSEBERRY. 



After this work of cross-fertilizing had been continued for a number of 

 years the seedlings accumulated to such an extent that it was difficult to find 



Cross of Black Currant ? with Gooseberry $ (One-half natural size.) 



room for them, and further work was for a time suspended. After receiving 

 the appointment of Director of Experimental Farms, in 1886. a larger field 



