THORNLESS BLACKBERRY 211 



How THE BLACKBERRY LOST ITS THORNS 



As long ago as 1880, while I was still follow- 

 ing the pursuit of a practical nurseryman and 

 giving a divided attention to plant development, 

 many experiments were made in the attempt to 

 produce thornless berries. But these experi- 

 ments were nearly total failures. 



The plant with which I first worked was a 

 blackberry bush known as the Wachusett Thorn- 

 less, which was introduced and alleged to be 

 thornless about 1880. I raised seedlings from 

 this plant, and also crossed it with other black- 

 berries. But being much preoccupied with other 

 experiments and greatly handicapped for means, 

 I therefore neglected to carry the experiments to 

 a practical conclusion. 



The Wachusett, which had been found partially 

 thornless in the state of nature, had a goodly 

 supply of thorns distributed here and there over 

 the plant. It had fewer briers than most other 

 blackberries, to be sure, but it was by no means 

 the sort of bush to handle with impunity or rub 

 against your face without the slightest danger, 

 as may be done with the thornless blackberries of 

 to-day. 



The Wachusett was not of a really smooth 

 stem, and it had almost nothing else to commend 



