THORNLESS BLACKBERRY 219 



So I have every reason to believe that a com- 

 parable result would be achieved if the thorny 

 hybrid seedlings born of my thornless race were 

 given opportunity to redeem themselves in their 

 progeny. 



The expectation was justified. In the second 

 filial generation the thorny seedlings produced a 

 certain proportion of thornless progeny. And 

 some of these thornless bushes now bore fruit far 

 superior to that of their thornless grandparent. 

 They had inherited some of the good fruiting 

 qualities of their thorny grandparent, even 

 though they had repudiated his thorns. 



This was obviously encouraging. So the ex- 

 periment was continued along the same lines 

 through successive generations. Selection was 

 made of course of the one specimen in each 

 generation that inherited the best combination 

 of desired qualities and hybridized, in successive 

 generations, the Lawton blackberry, the giant 

 Himalaya, and various others, to gain size of 

 berry, earliness of bearing, new flavors, more 

 acid, and, in a word to supply whatever defects 

 could be discovered. 



The original thornless berry was a late bearer 

 and its fruit lacked size, spiciness, and refreshing 

 acidity. But these qualities were supplied in 

 abundant measure through successive crosses. 



