THE RASPBERRY 241 



its great-grandparent, and a better color and 

 quality, firmer, handsomer, and in all respects an 

 improvement on that well-known variety. The 

 bushes are more compact in growth, almost free 

 from prickles, and of a sturdy appearance." 



Particular attention should be called to the 

 fact, just stated, that the new raspberry was al- 

 most thornless. This was true of a number of 

 my raspberries, as by selective breeding I was 

 able to give these vines smooth stems at a 

 time when my similar attempts to remove 

 the thorns from the blackberry had not been 

 successful. 



The difference was due, perhaps, to the fact 

 that the raspberry, having been long under culti- 

 vation, had partly lost its thorns through more 

 or less unconscious selection on the part of many 

 generations of fruit growers. The thorns had 

 been reduced in many varieties to prickles, and 

 occasionally individual specimens appeared that 

 lacked even these. By selective breeding from 

 such specimens I was able to produce varieties 

 that had practically smooth vines. 



A selected seedling of the Eureka was remark- 

 able for its habit of bearing in October as well 

 as for the enormous size of the berries, which 

 were frequently almost four inches in circum- 

 ference. The berries were of a beautiful bright 



