THE RASPBERRY 247 



The fruit, which was larger than that of either 

 parent, resembled the blackberry most in form, 

 but was of a dark mulberry color. 



When the fruit was just ripe it parted from 

 the stem like the blackberry ; but when fully ma- 

 ture the core came out as it does in the raspberry. 



Thus the combination of all these important 

 characteristics was almost absolutely complete. 

 The hybrid was a perfect blend. 



It was this plant that was christened the 

 Primus berry. 



Seedlings by the thousand (5,000 one season) 

 were raised from this selected hybrid and all of 

 them came as true as the seeds of any wild spe- 

 cies of the family. The offspring closely resem- 

 bled the Primus, but none of them quite equaled 

 it in fruiting qualities. 



If found growing wild, the original Primus 

 plant and its progeny would be pronounced by 

 any botanist a distinct species. 



The explanation of the summary production 

 of a hybrid differing in this remarkable manner 

 from either parent and being so fixed in type as 

 to breed true to the new form thus suddenly de- 

 veloped would seem to be that the two parent 

 species were separated almost to the limits of 

 affinity. The fact that most of the hybrids of the 

 same generation with the Primus were feeble and 



