THE RASPBERRY 249 



Of course, the Primus berry was produced by 

 artificial pollenizing of the plants that were so 

 located geographically that they would have had 

 no chance to hybridize unless brought together 

 by man. But my observations show that natural 

 hybrids are not at all unusual among wild mem- 

 bers of this family. I have met with them often 

 where two or three closely related species were 

 growing side by side. 



Near Lake Sycamore, for example, in Al- 

 berta, Canada, I have observed two common 

 raspberries, Rubus strigosus, a red raspberry, 

 and Rubus leucodermis, a blackcap, growing in 

 close proximity around the hillsides and along 

 the streams. 



In every case where I found these two species 

 growing together there were numerous natural 

 hybrids in evidence. None of these hybrids 

 were as productive as the parents, but the vines 

 were usually stronger growers than either, and 

 appeared to be hard pressing both parent spe- 

 cies, with the prospect that they would in time 

 supplant them in this region. I gathered large 

 quantities of seeds from the best of these hybrids 

 and brought them home for planting. Many 

 seedlings were thus raised which obviously car- 

 ried the combined characters of both their wild 

 parents. 



