82 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY, 



A WOMAN AMONG SMALL FRUITS. 

 By Miss Lilla M. Scales, Temple. 



When T. B. Reed was Speaker of the House, a representative 

 from Michigan who wished to carry a measure which he knew 

 Mr. Reed strenuously opposed, kept reiterating during a lengthy 

 speech : "And this the gentleman from Maine well knows." 

 Finally Mr. Reed's patience became exhausted and he drawled 

 out in his inimitable manner : "Will the gentleman from Michi- 

 gan tell the gentleman from Maine something he does not know?" 

 And as we (my sister and myself) are only amateurs in one of 

 the most delightful and beautiful of arts, that of gardening, no 

 doubt you will all appreciate Mr. Reed's remark and wish I 

 would say something yoii do not know. Although always 

 having a natural inclination for the work, we had done but little 

 in that line until less than four years ago when we came into 

 possession of a small intervale farm — w^hich we still carry on; 

 our interests consequently are as varied and numerous as those 

 of the man, who on being asked his occupation, replied that he 

 fished a little, tinkered a little, farmed a little, and preached a 

 little, and our fruit raising thus far has been only supplementary 

 to the regular farm routine. 



We have been experimenting along various lines in order to 

 ascertain what fruits are best adapted to the soil and most profit- 

 able for markets. Blackberry culture is impossible to any extent, 

 the land is too low, the soil too moist. We planted Snyder and 

 Kittatiny. The canes grew enormously large, but were mostly 

 ruined by the cane borer. Those that remained would snap off 

 at the base when laid down in the fall ; rarely would a plant sur- 

 vive the winter. We have also given up the blackcap raspberry 

 for the same reason. The Cuthbert raspberry grows and fruits 

 finely, but like the blackberry requires protection through the 

 winter. Golden Queen is a little hardier ; would not advise 

 planting it except for home use. It is a delicious table berry 

 but discolors if kept over night. Some peculiar disease affects 

 this raspberry with us. We have never noticed any signs of it 

 until after the blooming season has passed. The leaves turn 

 whitish and curl closely up under the midrib, the fruit is small 



