260 HORTICULTURAL MANUAL. 



native wild blackberries of the north temperate zone and 

 probably of the world. The cultivated varieties are all 

 selections of best varieties found in a state of nature, and, 

 so far as known to the writer, the blackberry is not grown 

 commercially in any part of the world except the United 

 States and Eussia, and the Eussian varieties grown on the 

 Volga Eiver bluffs are not equal in size or quality to our 

 best varieties. The varieties cultivated belong, in different 

 sections of the States, to several quite distinct types or 

 species. But the horticulturists describe the habit of 

 growth and style of cluster and fruit without much regard 

 to botanic distinctions. Four main types are recognized 

 by close-observing growers: (1) The high bush of clearings 

 and fence rows of the ^Northern States with long clusters, 

 such as those of the Ancient Briton. (2) The type with 

 lower growth and short clusters, such as those of the 

 Snyder and Kittatinny. (3) The hybrid ck s between the 

 blackberry and dewberry, represented by Wilson and 

 Eathbun. (4) The trailing dewberries, such as Lucretia, 

 Mayes, and Wiudom. 



The readiness of all these classes to cross naturally when 

 adjoining shows that they are very nearly allied. In the 

 prairie States, even, all the types of the dewberry and 

 blackberry will, when adjoining, cross naturally and 

 almost invariably, as shown, when the grower or birds 

 have planted the seeds, which is not usual with distinct 

 and well-defined species. 



AVhen the dewberry and blackberry are crossed the 

 resulting seedlings bear perfect seeds, which is another 

 indication that they are nearly allied. 



252. Propagation and Management. The blackberry 

 and raspberry are nearly allied botauically and require 

 about the same treatment and the same methods of propa- 

 gation as the red raspberry. At the North it requires 



