1895.] TRANSACTIONS. 19 



prehending or at best reckless of that result from consequent 

 surfeit, — inertia, or absolute paralysis of the very soil. Their 

 harvest, for a while, was large, — their specimens unsurpassed. 

 But, in a short while, the orchards of Allen and Ripley, of 

 Stebbins and Townsend, fertilized with judgment but never 

 grossly, assumed their proper position at the head of our line, 

 enabling their zealous owners to exhibit fruit that easily earned 

 a preeminence dearer to such unselfish horticulturists than all 

 the dollars that could be proffered in mercenary lure. The per- 

 sonal experience and observation of your Secretary dating from 

 the naturalization of the Antwerps in 1832, conflict positively 

 with the theory and practice of the writer under review. A 

 strong clay soil, turned by the spading-fork, has been found to 

 be most congenial for that best and fairest of all varieties which 

 man cares to eat ! Brinckle's Orange. The case was similar 

 with Northumberland Fillbasket, Baumforth's Seedling, and 

 Hornet, all which were first imported by me to be introduced 

 into local cultivation. From such original plantation they have 

 pushed their suckers into and through walks built and compacted 

 of anthracite coal ashes, putting forth thrifty shoots and sending 

 up vigorous canes. Whereas in loam, rendered pliable and 

 loose through the constant application of manure, the wood of 

 the Raspberry becomes soft and sappy, a swift prey to fungus 

 or frost ; on the contrary it derives heart and, as it were, stamina 

 froQi the grit and flint that are too easily assumed to be adverse 

 to its proper development. The wide circulation of the Plough- 

 man renders it all-important that its statements should be ac- 

 cepted with caution, and criticised when known facts appear to 

 challenge their very foundation as pomological authority. 



And this reference to the Raspberry — Ruhus Idceits — makes 

 it pertinent to remark that the cultivation of that berry appears 

 to have been almost entirely given up by our Members. Per- 

 haps, as a matter of dollars and cents, this should occasion no 

 surprise. There are many with whom the Raspberry does not 

 agree. There are more who, having partaken of the Onion 

 for their first course, do not crave Raspberries for dessert. Yet 

 it is the one Small-Fruit, in technical designation, that will 



