68 Among the Berries. 



ing man named Wilson found it growing in the woods in this county. He 

 noticed its unexampled profusion of blossoms, as well as their having ex- 

 l^anded in advance of all the surrounding plants. I discover the same 

 peculiarity on my own ground, as they are in full bloom at least a week or 

 ten days ahead of the Lawton ; the fruit being, in fact, fully set before the 

 Lawton blossoms are generally open, — a sure indication of earliness. 

 From the woods where the original plant was discovered, it was transferred 

 to a garden in which the Lawton had long been domesticated. Here, hav- 

 ing an equal chance for sun and air, with the additional advantage of good 

 soil and good care, it developed three strong peculiarities, — extreme earli- 

 ness, ripening at least ten days in advance of the Lawton ; a profusion of 

 fine large berries, equal in size and quantity with the Lawton, and superior 

 in sweetness ; with the third invaluable merit of maturing its entire crop 

 in about two weeks, while the market-price for blackberries is at the high- 

 est. This absence of competitors is of supreme value to the market- 

 grower. With the Wilson's Early, the crop is all converted into cash before 

 the Lawton is at its height, as the latter drags the ripening of its fruit over 

 a period of six to eight weeks, when peaches come in to spoil the price. 

 This slow or long-continued ripening of the Lawton renders it an admira- 

 ble addition to a private garden, where the family can enjoy a long season 

 of picking ; but something quicker is desirable when one is cultivating 

 acres for market. 



My excellent friend Mr. Fuller thinks this plant belongs, to some ex- 

 tent, to the Dewberry family ; and in this opinion I am disposed to agree 

 with him. Its extreme earliness is one point of resemblance, and its fine 

 dewberry flavor is another ; while it has the same habit, during the first 

 year, of trailing on the ground. The latter, however, seems to leave it, as, 

 the second year, it throws up stalwart canes, strong enough to support them- 

 selves, and requiring topping like the Lawton. If the plant be really of 

 the Dewberry family, its original habit must undergo beneficial modification 

 by generous manuring, and careful cultivation in the open ground. These 

 divest it of the objectionable trailing feature, but preserve all its valuable 

 qualities while unquestionably increasing its productiveness. So far, the 

 plant has not been generally diffused, as it has been offered to the pub- 

 lic only within two years ; but when the price declines to a reasonable 



