292 Native Fruits. 



The foreign plum has ahnost ceased to be planted, on account of disease, 

 and the ravages of the curculio. The foreign or cultivated cherry is un- 

 suited to our climate or soil ; while we have the wild plum sporting in nearly 

 every shape, size, and color, and the wild cherry doing the same thing, 

 as if calling to us to rescue them from their savage state, and make civilized 

 fruits of them. The foreign raspberry is tender and uncertain, while the 

 native is hardy and prolific. The cultivated gooseberiy is also a foreigner, 

 unsuited to the United States in its finest varieties ; while our native species 

 is entirely neglected. The strawberry is an exception, and at the same 

 time an example of what may be done with our native fruits. The most 

 popular varieties are improvements on our native species. 



There are other fruits besides these to which we should turn our atten- 

 tion, — the persimmon, the red haw, the black haw, cranberry, whortleberry', 

 and a number of others, which, if taken in charge by our horticulturists, 

 there is no doubt might each be made something of. 



The blackberry, in spite of all this neglect, has forced itself into notice. 

 The Lawton, Dorchester, Kittatinny, and Wilson's Early, have compelled 

 us to take them up, but owe none of their fine qualities to our care or in- 

 dustry. I have also a variety, an accidental seedling, which I think an im- 

 provement on all of them. I herewith send you a drawing of a bunch of 

 the fruit. It is nearly as large as the Lawton, a week or ten days earlier, 

 and the most beautiful fruit I ever saw. It is first green, then white, then 

 a light clear pink, then a beautiful glossy translucent claret color when it 

 is fully ripe. If left on the bush until it is over-ripe, it assumes a glossy 

 purple color, which fades out as the berry dries up, and becomes a dead 

 yellow or brownish hue, like dried apples. It is delicious in flavor, per- 

 fectly sweet, with no trace of acidity. The juice is nearly as transparent 

 and limpid as water, and, with one-half the sugar required for other black- 

 berries, makes a sweet wine, better than nine-tenths of the grape-wine. It 

 is very productive. The bushes grow erect, stout, and stocky, branch 

 well, and are of a light-green color. 



It originated here, and I have had it in cultivation about seven years. 

 If accident accomplishes such results, what may we not expect, when, by 

 careful cultivation and reproduction, we reach perfection ? 



