46 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



rate of increase. No artificial winter protection is needed for the 

 vines in Sapporo ; the deep snow proves all sufficient. Other 

 covering I found even injurious, tending to cause the rotting of 

 the vines. The period of fruiting was unusuall}' long? commonly 

 covering with a single variety like Wilson's Albany, one entire 

 month, — the mouth of July. 



Of the raspberries, there were some three or four species com- 

 monly found : but only two were of practical importance. One of 

 these, Mubvs parvifoUus, is of a low half running habit of growth ; 

 the fruit is red but very loosely constructed and soft in texture. 

 The flavor is good, but the impossibility of handling without 

 reducing to a mush makes this fruit nearly valueless except to eat 

 from the bushes. I have cultivated two other species in my 

 garden. One of these, of the same habit of growth as our common 

 red raspberry but with unusually stout canes and not suckering 

 over-freely, produced small, seedy, black fruit of no value. The 

 other, Ruhus phceriicolasius, has the Black Cap habit of growth, the 

 canes, in good soil stout and tall, not requiring artificial support 

 but with unusually soft and harmless prickles. The fruit is pro- 

 duced in large clusters, is of fair size, and being of a beautiful 

 translucent scarlet color, it presents an exceedingly attractive 

 appearance. It is fairly firm. In flavor it is quite different from 

 anything we have. There is leas of the distinctive raspberry 

 flavor and slightly more acid than in our varieties and it is very 

 juicy. Upon telling friends who visited my garden when the fruit 

 was ripe that I had brought it there to see if I could improve it, I 

 was several times met with the remark "I don't see why you 

 should wish to improve this," which perhaps sufficiently indicates 

 its quality. I would not, however, overpraise this fruit. It is 

 distinctly less rich than our common varieties and would not suit 

 those especially fond of the raspberr}' flavor. It is, however, a 

 hardy, productive, and beautiful species, which may prove valuable 

 in its present or some derivative form. A peculiarity in its habit 

 of growth should be mentioned ; the growing fruit is entirely 

 covered and protected by the reddish pubescent calyx until just 

 as it begins to ripen. Whether from this peculiarity or because it 

 is not so sweet, it is certain that this fruit was always remarkably 

 free from worms, while American varieties in my garden were 

 sadly infested. I successfully imported plants of this species last 

 year ; and I may remark that I have been informed that at least 

 one nurseryman advertised it for sale last season. 



