BUSH-FRUITS. 



BY PROF. FKKD S. CARD, PROFESSOR OF HORTICULTURE, RHODE ISLAND 

 COLLEGE <JF AGRICULTURE AND MECHANIC ARTS. 



The bush-fruits represent a type likely to be neglected, 

 though one well worthy of consideration in most localities. 

 They ought by all means to appear in every home garden, 

 and in many places would prove desirable market fruits. 

 Many New England markets are poorly supplied with these 

 fruits, and where conditions are favorable to their growth, 

 they might prove a source of profit to numberless local 



growers. 



Judging from our experience at the Rhode Island Experi- 

 ment Station, some of them do not thrive well near the shore, 

 being especially subject to winter-killing. 



Two o-eneral classes of fruits are included under the term 

 bush-fruits, differing in their botanical relationships and 

 habits. The brambles, which include the raspberries and 

 blackberries, are the ones most likely to suffer from unfavor- 

 able climatic conditions here in New England. The gro- 

 selles, which include the currant and gooseberry, are seldom 

 injured by cold, and generally succeed, though the English 

 gooseberry cannot be depended upon to thrive. Owing to 

 their different characteristics, it seeuLS better to treat these 

 two groups separately. 



The Bp.ambles. 

 Soil and Climatic Conditions. 

 The brambles are not particular in their soil demands. 

 It is chiefly necessary that the soil shall not be wet, nor too 

 dry. On heavy, wet soils they will not thrive, and are very 

 subject to winter-killing. On a light, dry soil they suffer 

 from summer drought, and the fruit does not reach its full 



