190 Success with Small Fruits. 



loaded with the largest, handsomest and best black raspberries I had ever 

 seen. Mr. Herron, the Secretary, informed me that they were grown by 

 Messrs. R. & P. Gregg. I obtained two hundred plants, a few of which 

 bore fruit so fine, the following season, that all who saw it wanted plants." 

 It was learned that Mr. Gregg was the lawyer who was thought " long- 

 winded," and many who then yawned have since thought, no doubt, that 

 they might have listened with much profit, for the demand for the plants 

 has become greater than the supply. Only time can show whether the 

 Gregg is to supersede the Mammoth Cluster. I observe that veteran 

 fruit growers are very conservative, and by no means hasty to give a 

 new-comer the place that a fine old variety has won by years of excel- 

 lence in nearly all diversities of soil and climate. The Gregg certainly 

 promises remarkably well, and Mr. Thomas Meehan, editor of the 

 Gardener's Monthly, who is well known to be exceedingly careful and 

 conscientious in indorsing new fruits, writes : " We believe this variety 

 is generally larger than any other of its kind yet known." 



There are many other candidates for favor, but thus far they are 

 untried, or have not proved themselves equal to the kinds I have named. 



Quite a distinct branch of R. Occidentalis is the Purple Cane family, 

 so named, I think, from the purple cane raspberry that was so well 

 known in old gardens a few years ago, but since it has been superseded 

 by better kinds is now fast passing out of cultivation. It almost took 

 care of itself in our home garden for forty years or more, and its soft, 

 small berries would melt in one's mouth. Its canes were smooth and its 

 fruit of a dusky-red color. In other respects, it resembles the black-cap 

 tribe. 



The Catawissa, found growing in a Pennsylvania grave-yard, is 

 another berry of this class, which produces a second crop in autumn. 

 It is tender in the Northern States, and has never become popular. 



The Philadelphia is the best known of the class, and at one time was 

 immensely popular. Its canes are smooth, stout, erect in growth, and 

 enormously productive of medium-sized, round, dusky-re^ berries of 

 very poor flavor. It throve so well on the light soils about Philadel- 

 phia, that it was heralded to the skies, and the plants sold at one time 

 as high as $40 per 100, but the inferior flavor and unattractive appear- 

 ance of the fruit caused it to decline steadily in favor, and now it has 

 but few friends. Unlike others of its class, it does not root from the tips, 

 but propagates itself by suckers, producing them sparingly, however. 

 When it was in such great demand, the nurserymen increased it by 

 root cuttings, forced under glass. 



