330 



country, and is often found wild in the 

 northern counties. I have also seen it in 

 the wild state growing freely in some woods 

 on the South Downs of Sussex. It is a fruit 

 that appears to have been much improved 

 by cultivation, as Gerard writes on it, pre- 

 vious to 1597? as not being equal to the black- 

 berry, although he says it is planted in gar- 

 dens. He calls it Raspis, or Hindberry : 

 " the fruit," he adds, " is in shape and propor- 

 tion like that of the bramble : red, when it is 

 ripe, and covered over with a little downi- 

 ness, of taste not very pleasant/' He does 

 not mention the white raspberry, nor has 

 Tusser, who wrote in the previous reign. 



The large kinds of raspberries, both red 

 and yellow, were brought from Antwerp to 

 this country. 



The yellow or white raspberry is most 

 admired at dessert: indeed all the white fruits 

 of the berry kind, are sweeter than the co- 

 loured, but other fruits that are coloured are 

 generally sweeter than the white. 



The red raspberry is considered the finest 

 for flavouring ices, jams, &c. A third kind 

 is cultivated, which produces two crops a 

 year, but I have seldom met with the 

 October raspberry possessing much fla- 

 vour. 



