178 FRUIT AND ITS CULTIVATION. 



CHAPTER XXII. 

 The Raspberry. 



THB RASPBERRY (Rubus Idaeus) is a native of this country, 

 also of the temperate parts of Africa, Asia, Europe, and 

 America. It grows wild in moist woods, etc., in various 

 parts of the country. It does not appear to have been 

 cultivated by the ancients. Gerarde, the sixteenth-century 

 writer on gardening, says it was grown in gardens in his 

 day, but its fruit was not held in such high esteem as that 

 of the Bramble. This was the red Raspberry. The yellow 

 and white varieties were introduced into this country from 

 Antwerp. 



Phillips, in his 4< History of Cultivated Fruits," informs 

 us that, early in the last century, Raspberries were much 

 cultivated in the neighbourhood of Isleworth and Brent- 

 ford for supplying fruit to distillers for making Raspberry 

 brandy and Raspberry vinegar. He also says: " Rasp- 

 berries which are intended for the table are brought by 

 women on their heads; their load consists of a round, or 

 basket, containing twelve gallons, of three pints to a 

 gallon ; and, although the distance is ten miles from Isle- 

 worth to Covent Garden Market, they regularly perform 

 the journey in two hours, for which they are paid three 

 shillings and sixpence. These female fruit porters come 

 to the vicinity of London for the season from Wiltshire, 

 Shropshire, and Wales ; in their long journeys they seldom 

 walk at a less pace than five miles per hour." 



The fruit of the Raspberry is highly esteemed for des- 

 sert; also for making jams and jellies, pies, etc., and like- 

 wise for flavouring purposes. Many housewives, too, 

 make an excellent wine from the fruit, and Raspberry 

 vinegar is also a refreshing beverage in summer. 



