196 FRUIT AND ITS CULTIVATION. 



CHAPTER XXIV. 

 The Strawberry=Raspberry. 



SOME years ago a fruiting plant was introduced into this 

 country under the above name, and we believe several speci- 

 mens were planted, but, so far as we know, they have 

 never yielded very remarkable results. According to Mr. 

 F. W. Card, in an American book on " Bush Fruits " 

 (Macmillan and Co.), the above plant belongs to a species 

 found wild in Japan, China, and the East Indies, and is 

 botanically known as Rubus rosaefolius. When first intro- 

 duced it was reputed to be a hybrid between the Straw- 

 berry and the Raspberry, but according to the foregoing 

 facts this is a pure myth. 



The plant is herbaceous in habit, that is, like the autumn- 

 bearing Raspberries, its shoots die down to the ground 

 in winter, new growths appearing in spring. The foliage 

 is of a pleasing light green tint, the leaflets narrow and 

 borne five to seven on a stalk, and elegantly serrated on 

 the margins. The blossoms are pure white, very attractive 

 and fragrant. The berries are more or less globular, 

 bright red in colour, but somewhat insipid and sour in a 

 fresh state, but when cooked are said to make a palatable 

 syrup. 



Mr. Card says the plant is unproductive in America, but 

 he notes that Messrs. Laxton Bros, describe it in their list 

 as being both hardy and prolific. One good trait in its 

 character is it is immune from insect attacks. In any 

 case we have had no experience in its culture, and, con- 

 sidering that the flavour is admitted to be poor, we do not 

 think the Strawberry-Raspberry is a fruit that is worth 

 cultivation except as a curiosity. If grown at all, it should 

 be accorded similar treatment to the autumn-fruiting Rasp- 

 berries. 



