History and Future of the Red Raspberries 175 



ciety at its second session, and for many years vice-president of the 

 Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, repeatedly refusing its presi- 

 dency. Unfortunately his work on raspberries was with the Rubus 

 Idceus species, and most of the varieties which he produced have 

 suffered the fate of the class to which they belonged; yet he obtained 

 in Brinckle's Orange the variety which has stood as the desideratum 

 to be sought in quality to the present day. Another who achieved 

 good results in this line was David W. Herstine, of Branchtown, near 

 Philadelphia, the originator of the Herstine, Saunders, Ruby and 

 Elizabeth raspberries; yet these were simply seedlings of the Allen, 

 grown in alternate rows with the Philadelphia. William Saunders, 

 of Ontario, has also produced a number of varieties, some of which 

 are said to be hybrids. 



Good as the varieties are which we have, we want further im- 

 provements. Nothing is good enough to satisfy human demands. 

 We want back all we have lost in giving up the raspberry of our 

 forefathers beyond the sea; but coupled with that, we want all we 

 have gained from the hardier species of our own country. We want 

 a red raspberry as good as Brinckle's Orange in quality, as large and 

 productive as Cuthbert and of brighter color, as hardy as the Turner, 

 and we want it on a black-cap bush without the thorns. Will we 

 get it? The Shaffer is our nearest approach at present. What the 

 possibilities of careful, systematic and progressive breeding are, 

 only the future can show. 



No marked change in the status of the red and hybrid 

 raspberry in America is apparent since the above words 

 were written, some twenty-five years ago. Cuthbert is 

 still the leading red variety, with Marlboro prominent in 

 some localities. In the hybrid class Columbian is sup- 

 planting Shaffer. New varieties have appeared, to be 

 sure, and some of them may become prominent, especially 

 in certain regions. Much systematic work in crossing 

 and hybridizing has been done and many seedlings have 

 been grown. Among those prominent in this work have 



