1871 



THE POMOLOGIST AND GARDENER. 



197 



Blackberries— The KIttatlnny. 



Among wild fruits — especially Ihose of the Eastern States, the blackberry stands pre-eminent. But, 

 Btrange to say, as long as it has been known, and much as it is esteemed for its excellence when gathered 



from the bushes growing spontaneously, its 

 introduction to the garden, and attempts at 

 improvement are comparatively of recent 

 date. Unless our taste has become sadly 

 demoralized, but very little progress has 

 yet been made towards the improvement of 

 this valuable fruit; for, so far, not one of tlie 

 many sorts introduced to the public as new, 

 is any improvement upon the thimble 

 shaped blackberry we used to gather forty 

 years ago from the fields acd forests of 

 New England — unless it may be the Kitta- 

 tinny. Some years ago the Massachusettes 

 Horticultural Society oflered a very liberal 

 premium for a seedling blackberry, that 

 should be adjudged by a competent com- 

 mittee superior to the best known wild sort, 

 hut we are not aware that one single claim 

 has ever been put in for the prize. 



The first step made in blackberry culture 

 worthy of mention was with the Lawton, 

 but which for this latitude has been found 

 wanting in two most important essentials — 

 quality and hardiness. We now have under 

 trial upon our grounds, the Lawton, Dor- 

 chester, Duncan's Falls, Missouri Mam- 

 moth, Wilson's Early, and Kittatinny. Of 

 the six, Kittatinny promises best. We find 

 it a rampant grower and very hardy, while 

 for fruitfulness it bids fair to outstrip all its 

 competitors. We have recently examined 

 two year old plants in one or two gardens 

 near us that have gone through the last two 

 winters quite as well as the Doolittle rasp- 

 berry, without the slightest protection, and 

 which now present a fair show for fruit. 

 The latter part of May we put out about seventy plants of the Kittatinny, the remnant of last Spring's 

 sales. The plants were taken up the previous Fall and heeled in for the winter, and were mere culls. 

 They have made much stronger growth than any other sort planted at the same time, and in many cases 

 fruit bearing canes have pushed out from the old stubs, on which are well developed specimens of fruit. 

 We have had under trial the Lawton and Dorchester for some years, and find both too tender for profit, 

 and even with the best of winter protection unsatisfactory in fruitfulness. A blackberry that will do as well 

 in this climate as the Doolittle raspberry, will be hailed as a great desideratum in the line of small fruits; 

 for it would follow the Philadelphia raspberry — thus prolonging the season of small fruits through the 

 hottest weather of our hot summers. We are hopeful of the Kittatinny to supplj all that could be desired 

 in that direction. 



Palms on San Bernardino Mountain. — The 

 The Angeles Star (Cal.) says it is not generally 

 known that a species of native palm grows luxu- 

 riantly in the canons on the eastern slope of San 

 Bernardino mountain. It bears a small black fruit 

 of a sweetish taste, which is highly prized by the 

 Indians as an article of food. The fruit grows in a 

 single cluster, about the size of a bushel basket. 



Fruit in Washington Territory.— The Wil- 

 lamette Farmer says many orchards are being set 

 out in the Walla Walla Valley, and thinks that sec- 

 tion destined to be one of the finest fruit growing 

 sections on that coast. 



J^" Butterflies have been found flying at sea, six 

 hundred miles from land. 



