178 MY FARM. 



I do not think that for an hour he recovered from 

 the shock to his sensibilities. 



Of raspberries, commend me to the Red-Ant- 

 werp, and the Brinckle's Orange ; but to insure good 

 fruitage, they should be protected from high winds, 

 and should be lightly buried, or thoroughly ' strawed 

 over' in winter. The Perpetual, I have found a 

 perpetual nuisance. 



The New-Rochelle or Lawton blackberry has 

 been despitefully spoken of by many ; first, because 

 the market-fruit is generally bad, being plucked 

 before it is fully ripened ; and next, because in rich 

 clayey grounds, the briers, unless severely cut back, 

 and again back, grow into a tangled, unapproachable 

 forest, with all the juices exhausted in wood. But 

 upon a soil moderately rich, a little gravelly and 

 warm, protected from wind, served with occasional 

 top-dressings and good hoeings, the Lawton brier 

 bears magnificent burdens. 



Even then, if you would enjoy the richness of the 

 fruit, you must not be hasty to pluck it. When the 

 children say with a shout, " The blackberries are 

 ripe ! " I know they are black only, and I can wait. 



When the children report " The birds are eating 

 the berries," I know I can still wait. But when they 

 say " The bees are on the berries," I know they are 

 at full ripeness. 



