ROSACEiE. 



115 



petals longer tlian the sepjils, ohovate, spreading. Fruit ovoid-oblung or 

 cylindrical, from half an inch to an inch in length, and half an inch in diam- 

 eter, changing from green to red, and black when ripe. Flowers in May ; 

 fruits in July. 



Var. frondosus, (iray. Leaflets iucisely toothed, smooth. Fhjwers more 

 corymboscd, with leafy bracts, and roundish petals. 



Var. humifusus, (Jray. 8teni trailing, and smaller j^oduncles ; few-flowered. 



5. R. fruticosus. (High Blackberry.) A plant common in the British Isles. 

 But little attention is ])aid to it, and it has not been brought under cultivation. 



Varieties. — There are some 20 varieties now under cultivati»jn, differing 

 from each other as to the quality of the fruit and the hardiness of the plant. 



The varieties of the blackberry grown in our gardens, and from which our 

 markets are su])]die(l, are seedlings from the K. villosus, or high blackberry, 

 found in our fields and fence- 

 rows all over the Xorthern and 

 Middle States. The Kittatinny 

 was found in the Kittatinny 

 Mountains in Warren County, 

 New Jersey, growing without 

 cultivation. The New Kochelle 

 blackberry was found hy Mr. 

 Lewis Secor by the roadside in 

 the town of New Kochelle, West- 

 chester County, New York, and 

 was called Secor's Mammoth. 

 Mr. Lawton, of New l^ochelle, 

 took great interest in it, and 

 propagated it in his nursery at 

 New Rochelle. The names Law- 

 ton and New Kochelle ])lackl)erry 

 are both due to this circumstance. 



GeograpJii/ — The Kubus vil- 

 losus or high blackberry is an American plant, and grows freely all over the 

 Northern and Middle States, in fence-rows, pastures, and edges of woods and 

 old fields. 



Eti/moloffi/. — The specific name villosus comes from the Latin word villus, 

 wool, and signifies wt)olly, a name apjdied to this plant because it is clothed 

 with weak, long hairs. The common name black-berri/ arises from the color of 

 the fruit when ripe. 



History. — There is hut little to be said of tlie history of the blackberry. 

 The villosus, the parent of all the cultivated varieties, is an American plant, 

 and has been used as a food-plant since the settlement of the country, but has 

 only recently become an article of commerce. Of late years it has engaged tlie 

 attention of fruit growers to a great extent, and many fine varieties have been 

 produced by liyl)ridizing and from seedlings. 



Use. — It is a favorite dessert fruit, eaten with sugar or milk without ct)ok- 

 ing; it is preserved in sugar and brandy, and is canned; it is also prepareii 

 as a jam. A syrup made from it is used as a remedy in chronic stomach and 

 bowel difficulties, because of tlie astringent ])ro])erties it contains. 



^farts. — On account of the perishalde character of this fruit the markets 

 must be local. 



RcBUs VILLOSUS (High Blackberry). 



