342 



Garden and Forest. 



[Number 230. 



Cultural Department. 



Fruit Notes. 



THE Minnewaska Blackberry, I am sorry to say, must be dis- 

 carded here, owing to its lack of hardiness. It is rather 

 more tender than Kittatinny. Erie is a coarse grower and not 

 liardy, and not certain to yield perfect berries. Agawam has 

 a delicious flavor, and is the best liome berry, with Snyder, for 

 market — that is, in climates as cold as that of central New York. 

 After continued e.xperiment, my belief is, it is best to cultivate 

 Blackberries two years, and as soon as the canes come up 

 thickly let them fill the ground. After that I put in neither 

 horse nor hoe. The canes must be topped and the old canes 

 cut out. Unpleasant as handling Blackberry-bushes is, this 



Cleveland as a berry not to be discarded ; also in I^ida, in Clara 

 and Pearl, in Saunders, and in Parker Earle. Cumberland is still 

 a standard for all soils and spots. Sharpless is unsurpassed 

 on strong clay soils, but in some sections flavorless. Gypsy 

 is an ideal for quality, but medium in size. Haverland must 

 be retained for size and prolific bearing. Wet weather makes 

 it soft, and it hangs over to the ground too closely. Princess 

 I only get a taste of, but I believe in it. Yale and Williams are 

 promising. The wonders with me are Thompson's 51 for size 

 and length, a veritable lady-finger ; a seedling of my ovi'n for 

 double flowers, and yet large rich fruit, not prolific ; Parker 

 Earle for quantity. Those who do not care to experiment can 

 stick to Haverland, Cumberland, Bubach and Sharpless for 

 large fine fruit. 



It is a good time to lay plans for e.x'periments, save seeds of 



Fig. 59. — Corylopsis i:)auciflora, in I>i. Hallr^ garden, in Bristol, Rhode Island. — See page 341. 



reduces the disagreeable job to a minimum, and gives me the 

 largest crops. 



I am inclined to modify somewhat my previous judgment 

 of the Lucretia Dewberry. I now grow it on trellises of two 

 wires, two feet and four feet high, and lay down the vines for 

 the winter. This practice is almost identical with Grape-cul- 

 ture. They have no canes, but are true vines. The crop is 

 magnificent for size of fruit, quantity and quality. Grown 

 carelessly the plant is useless. 



Of all Raspberries I see nothing as yet equal to the Shaffer. 

 It always winter-kills somewhat, but it always gives fine crops 

 of mammoth berries. But the real point is quality. This is 

 the best berry for canning, for cooking, for jellies, for jams. 

 The color is against it with some people. I am growing a 

 large number of seedlings from it. 



We are much in need, even yet, of thoroughly good black 

 raspberries as large as the Gregg and absolutely hardy. 



In my Strawberry-beds I renew my confidence in Mrs. 



choice things and grow a few rows of seedlings. It may not 

 pay, but Mr. Fay has made over $25,000 as his share of Fay's 

 Currant. You will be sure to get lots of pleasure and charac- 

 ter from experiments. 



I am in receipt of letters from Japan and from Corea about 

 what are called Japanese Persimmons. Mr. Baird, of Fusan, 

 Corea, says the most northern sorts will probably prove hardy 

 here as far north as Philadelphia. I hope for better than that. 

 Mr. Loomis, of Japan, thinks we can get seedlings that will be 

 hardy as far north as central New York. He has sent seeds 

 to Parsons & Co. for a full test. Dried Japanese Persimmons 

 far surpass figs and dates. At this place I have native Per- 

 simmons from seed growing, and absolutely, hardy. I have 

 grafted successfully with best sorts grown by the best horti- 

 culturists in Virginia and Missouri. The chief trouble is in 

 restraining cions from the south from budding out too soon, 

 as the Persimmon is one of the latest of all trees to start growth 

 in spring. 



