THE COUNTRY HOME [CHAPTER 
and to my profit. I do not think that, all in all, 
any one of them is preferable to Cuthbert or Golden 
Queen. With the black raspberry I have been 
even more successful. It is my custom to let the 
bird-sown seedlings in my vineyards grow until 
they can be trained to the trellises and show their 
quality. The result has been some remarkable 
new sorts. What we want now is a berry that will 
give us as heavy crops asthe Cuthbert, with higher 
quality and an absolutely hardy cane. A purple 
as good as Shaffer, and absolutely hardy, is also 
desirable. However, Shaffer, although it kills. 
back somewhat every year, is very sure of giving 
us a heavy crop. 
Of black raspberries I hesitate to name any vari- 
eties as most excellent. I should prefer to see you 
follow my suggestion in the way of growing seed- 
lings — provided you get your seed from the old 
Gregg, an enormous berry, but not hardy. Per- 
haps the best early black raspberry that we can 
purchase from the nurseryman is the Kansas. It 
is a strong, vigorous grower, enduring most ex- 
treme cold and droughts, and bearing enormous 
crops. The berries are very large, jet black, and of 
splendid quality. So far as I have grown, the best 
[178] 
