130 



The Garden Magazine, April, 1920 



Exclusive! 



THE Adonis Aleppica, described in this issue of The g 



Garden Magazine, is a rare gem, exclusive with us. M 



You will have something to boast of if you put this M 

 | into your garden! This beautiful annual, found in the 

 | region of Aleppo, Syria, is a splendid acquisition for 



| groups, beds, or borders and can also be used as a pot- j 



| plant. The plants grow 16 to 20 inches high and pro- J 



I duce from r6 to 20 main stems. From these many g 



1 lateral branches are sent off, each ending in a round 3 



I shaped eight-petaled flower, measuring 3 inches in cham- ( 



j eter or four times as large as a common Flos Adonis. m 



j The color is a shining, deep, dark blood-red of great ]j 



I brilliancy. The flowers appear in great numbers and | 



I the effect of the free-blooming, pyramidal-grcwing plant = 



I is enhanced by its very handsome feathery foliage. Cut g 



I blooms put in water keep fresh for over two weeks. =. 



I Pkt. 75 cts. 1 



The Wild French Poppy 



I The wondrous wild poppy that our soldiers tell about, [ 



I that they saw growing in a riot of color among the grain W 



I fields of France and Flanders! The seeds are difficult g 



[ to secure and in great demand. We have them — a J 



[ limited supply — and will sell not more than 5 packages ■ 



[ to one person — 25c a package, 5 packages for $1.00, |j 



j postage paid. J 



New Annual Blue Anchusa 



I Like a giant spray of Forget-me-not, of the deepest blue, S 



I on stems fully 18 inches long; just lovely in the garden J 



I or for cutting; blooms all summer. No matter how g 



often you cut, you can always find rrore flowers. A g 



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J SPECIAL OFFER!— All three of the above unique 



I flowers (single pkts. of each) for $1.00, if you order g 



[ promptly. Enjoy the pleasure and pride of growing nov- 1 

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I And don't forget our Perpetua! Spinach, adver- j 



I tised last month — a big-lea\ed, quick-growing, Summer 1 



I and Fall Spinach, which takes the place of all other 1 



varieties. A 2-oz. package is enough to supply the 

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MAIL YOUR ORDER TO-DAY and ask for your free 

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ANDORRA 



Evergreens, Trees and 

 Shrubs of distinction 



ANDORRA NURSERIES 

 Wm. Warner Harper. Prop. 

 Chestnut Hill. Phila..Penna 



BLACKBERRIES EOR WHERE YOU LIVE 



E. 1. FARR1NGTON 



AS A rule the blackberry is not very exacting 

 1 as to its soil requirements, but nearly all 

 kinds like plenty of moisture. There is a great 

 difference, though, among the blackberry var- 

 ieties as to hardiness, so that some of the best 

 cannot be grown safely in the Northern states; 

 and a great many blackberries that are grown 

 commercially arc not the best for the home 

 garden. In Kansas, Missouri, and states in that 

 section the three best varieties for home growing 

 are Early Harvest, Mersereau, and Eldorado. 

 The Early Harvest is especially likely to be 

 found on the farms, and it has the advantage 

 of being exceedingly early, often ripe indeed by 

 the Fourth of July or earlier. The fruit is me- 

 dium sized, oblong and juicy, and wherever it 

 flourishes it is a valuable sort. Unfortunately 

 it cannot be grown in the Northern states except 

 in especially favorable locations. 



The variety called Mersereau is more widely 

 grown, being somewhat hardier. It cannot be 

 planted with perfect safety in New York state, 

 however, although it is found in a good many 

 gardens. It is a seedling of Snyder, larger and 

 much more drought-resistant and a good berry 

 to grow in connection with Early Harvest, being 

 a midseason variety. Of late years it seems to 

 bear as freely as any other kind, and it is singu- 

 larly free from orange rust. In some of the cen- 

 tral states a variety called Minnewaski is popu- 

 lar, and with good reason for it is a remarkably 

 good berry, extra large, aromatic and juicy. 

 It is one of the best home berries in sections 

 where the weather does not get extremely 

 cold. 



The list of blackberries hardy in the northern 

 sections is fairly long, but different varieties 

 seem to give the best results in certain districts. 

 In Wisconsin, Eldorado, Snyder, and Ancient 

 Briton are the varieties most commonly grown. 

 Here as elsewhere Snyder must be set down as 

 least desirable for the home garden, except in 

 especially favorable situations — as where a rain- 

 fall is invariably plentiful. Ancient Briton is an 

 old time variety which seems to grow well over 

 a large area, and according to one expert in 

 New York state should be included in any selec- 

 tion of the three best berries desirable for the 

 home garden. 



Although Eldorado is of the Snyder type and 

 just as hardy, it is far and away a better variety 

 the berries being of medium size, jet black, and 

 well shaped. Their popularity however lies 

 chiefly in their melting sweetness. It is medium 

 early, hardv and not particular as to soil, thriving 

 in New England as well as in Michigan; it can 

 be set down therefore as an all-round good berry, 

 and one of the most reliable which can be 

 chosen. In Michigan it is one of the most 

 important varieties. 



Another is Wilson's Early; this is not very 

 well known but grown to some extent in New 

 York state also. The berries of this are large, 

 round and glossy. Growers in the neighboring 

 states, especially in Minnesota, have a fondness 

 for Kittatinny. This is an old variety, of course, 

 but hardly surpassed by later introductions. It 

 is slightly tart and when perfectly ripe the flavor 

 is unsurpassed, the canes grow strong and erect, 

 and sometimes a small second crop is produced in 

 the fall. It is a late berry and for that reason a 

 good one to plant in connection with earlier 

 sorts like Agawam — or, farther south, Early 

 Harvest. 



In some places it seems to be perfectly hardy 



yet in New York state it is occasionally winter 

 killed. The late E. P. Powell of Clinton, how- 

 ever, named it as one of his good varieties, al- 

 though he put Ancient Briton and Eldorado 

 ahead of it. The varieties recommended for 

 New York state are Agawam, Ancient Briton, 

 Eldorado, and Kittatinny. In New Jersey all 

 these varieties and some others are grown suc- 

 cessfully. A particularly popular variety right 

 now is called Ward, a descendant of Kittatinny, 

 and considered an improvement. It makes a 

 strong growth and yields heavily. 



Garden makers in New England have to choose 

 with considerable care as the rigorous climate of 

 that section is much too severe for many varieties. 

 Eldorado seems to be among the best kinds, but 

 Agawam is grown to a considerable extent and 

 is probably the most popular early variety for 

 the coldest sections of the country. This is good, 

 fairly early, very productive, and bearing for a 

 longer season than many. It is a berry that suc- 

 ceeds much better in heavy than in sandy soil, and 

 when soil is very light, some other variety should 

 be substituted. 



One variety more often found in New England 

 than anywhere else except in New Jersey is the 

 Wachusett Thornless. Home garden makers 

 with a limited area prefer this variety because 

 it is practically thornless, and so can be worked 

 without the necessity of putting on gloves. 

 There is no doubt about its hardiness, but it is 

 quite often attacked by the orange rust, and docs 

 not produce so freely as some other kinds. The 

 berries are excellent, though, being sweet and 

 juicy. 



Although some of the best varieties are of 

 necessity ruled out when one starts to choose 

 blackberries for Canada, many of the kinds 

 named can be grown in the Dominion. In the 

 Niagara Falls district Agawam, Snyder, and in 

 the southern sections, Kittatinny are usually 

 hardy. Eldorado and Kittatinny, and even. 

 Mersereau can be grown on the Essex peninsula, 

 but in the Lake Huron district Agawam and 

 Eldorado should be depended upon. 



Closely allied to the blackberries and differing 

 from them only in their running habit are the 

 dewberries, which are usually allowed to trail 

 on the ground, although sometimes trained to 

 supports. Because of their low growing form 

 they are less likely to winter kill than ordinary 

 blackberry plants. Moreover, they are earlier 

 than any other blackberry. Only a few varieties 

 are listed, and of these Lucretia is much the best 

 known. It is very early, glossy black, large, 

 coreless, and sweet. This is the variety grown 

 in most parts of the country, although the Austin 

 has been recommended as preferable by some 

 experts, especially for Long Island. In Missouri 

 a berry called McDonald is being put out, which 

 seems to be either a dewberry or a cross. It 

 needs the Lucretia dewberry planted near as a 

 pollenizer in order to obtain perfect berries. Its 

 vines trail along the ground the first season, but 

 send up canes later on. 



It seems a pity that the culture of the black- 

 berry has been so largely neglected. Prob- 

 ably it would be more widely grown if amateurs 

 were more familiar with the kinds best adapted 

 to their sections. One thing is certain. No- 

 such blackberries can be obtained in the market 

 as can be grown at home, because blackberries 

 are never at their best unless they are allowed 

 to become perfectly ripe on the vines, being 

 picked just as they are ready to drop. 



