RASPBERRY. 



153 



Class II. —Purple Oa^s^e Family. 



A portion at least of the following kinds are supposed 

 ^.0 belong to the same species as the common Black Cap 

 Raspberry {R, occidentalis,) But as they have a few 

 characteristics in common^ which are not found in the 

 wild Black Raspberry, nor in any other species, I have 

 placed them in a list by themselves. 



This separation is not claimed to be a strictly scientific 

 one, but as a matter of convenience. 



The old Purple Cane Raspberry is so well known that 

 1 have selected it as the type or representative of this 

 class. 



The principal difference between the varieties of the 

 Black Cap and the Purple Cane is in the fruit. The first, 

 as is well known, have a rather dry, tough fruit, with a pe- 

 culiar flavor. Its grains numerous, and very irregular in 

 size. The fruit of Purple Cane, as a rule, is rather soft, 

 juicy, often very brittle, the grains separating very readily. 

 Color, varying from light red to dark brownish-purple, 

 but never black ; the flavor mild and agreeable, but en- 

 tirely distinct from those of the true Black Raspberry. 



Catawissat — Medium, round, dark reddish-purple, 

 rather brittle and soft, juicy, moderately good, canes 

 strong, very branching, bark dark brown, and few hooked 

 spines. Produces a second crop in autumn. If the whole 

 stool is cut down in spring, the young canes of the reason 

 will come into fruit early, and continue bearing until 

 winter. The fruit is borne principally on the ends of the 

 shoots of those which do not bend down and take root. 

 Suckers are also produced very sparingly, but if the stools 

 are taken up, and the roots left in the ground, a greater 

 number will grow than otherwice. The plant is quite 

 tender in the Northern States, and even in the locality 

 where it was discovered, it is sometimes winter-killed. 



