262 



hardener's JHflnthlg. 



ments though many of them ranging from ten to 

 fifty thousand dollars, as a rule were inelegant 

 and some indeed in quite bad taste. It is to be 

 regretted so much of good intention should be so 

 poorly realized, and so many good opportunities lost 

 to the arto 



Near to Camden, about ten miles out,is the chief 

 region of the fruit-growers who supply Philadel- 

 phia, New York and other places, with much fine 

 fruit. Collins, Parry, Andrews, Allen and others, 

 well known to the readers of our advertising pages, 

 reside about here. Our vitit was made just in time 

 to see the Philadelphia Raspberry in its prime, and 

 the Wilson's Early just beginning to ripen its Black 

 diamonds. Our fiiS call was at the 



Nurseries of John Perkins at Moorestown. 

 Here we found the mirse^y business apparently 

 prosperous, young Peach trees in good quantity 

 and thriving, and a good miscellaneous collection 

 of fruit and ornamental trees of a character suited 

 to country districts. Fruit was also largely grown 

 for market, which seems to enter into the nursery 

 business about these parts as a legitimate and not 

 a very unprofitable branch. The Strawberry, Black- 

 berry and Raspberry were the main crops, although 

 considerable busis ess is done in raising early apples, 

 which they say constitute a very profitable crop. 

 \Ye were told here Philadelphia Raspberries brought 

 at wholesale 40 cents per quart, and as we had 

 priced some in the market in the morning at 30 

 cents per pint, we readily believed correct. 



J. S. Collins is near to Pei kins, and his name 

 is chiefiy connected with the Wilson's Early Black- 

 berry, which here is grown on a large scale. Mr. 

 C. has found what we indicated in a former num- 

 ber, that the flowers do not all properly fertilize 

 thenaselves, and thinks it would pay well to have a 

 few rows of Lawton or some other good fertilizer 

 grown occasionally with the other. This would be 

 no loss to the crop, as something is required to 

 come into bearing after the early Wilson's have 

 been all gathered. We tliink much injury has been 

 been done by statements that this variety is so 

 much earlier than any other berry. This is not so. 

 The Dorchester will produce ripe berries quite as 

 toon as this, but the real advantage of the Wilson 

 is that the same day a single berry or so may be 

 ripe on a Dorchester, you may find a pint on the 

 Wilson. So that for all j^racfical purposes it is the 

 earliest berry yet known, while its fine size, good 

 flavor, and abundant bearing qualities render it on 

 the whole a real acquisition to the race of summer 

 fruits. 



Mr. Collins has a brother near him who also 



grows Blackberries largely, and who had Lawton 

 growing near the Wilsons, and the result was no 

 imperfect fruit, but one of the most abundant crops 

 we ever saw or thought possible on any Blackberry. 



At Mr. Parry's the main feature was the Phil- 

 adelphia Raspberry, grown on such an immense 

 scale in one lot without a fence as far as the eye 

 could reach, one might almost fancy himself on a 

 Jersey barren, but for the bushes breaking down 

 with fine fruit on every side of him. Immense 

 quantities of fruit were going to waste, which we 

 interpreted told a tale either of difficulty in getting 

 pickers in a country district, or of a crop ripening 

 unexpectedly for the arrangements. In Mr. Parry's 

 absence we guess the former, and those purposing 

 to go into the fruit business in such districts should 

 weigh well not only "cost" of picking, but the 

 chances of getting them picked at any price before 

 putting too much capital into the business. With 

 regard to the quality of the berry on which so much 

 has been said, we note that where the shoots are 

 extra healthy and vigorous the flavor is not inferior 

 to the ordinary Antwerp kinds; but where the 

 the shoots are weak or from any cause have a 

 stimted growth, the flavor then is inferior. Great 

 vigor and health therefore is essential to flavor in 

 this fruit. It is remarkable that fruit which has 

 so much sterling merit should have been in the 

 vicinity for so many years, without any one seeing 

 its great popular value. Mr. Parry has done the 

 most towards it present reputation, and in conse- 

 quence has done the people a service which fairly 

 entitles him to the "comfortable circumstances" 

 report says it has obtained for him. Wo saw m.any 

 seedlings from the Philadelphia Raspberry here, 

 some of them superior in flavor to their parent, but 

 none we believe equal in productiveness. The much 

 talked of Clarke Raspberry was also here in good 

 quantity : its flavor is good, — equal we should say 

 to the best of the other foreign kinds, with which 

 we suppose this affiliates in "blood," — and the 

 foliage was very fine and healthy — so long as which 

 continues it will be as " hardy " as other kinds are 

 under similar circumstances. We do not think, 

 however, that the plants from what we saw here 

 will yield as readily as Northumberland Fillbasket, 

 or some other kinds which have been popular in 

 their day. Passing from the East of Philadelphia 

 to the West, we find ourselves in the borough of 

 West Chester, over 20 miles from the former city, 

 and the first place we drop on, is the 



Fruit Farm oe Miss H. Trimble. Wa have 

 noticed a great deal lately in the Agricultural papers 

 about 'Women in Horticulture,' because one estima- 



