RASPBERRIES. 



357 



berland Fillbasket. For preserving purposes Semper Fidelis is 

 one of the best grown, being of a beautiful bright colour, a great 

 cropper, and later than other kinds, and possesses a more acid 

 flavour, which is much liked by many people for preserving. 

 Red Antwerp is also a good sort ; but when only a few kinds 

 are grown, I should prefer Superlative for dessert or table 

 purposes and Semper Fidelis for preserving. Of white or 

 yellow varieties the choice is more limited, and this is as it should 

 be, for the white kinds are not much used — chiefly for the table — 

 and not nearly as much now as in former years. When glass was 

 not extensively used, and our forefathers relied more on outdoor 

 fruits, the Raspberry found more favour, and white kinds were 

 largely grown. The best at the present time are Magnum Bonum 

 and Yellow Antwerp, and these require similar treatment to red 

 sorts. 



There are also other varieties of great merit ; but it is a mis- 

 take to grow too many kinds. Those that do well and fruit the 

 longest are most suitable. For the latest supply, or autumn fruit, 

 Belle de Fontenay, Yellow Four Seasons or Large Monthly, 

 and the October Red and Yellow are good ; but, as may be ex- 

 pected, their fruit does not equal the summer fruit — still it is 

 most useful in many ways. The canes require special attention 

 as to pruning in spring for autumn fruit, as they produce their 

 fruit on the shoots made during the summer. They also require 

 good cultivation, and should get abundant supplies of manure in 

 the spring, and the growth kept thin, as, if crowded too much, 

 they seldom produce a heavy crop. I feel sure that there is yet 

 room for improvement in the varieties of this fruit, and if we can 

 secure by patient hybridisation the larger fruits, like those sent 

 out of late years, with improved flavour, colour ; and keeping 

 properties, we may hope for further improvement, as we have 

 already got much later sorts and a longer fruiting season. The 

 chief points of success are to feed the plants and to thin the shoots 

 well, to plant in good soil in open positions, and to renew the 

 plantation as soon as it shows signs of exhaustion from over- 

 cropping or poorness of soil, and to plant strong canes in new 

 ground well trenched. I would not allow the plants to remain 

 longer than six years in one place if the fruit did not come up 

 to the standard quality, but would follow the plan advised for 

 Strawberries, of often renewing to secure large fruit, with the 



