292 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[August, 
Agriculturist. — This has assumed a place 
among the standard varieties, and though like 
other sorts it is unsatisfactory in some places, 
there are but few first class berries of recent in- 
troduction, so really valuable. It holds its 
character and size in a remarkable degree. To 
show how difficult it is to get satisfactory in- 
formation about varieties, we have before us two 
letters, dated only one day apart, from Wash- 
ington, D. C, one of which says: "I find it, 
on sandy soil, large, ragged, flat, and of poor 
flavor," while the other writes : " For size and 
quantity to the stool, the Great Agriculturist 
stands far ahead." 
Upon Mr. Knox's grounds, where it has not 
heretofore done itself justice, it this year gives 
a most abundant crop of great excellence. 
Pruning the Blackberry. 
■ — •- — 
We know of no plantation that, if left to itself, 
will become a greater nuisance than one of 
blackberries. We often see the bushes having 
their own way, with the fruit up out of reach, 
or the unsupported, long canes bent over and 
entangled in an almost impenetrable mass. By 
proper pruning, the plants may be kept un- 
der control, and rendered more productive. 
As soon as the new canes get to the hight of 
four or five feet, their upward growth should 
be stopped by pinching off the tops. They 
will then throw off lateral branches freely, 
which, in turn, are to have their growth checked 
by pinching, when they reach the length of 18 
inches. Bushes thus treated will have their 
wood better ripened, and will be much more 
likely to pass the winter in safety than will 
those that are allowed to continue their growth 
until it is checked by the approach of frost, 
■ •-« — ii a m i > »■ 
Propagation of Black Cap Raspberries. 
The Black Cap Raspbeny, (BuMis occidenta- 
lis), so common in its wild state, has sported 
into a number of varieties, which are quite pop- 
ular with growers on account of their produc- 
tiveness and the absence of suckers. Most oth- 
er kinds of raspberry sucker to a degree that is 
annoying, and in the abundance of young plants 
thus formed,propagate themselves; but the Black 
Caps multiply by quite a different method. At 
the end of summer, or earty in autumn, when 
the growth is nearly completed, the long branch- 
es bend over until their ends touch the ground, 
and the plant has the general form of figure 1. 
From the tips of the branches thus brought in 
contact with the ground,roots are thrown out,and 
finally a strong bud appears. We have only to 
sever the stem just above the surface, and we 
have a new plant. Often, after the point of the 
stem has taken root, the buds just above (or 
of plants, as in figure 2, which, of course, are to 
be separated when taken up the following 
spring. Though more or less young plants will 
be formed without any care on the part of the 
cultivator, yet as the motion caused by the 
winds will prevent many of the pendant branch- 
es from taking root, it is best, where plants are 
wanted, to slightly cover the tips with sufficient 
earth to hold them in place. This operation 
should not be performed until the wood acquires 
sufficient firmness, otherwise it will decay. 
There are several red raspberries, of which 
Fig. 3. — TIP OF A BKAXCH HOOTED. 
the species is doubtful, such as the Purple Cane, 
that are propagated in the same way. The two 
engravings given here are taken from Fuller's 
Small Fruit Culturist, a work recently published 
and indispensable to the grower of small fruits. 
Where is the Mixing of Varieties Shown ? 
The question of the crossing of varieties has 
been considerably discussed of late, and it does 
not seem to be satisfactorily settled as to whether 
the influence of a mixture, caused by the fertili- 
zation of one variety by the 
pollen of another, is manifest 
in the fruit resulting from 
this operation, or if the 
crossing is only manifest in 
the progeny of the seeds of 
such fruit. , There is some 
evidence that indicates that a 
cross is shown in the fruit, 
but Mr. Gregory, who has 
carefully observed squashes, 
plants that " mix " very read- 
ily, is quite positive on the 
other side of the question. 
In his recent excellent little 
treatise on squashes he says : 
rather below,) it will throw out shoots, which | " All of the crossing or mixing of squashes is 
caused by the pollen from the male flowers of 
MAITOER OF GKOWTH OF THE BLACK CAP. 
will in turn take root, and thus form a cluster 
one variety being carried by the bees to the fe- 
male flowers of another variety. Squaslies are 
crossed or mixed in their seed, and not in the fruit. 
Many cultivators are in error on this point ; they 
have the very common illustration of the cross- 
ing of different varieties of corn in their mind, 
where the mixture of the varieties is at once 
apparent to the eye, and infer from this, that the 
mixture between different varieties of squashes 
should make itself visible to the eye the same 
season it occurs. A moment's reflection will cor- 
rect this j the crossing of the first season is always 
in the seed, and for this reason 
we see it in the corn the first 
season, as the seed is immediate- 
ly visible to the eye, while the 
various colors of the different 
varieties also aid us in the mat- 
ter. With squashes the crossing 
is likewise in the seed, and hence 
cannot be seen in them, until 
the seeds are planted, when the 
yield will show the inipurit}' of 
their blood. But, though the 
crossing cannot be seen in the 
squashes themselves the first sea- 
son, yet if one of the varieties 
planted near each other, has seed 
having the peculiar, thick, sal- 
mon-colored coating, so charac- 
teristic of some of the South 
American varieties, this indica- 
tion of admixture may be de- 
tected by the eye the first sea- 
son. The parallelism between 
the crossing of squashes and corn 
may be carried further, for it is 
oftentimes true with corn as with 
squashes, that there is a mixing 
of varieties, of which no indica- 
tion can be detected in the seed 
by the eye the first season, which 
a second season will develop — 
what was before an eight-rowed 
variety, into a ten or twelve- 
rowed sort, or dark kernels may 
bo replaced with white ones, and 
by numerous similar freaks,bring 
to light an admixture of varieties. 
"It is of considerable practical importance, that 
the law of admixture should be clearly under- 
stood, that the risk, incidental to planting seed 
from squashes that look pure, should be general- 
ly known ; for it will be seen from what I ha-^e 
written, that seed taken from squashes that ex- 
ternally are perfect types of their kinds, may 
yield a patch, where every one may show 
marks of impurity. Again, no matter how many 
varieties are planted together, no crossing from 
the result of that planting will be seen in the 
external shape, color, or appearance of the crop 
the same season. 
To have squash seed pure, the squashes from 
which they are taken, must have grown isolated, 
and this not onty for one season, but for a suc- 
cession of seasons. .Should several varieties of 
squashes be grown together, and it be desirable 
to keep one kind pure,- it can be done by pre- 
venting any male flowers of the other varieties 
from maturing — no easy job, as those who have 
tried it know. The product of any particular 
blossom may be kept pure under such circum- 
stances by covering with fine muslin, removing 
it only to fertilize with pollen from a male flower 
of its own vine." 
This subject is not only one of scientific in- 
terest, but has an important practical bearing, 
and we shall be glad to receive carefully col- 
lected evidence on either side of the question. 
