I ey to the fruit grower. There is nothing 
w T e know of, ripening at its season, that can 
compete with it. 
Pot Grown Strawberry Plants. 
Notwithstanding the objections that have 
been urged against potted strawberry plants 
Thompson’* Early Prolific Rasp- 
berry. 
Although not strictly speaking, a 
new raspberry, having been introduc- 
ed two years ago, this is a variety so 
remarkable for its early season of 
ripening as to be well worth mention- 
ing here. It comes from northern 
Ohio and was grown from selected 
seed of early red raspberries mixed. 
The plant is an excellent grower, 
the canes erect and stout. Foliage of 
a dark, green color, tough and heal- 
thy, and endures well, heat and 
drought; here it is free from rust and 
mildew. The canes have passed 
through the last two winters here un- 
injured. without any protection and 
it is said by the introducer to have 
endured 22"' below zero without in- 
jury. The berry, unfortunately, is not 
of the largest size, being what may be 
termed medium to large, but it is 
a strikingly bright, fresii, crimson col- 
or, very attractive, which, with its 
extreme earliness, should cause it to 
to become a profitable market sort. 
It is exceedingly productive with us 
and has received no special care or 
cultivation. In brief, it is a raspber- 
ry similar in many respects to Bran- 
dywine, of about the same size, but 
not equal to it in firmness of herry;of 
the same bright, fresh color and ripens 
from tw T o to three weeks earlier. 
It seems to us that, under careful and lib- 
eral treatment, such a raspl^-ry as this has 
shown itself here to be, i> capable, in many 
localities, of bringing in considerable mon- 
of potted plants improperly grown and poor- 
ly rooted that unsatisfactory results have so 
often been obtained. Then again, the extra 
time and labor required to grow them, and 
the higher charges for transportation by 
reason of their greater weight, makes their 
first cost necessarily more than that of ordi- 
nary layer plants, and this also has 
furnished an objection. But, notwith- 
standing, w r e venture the assertion 
that, even at the advanced price, they 
are cheaper in the end than the ordi- 
nary layer plants, for the reason that 
(1) there is (or should be) no loss in 
transplanting as is the case with lay- 
ers, (2 ) they may be safely set out at 
any time even when hot and dry, (3) 
they will bear a good crop the fol- 
lowing season, (4) if planted suffici- 
ently early in the season (in July or 
August) they wall make other plants 
by running, which will also bear fruit 
next year, (5) layer plants will not 
bear fruit the following season to the 
same extent as the potted plants, the 
check of transplanting layers in sum- 
mer being considerable unless great 
pains are taken to water and shade 
the plants. 
In setting pot-grown straw' berry 
plants soak the ball of earth in water 
and crush slightly in the hand before 
putting it in the ground, draw up the 
dry soil over it and press firmly around 
the plant. 
Vacancies among raspberries and 
blackberries may still be filled in with 
young sucker plants taken up when 
the ground is wet, with the soil adher- 
ing to their roots. 
Pinch back the new green shpots of rasp- 
berries and blackberries and so provide 
stout, stocky canes for bearing next year. 
This prevents the formation of useless wood 
which is only cut away next spring, 
Thompson’s Early Prolific Raspberry. Fig. 191. 
the facts remain that they are still largely 
used and continue to give satisfaction. But 
there are potted plants and potted plants, 
and a poor potted plant is infinitely inferior 
to a good layer. It is probably by the use 
