The Romance of the 
“HONEYSWEET” BLACK RASPBERRY 
Discovered, Developed and distributed by 
A. B. KATKAMIER, - MACEDON, N. Y. 
THE DISCOVERY. 
HrHIS valuable addition to the berry fruits of the world was discovered in 1912. One July 
evening, after a day of strenuous work, I sat down on a pile of old boards to rest a 
moment before going heme. By chance my eyes rested on a black raspberry bush growing 
by the side of an old building. 
The berries on the bush were nearly all ripe and glistening in the mellow sunlight like 
great clusters of gems. I tasted the berries and lound them to be of an unusual, distinct 
flavor, sweet and luscious. They were unlike any black raspberry I had ever seen, even 
though I had for years made a practise of testing and, if of merit, introducing into the com- 
munity all the new varieties of berry fruits. 
I determined to propagate plants from the original bush, and the year it was found I 
secured seven tip plants and from these I now have six acres of bearing bushes. 
GETTING A NAME. 
The past summer of 1918 much of the fruit was sold on the public market at Rochester, 
N. Y. The berries soon became known for their large size, glossy black color and delicious 
flavor. One morning a Russian Jew huckster who had previously bought a few crates of the 
berries asked me if I had “ more of the honey sweet berries for him.” No sooner had he 
pronounced the words ‘‘honey” and “sweet” than I concluded to combine the words for a 
name for the berry, especially as these words so nicely describe the quality of the fruit. The 
berry now is called “The Honeysweet.” 
The Honeysweet black raspberry was found in the center of the greatest raspberry pro- 
ducing section of the world, comprising the counties of Yates, Ontario, Monroe and Wayne. 
It has been viewed and tested by many of the best berry growers in this locality and 
pronounced by them “ O. K.” 
I believe that the Honeysweet is a cross of the Plum Farmer and the Gregg, as I 
formerly grew these well known varieties in the vicinity of the old building. 
A MONEY MAKER. 
Had I not rested a moment on that pile of old boards — not a very comfortable seat ’tis 
true — it is doubtful if the Honeysweet would have been discovered. "Whether it was “good 
luck,” or Providential, or chance or whatever it was that led me to observe that seedling 
raspberry, certain it is that the gold of the sunset on that July evening became real gold of 
the coin of the realm, for the fruit has made many dollars for me. Customers come back 
for more of the delicious berries. They are willing to pay the highest market price for them. 
The full quarts of the shining black fruits, which they know have such an attractive quality, 
open the pocket-book without a regret. Selling the berries at the prices of the last few 
years was like finding money. There is every prospect of even better prices during the 
next few years — even if the war closes before another crop is ripe. 
In these times of a scarcity of help the Honeysweet will appeal favorably to fruit 
growers, because the berries can be left on the bushes longer without injury than can the 
berries of any other variety, thus making it possible to harvest a large acreage with a mini- 
mum number of pickers. The inherent firmness of the berries permits the crop being picked, 
if necessary, at two pickings. I have tried this out satisfactorily. Other varieties became 
slippery and mouldy. Ripening early mid-season, it is more than half harvested before the 
Columbian needs picking. 
Because of the large amount of fruit-sugar in the Honeysweet, a given quantity of the 
fresh fruit will make a larger weight of dried stock than any other variety, and the berries 
will dry more quickly and with less heat. 
GOOD QUALITIES. 
The Honeysweet black raspberry is hardy. It passed through the severe fruit tree 
killing weather of the winter of 1917-18 without apparent injury. In four acres of young 
bushes there is hardly a plant missing. This field of yearlings is said by fruit growers to be 
the finest and healthiest plot of raspberries they have ever seen. The vigorous canes covered 
with leaves of a distinctive light green color make a pleasing sight. 
The Honeysweet is productive. The many clusters of big black raspberries seem to 
cover the bushes. At a time when so many black raspberry fields have gone wrong and 
become unproductive, the finding of this new variety seems very fortunate. 
The Honeysweet is glossy-black. It does not have the bloom which makes some berries 
objectionable on the market. 
The Honeysweet is firm. The fruit pulp surrounding the seeds is so full of thick, sweet 
juice that the texture of the berry is noticeably resistant to pressure. Fill the quart boxes 
once full and when the lid of the crate is lifted at the end of a long journey, the boxes will 
be found still full. There will be no “ slackers.” 
The Honeysweet is sweet. I have seen purchasers eat nearly half a quart box of the 
berries without sugar. As a dessert fruit itvdoes not require half the sweetening needed 
with other varieties. In pies it is supreme. As a canned sauce and as a jam it is relished 
as a delicacy. 
I shall plant extensively of the Honeysweet for fruit, and have only a limited number 
of plants for sale. It will take years for the supply of plants to equal the demand and the 
alert fruit and plant growers can help meet the need with profit to their customers and satis- 
factory returns for themselves. 
