THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
55S 
Plants of the Prince (of Berries) sent me last 
August by Mr. Durand, made strong stools, 
some with four or more trusses; fruit good, 
size and color uniform, high-flavored and 
productive. James Vick is a vigorous, 
healthy plant with enormous trusses of flower 
buds, hut it requires high cultivation and 
plenty of water to carry out its crop to perfec¬ 
tion. Of the older varieties I find Orescent 
and Duncan to be my most useful early kinds. 
The latter, although too soft for carriage, is 
healthy, productive, and high-flavored. The 
Manchester, when well fertilized, produces 
abundantly, and is worthy of extension. 
Iu our impetuous desires for new things, we 
are apt to discard old sorts; but I retain as 
standard varieties Charles Downing, Ken¬ 
tucky, Both Boyden, Cumberland, and Tri- 
ompho do Guild. 
And now a word in relation to the immedi¬ 
ate influences of pollen on the growing fruit 
of the strawberry:—The discussions at.the last 
session of the Am, Pom. Soc. on this subject, 
have awakened an interest not before known 
in this country; and although our botanists 
and most experienced fruit-growers have not 
observed those remarkable changes, all are 
hound to respect the opinions of scientific men 
who are engaged in these investigations. It 
seems to me, however, that the truth of this 
theory might, casilylio obtained by crossing 
the Manchester flovey, and other well de¬ 
fined and regularly formed pistillate varieties, 
under glass, with the Sharpless, and I will join 
in the effort to obtain reliable results. Nor 
would I omit the Wilder, and Hervey 
Davis, a seedling of the latter. These, al¬ 
though not widely cultivated, for beauty and 
excellence, are always to be perpetuated. 
Dorchester, Mass. 
A NEW BLACKBERRY—THE MINNE- 
WASKA. 
II. HENDRICKS, 
It is perhaps well known that the cultiva¬ 
tion of the blackberry or bramble, as it is 
called in England, in private gardens, is a 
custom belonging only' to a comparatively 
recent period. Even now, perhaps nine-tenths 
of the gardens of America are without a 
single blackberry vino or bush, and as to its 
cultivation in Helds for market, it is grown 
only to a very limited extent, except iu a few 
localities. I have often wondered why it, was 
that during these later years of progressive 
fruit culture, when so many enterprising 
pomologists and practical fruit-growers had 
labored so diligently and achieved so much in 
the improvement of ulrnost every other open- 
air fruit,so very little attention had been given 
to the blackberry. 
Downing names i ily 25 varieties of black¬ 
berries, while ho describes 170 raspberries. 
The last, catalogue of tho American Pomologi- 
cal Society contains only 14 varieties of tho 
former, and of these only five are starred as 
being of any special value throughout the 
States. Taking these five, viz.,; Dorchester, 
Kittatimiy, Lawton, Snyder and Wilson’s 
Early, wo have porhaps all of uny particular 
value that have been fully tested. One or 
two others of later origin, have shown some 
promise in a few localities; but I believe it is 
generally conceded that none of the sorts 
named, Is free from defects. The Suyder is 
too small, Lawton is not ripe when black, and 
becomes tender ; Dorchester is similarly defect¬ 
ive; Kittatinny is of good quality and pro¬ 
ductive, but not entirely hardy at the North, 
and Wilson’s Early is excellent and most pro¬ 
ductive in New Jersey, but winter-kills, and 
hence is of no value north of New York City. 
This variety originated in Burlington County, 
N. J., about 30 years ago. It has been very 
largely and profitably grown iu that State 
siuce, some farmers having each from 50 to 
75 acres of them, which have yielded as much 
as $15,000 in a single year. It is a grand 
blackberry where it can bo grown, and has 30 
stars in the society’s catalogue. The Kitta¬ 
tinny has 38, but canuot lie relied upon to 
stemd the Winter much above New York. In 
Great Britain the blackberry is scarcely cul¬ 
tivated at all for its fruit, aud our improved 
varieties are looked upon as belonging to the 
list of American wonders. The same is true 
iu nearly all of Europe. People are content 
to let nature grow this fruit in her own way, 
aud they go to the woods for it. 
Now this is one of our most luscious and 
wholesome fruits. Ripening right after the 
main crop of raspberries, it fills up what 
would otherwise bean importautgapin the the 
succession of our summer fruit supply, I 
know of no other small fruit that, under proper 
conditions, will produce so enormously as the 
blackberry, and this leads me to speak of 
THE “MINNKWASKA,” 
a new sort which 1 saw in fruit on the 
grounds of the originator at Marlboro, N. Y., 
a few days ago. The row contained 24 plants. 
Borne of the fruiting canes were from eight to 
ten feet high. All were carefully tied to a 
trellis, with the new growing canes, separated 
and tied obliquely back to auother trellis, 
running parallel, a few feet distant. This 
seems a good plan, allowing room for the 
fruit, aud giving free access to air aud light, 
as well as affording convenience iu picking, 
and such a show of berries 1 never saw or 
dreamed of. The entire trellis was a con¬ 
glomerate mass of black berries, from eight to 
ten feet high; berries, green, red, and blhck, 
iu all stages of maturity; no small ones, and 
scarcely a leaf visible. Multiply this by two. 
for it had two sides, equally loaded, and you 
can form a faint, idea of that row. Every cano 
was laden with fruit to the very tip, and 
each little arm and twig was bending beneath 
its luscious load. Sixty-seven largo, perfect 
berries were counted upon a singlo arm, seven 
I believe that row of Miuuowaska Blackberry 
plants, will produce 10 bushels of fruit this 
season. It began to ripen on July 1, aud will 
probably last until September. 
Mr, Caywood says the Miuuowaska was 
produced by fertilizing the pistils of the Kitta¬ 
tinny with pollen from a wild blackberry 
which ho found growing in a swale on his 
farm. Ho Ims lately boon visited by J, T. 
Lovett, Judge Parry, J. B Rogers, O. J. Till 
son, Mr, Underhill, W. J. Taber, and many 
other loading fruit men from Now York, Now 
Jersey and Ohio. All agree that it is the most 
remarkable aud promising blackberry yet 
produced. What it will do in other locations, 
other soils, and when it gets older, tho future 
alone can reveal. 
Remarks.— Yps, it is true that the future 
A Cheap Convenient Barn. Fig. 343. 
inches iu length, and there were plenty like it. 
Judge Parry, who stood looking with me, 
said: ‘‘Productiveness will uot describe it. It 
is tho most enormous product I ever saw or 
heard of, and I have grown blackberries for 
40 years.” The average size of the berries 
was about one inch loug by throe-fourth* of 
an inch in diameter; many measured 1 j^x 
15 10 of an inch, and some were even larger. 
I never saw fruit run so large and uniform 
throughout. As to quality, it really seemed 
excellent, if not, indeed, equal to tho very 
best. The flavor was sweet, spiightly, nud 
pleasing. The drupes are rather large, yet 
firm. The berry melts in tho mouth quickly, 
leaving no perceptible pulp, and scarcely any 
seeds. It’s gone in a moment, and you are 
looking for more. 
can alouo prove what position this new black 
berry will take. Still, it certainly begins life 
at homo couiteoadal ly. We call it a line, early 
berry, as largo as Lawton, and of about tho 
same quality, though without core, aud with 
smaller seeds. It is no larger than tho Law- 
tern, or, perhaps, than tho Kittatinuy; but it 
is larger than either, when its productiveness 
is considered. It ripens evenly. A friend 
counted, in the space of one square foot. 113 
berries, green, ripening, and ripe; in another 
square foot, 8ti; in a. third square foot,312. The 
clusters were not lifted up at all In order to 
make this eouut. Tho size of the largest was 
was 1 inch iu its short, mid J }\j in its long 
diameter. The average size would bo about 
ono inch for the loug diameter. The Minne- 
waska wall, no doubt, be offered for sale indue 
Mr. Caywood, the originator of this new 
blackberry, and also of tho Marlboro Rasp¬ 
berry, assures rne that this row of blackberry 
canes stood up just as it now appears all 
through tho Winter, without a particle of 
protection, and not a hud seems to have been 
injured. Tho huge clusters of rich, dark fruit 
wore borne t.o tho very tip of the canes. It is 
the second fruiting year,and the plants are left 
just us nature made them, no pruning having 
been attempted. If the canes had been short¬ 
ened, it is fair to presume tho fruit would 
have been even larger than now. The soil in 
which the Minnewaska is growing is a nlaty- 
clay over a slate rock which forms a knoll 
sloping gently northward. In this there is 
apparently ample and most congenial root 
food. But granting the most favorable condi- 
time. Meantime, as is the Rural’b way, wo 
liko to lie first in presenting to our readers the 
best and earliest iuformutiou obtainable in re¬ 
gard to all promising new fruits. Our illus¬ 
tration (Fig. 846) is faithfully drawn. The 
detached berry shown at the left, is tho lar 
gest single berry, and wero all from specimens 
sent to this otllco by Mr. Caywood, who, we 
presume, will favor us with plants,that wo may 
cultivate a close acquaintance with Minnie. 
farm Ccatttnmj. 
GREAT FOLLI ES OF THE WEST. 
PROF. J. W. SANBORN. 
The great West says, “Such little economies 
Model Milk and Ice House. Fig. 344. 
tions in every respect, thi3 row of blackberries 
must still be regarded as one of the remarka- 
ble productions known to modern, pomology $ 
and if a blackberry has at last lieen obtained 
that will produce such a crop year after year, 
no fruit-grower in the land can afford to be 
without it for a single season. 1 have no de¬ 
sire to make any extravagant statement 
which is not fully borne out by the facts, but 
and studied calculations will do for New 
England, but not for the limitless fertility and 
broad operations of our great expanse/’ Shall 
we, any of us, remain embalmed iu the delu 
sions and practices of a glorious past, with 
conditions unknowu to the present! What do 
lusions and practices! We have seen the fer¬ 
tility of Kansas drop to an expression of four 
bushels less wheat per acre, on au average of 
five-year periods, iu tho brief space of 15 
years, or 400 bushels for 100 acres, or $280 ex¬ 
pressed in money, while the expense per acre 
is the same. The States all around Kansas 
are in her company. Exhaustions fertility 1ms 
fed your cuttle iu wooded rnvines, whence the 
manure, actually made, has been swept to the 
ocean, aud left you, iu your foolish excuse for 
negligence, with wheat crops ho small, my 
dear great West, that, they do uot pay you for 
day labor in raising them. Corn is a twin 
sister in all the miseries of tho wheat situa¬ 
tion—a manual force product, or tho raw, 
“product of nature that is the material of 
art” to build up centers of industry and home 
markets. Call it necessary, if you please; 
hut, are you doomed by negligence to draw to 
market just ono half a load through mud 
roads forever, and thus waste your energies} 
Consult your mill records of weights of loads, 
and calculate tho cost of delivery. But we ex¬ 
pect virtue by packing corn into pork. It is in 
an lEknonths old hide; twice too slow in pack¬ 
ing, ami 35 per cent, too dear. l3o honest 
with the world, particularly with yourself, 
and report the profits on 310 pounds of pork, 
18 months old, at an average price of, say, $10; 
reckon in your dead pork, attendance, inter¬ 
est, cost through tho blizzards of Winter, etc., 
etc. Butyougor, a living, nud so ciui t con¬ 
sider better ways and 35 per cent, of saving. 
Will go to church through mud roads with tho 
two horse “dead axle-tree” wagon. Corn is 
handier to fling around than ship-stuff, so you 
soli the ship stuff and feed the corn to your 
pigs, although you get less pig, and more pig 
funerals, and manure one half loss valuable. 
But then the manure does not count, so loug 
as we average 35 to 30 bushels of corn nud 13 
bushels ol' wheat per acre. 
What au ambition is ours! Can we 
never think it our duty' to get 40 
bushels of wheat/ But are wo not steam¬ 
ing the sleek Short-horn grades away, and 
shaking the hoots of fogies abroad? 
However this may dazzle in the distance', we 
kuow that we keep a cow a year for the calf 
and nothing more. We know that all the 
costs of said cow are $20, and she stands iu 
the way of one profitable steer or more. We 
know that drifting around loose among tho 
storms of Winter gives no gain in boasts un¬ 
less fed ou corn, and thou whole corn fed to 
steers in tho open air is costly. We know that 
wo waste more than food enough to have 
doubled our stock. Wo know that tho value 
of the etfrn raised is but about, say, 40 per 
cent, more than the value of tho fodder of it, 
aud yet wo sell or feed tho one, and throw a 
big share of its equivalent in tho other away. 
We have heard acres of feeders say: “ Stock¬ 
feeding don’t pay us it did before tho big ranch 
business came up, and it is a close business.” 
But it is a fine business to a man who has not 
the swell idea of Western farming. Wo Hay 
we are big farmers, and eau’t control our busi¬ 
ness closely. But wo know this is a falsehood, 
and an excuse for easy ways. Why, we 
average but about 135 to M0 acres to the 
farm in our Western States, but we persist 
in living in tho post, dreaming that we are 
1,000-acre farmers. We have but from 11 to 
15 per cent, of our tillage ground iu meadows, 
and yet we boost; although we know, or 
ought to know, that laud in grass is the his¬ 
toric road to improvement, and that an agri¬ 
culture without grass goes dovu-hill, lint 
never up, and that we shall leave our sous, 
instead of the better legacy of deeply produc¬ 
tive farms, possibly a little cash und the wreck 
of a farm. We know that a muu content to 
impoverish his farm, is sure to impoverish his 
mind In tho process. Wo make a big mistake 
iu farming for not more than six months 
ahead, and solely for the present. Wo mistake 
in not growing more grass, steers, hogs and 
butter, and less tillage crops. 
To my friends I wish to say that I yield to 
none iu my enthusiasm over tho possibilities 
of tho West. 1 would littvu our farmers farm 
for those possibilities, aud not against them. 
Ag. College, Columbia, Mo. 
NOTES FROM THE MEADOW. 
A NEW AND MOST VALUABLE VARIETY OF 
RED CLOVER, 
PROF. W. .T. BEAL. 
Bill Thrift: "Not loug ago I was reading 
in one of the Michigan agricultural re¬ 
ports, that Prof. Beal had boeu studying many 
different plants of Red Clover, at all stages of 
growth, where they were found on the college 
farm, and he thinks they vary as much as 
would a field of Indian coni, if wo were to mix 
in a little seed of all the varieties cultivated 
in any one State.” 
Sloe John: “Well, what of it? Of what 
possible use can this bo to the practical man 
who has to work for a living?” 
Bill Thrift: “He found that some plants 
were much earlier than others; some were 
very hairy, others quite smooth; some iargo, 
some small; some witha few stalks, some with 
