408 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
February 27, 1886. 
ALL ABOUT BLACKBERRIES.* 
The Blackberry is with us so common a fruit, and 
in our rural districts so abundant in the autumn, that 
almost auy quantity may be had for the mere trouble 
of getting. Very pleasant and wholesome, too, are our 
British Blackberries, and we much doubt whether, of 
all the enjoyments open to townspeople, any could 
compare with that found in being set down in some 
remote rural lane, where Blackberries were plentiful. 
They would, indeed, reap a rich if rather staining 
harvest, and at the same time obtain the highest 
enjoyment. Indeed, in most country districts where 
woods and hedgerows abound, the residents treat Black¬ 
berries so indifferentty that vast quantities of this 
wholesome fruit are left to spoil and decay year by 
year, whilst literally millions of town population sigh 
for a taste of the fruit in vain. It is true that in some 
districts this fruit has become a marketable commodity 
and thus finds its way into towns ; but the quantity is 
not such as will enable the toiling millions to enjoy of 
what their sparse rural compeers have so much. 
"We have, never undertaken in any practical shape 
the cultivation of the Blackberry for market purposes ; 
indeed, hardly so in any shape as far as English kinds 
are concerned. It is true that we now and then meet 
with a robust form of bramble that produces uuusually 
fine luscious fruits, and country boys call these Dew¬ 
berries, to distinguish them from the more common 
form. Perhaps these fine fruits arise from the plant 
having found nutriment of an unusual kind and thus 
generated luxuriant growth. Perhaps it is realty a 
superior natural break. In any case these fruits are 
unusually good. But whilst we have been so far neg¬ 
ligent of our native bramble and its sable fruits, our 
American cousins have taken theirs in hand, and 
created from it not a few remarkably fine kinds that 
are, a§ a rule, earlier than ours, are all more robust 
growers, and certainly produce very much larger fruits ; 
indeed, these rival our finest Raspberries in dimensions, 
only being distinguished from them in colour. 
To assist in popularising these American kinds, 
Messrs. Ticears Collyer & Co., nurserymen, Leicester, 
have issued a neat pamphlet that is not only full of 
interesting matter, descriptive and cultural, about 
Blackberries, but also gives numerous interesting illus¬ 
trations, not only of fruits, but also of styles of train¬ 
ing and cultivation. Hence, the tyro who may desire 
to embark in the growth of these novelties may find 
himself admirably worked up in the knowledge 
requisite. The fact is, Blackberries of any kind if 
grown at all should be grown well. We find in the 
common Hazel-nut for instance, that in woods and 
hedge rows it is of very little value. Transferred to 
enclosures where it may be property pruned and cul¬ 
tivated, it becomes much superior in all points. But 
just what the delicious Filbert and Kentish Cobs are 
in Huts to the common Hazel-nut of the woods, so are 
the grand fruiting American Blackberries to our hedge¬ 
row fruits. They seem to belong almost to another 
family or race, and yet all own the same parentage. 
Strong holding soil seems to be most favoured by 
Blackberries, because the plants root deeply, and of 
such soils there are large areas in this country too often 
regarded as unfit for ordinary crops. Only drain these 
stiff soils, plant them with the new American sorts, 
give ample manure, and really good cultivation, and 
age and fruit product is presently assured. Of course 
brambles cannot be left to haphazard growth, indeed, 
they must be treated somewhat after the fashion of 
Raspberries, and have the old stems annually removed, 
the new growths shortened back and tied up to stakes, 
or, if thought more pleasing, trained against stout wire 
trellises or even formed into arches, with, of course, the 
fruit hanging down. Xaturally the bramble is thorny, 
and these stout and robust growing Americans are not 
less so, perhaps rather more thorny than less ; hence 
in their culture and training a stout pan of leather 
gloves and some protection for the arms is desirable. 
Thus armed, the pruner may soon clear away all 
surplus or useless growth, and burn it out of the way ; 
then with stout twine or tar cord the rods are tied into 
subjection, and the thing is done for a year. “Where 
suckers run out these may be removed and planted up 
in a nursery bed until strong enough to plant out 
permanently. During frosty weather a dressing of 
manure can be laid on the ground, and later, if that be 
*All About Blackberries, "by Viccars Collyer, and A. W. 
Crews. Leicester : J. Fleming & Co. 
forked in, about all that is desirable in the way of 
winter cultivation is performed. 
The most favoured of these novelties seems to be the 
Wilson junr. and Early Wilson, the former especially 
being of a very hardy robust kind, and very prolific. 
We are told in the pamphlet that one acre of this re¬ 
markable kind has produced 110 bushels of fine fruits 
per year, and even that quantity has been exceeded. 
If in this country we could secure a crop of 50 bushels 
per acre, the product would be very profitable, 
especially if a fair market could be found As to how 
far these kinds may become popular for market 
purposes, much remains to be shown, but when so 
much good land, capital, and labour are lying idle, 
certainty the planting of a few acres of land with 
Blackberries is an experiment worth trial, and most 
probably would prove a great success. The book 
favours readers with some useful information respecting 
the making of Blackberry wine, jam, jelly, and other 
domestic delicacies, all of which should interest the 
housewife, as materially as the cultural matter should 
interest the head of the family and the gardener. 
Those who desire further information can purchase 
this useful little book, and it is satisfactory to learn 
that stocks of all these interesting American Black¬ 
berries may now be obtained in this country. 
-->:&o- 
PURPLE POTATOS. 
Various are the tastes as to purple skinned Potatos, 
but I have almost always found them to be of good 
table quality, and presenting a good colour when cooked. 
They are all best for winter work, as earty in the season 
before peeling is practicable, the colour of the skin is 
boiled into the flesh. However, the bulk of these dark 
coated blues are late croppers. The most popular purple 
skinned round kind of the day is, without doubt, Vicar 
of Laleham ; its true colour is purplish red, but varying 
in diverse soils ; it is a grand cropper and fine keeper, 
and in dry soils of capital quality. As its name im¬ 
plies it was raised by the then Vicar of Laleham (a 
fishing village near Starnes) the Rev. Mr. Peake, from 
Paterson’s Victoria, crossed with Red Emperor ; that it 
should have shown such a dark coloured skin is odd 
Mr. Peake brought me a couple of tubers the second 
year after he had raised it, but being then somewhat 
greened from exposure I could not tell the colour. The 
following year when lifting the produce, I found the tubers 
to be remarkably handsome and of a beautiful colour. 
Mr. Peake was so pleased with it that he determined 
to name it, and upon my suggestion gave it his own 
parochial appellation. Few coloured Potatos have been 
more popular or widely cultivated. In quality and 
depth of colour, and materially in form, it is excelled 
by its progeny The Dean, which is out of it from a 
cross with “Woodstock Kidney. 
The Dean has flesh showing texture and colour as near 
to that of Patterson’s Victoria as possible, and as a fine 
keeper, heavy cropper, and a grand main crop Potato, it 
will be a long time ere this kind is excelled. As is the 
case with most first-class kinds, I found for the first two or 
three years that it did not present very striking evidence 
of robustness, but as it became older strength came 
also, and now it is as robust as the Vicar. Growth of 
constitution so evidenced, is indicative of long life and 
great usefulness. The best of all Paterson’s coloured 
rounds was Scotch Blue—remarkably good in quality, 
and handsome, but lacking strength. That kind is 
now seldom met with. The best of Lye’s seedlings of 
this colour is Purple King ; but it is inferior in form 
and quality to the Vicar and The Dean. As to purple 
kidneys, none at present excel in beauty the fine 
Edgecote Purple, which was raised by Mr. Wiles, of 
Edgecote Park, near Banbury. This is in appearance 
really a purple Lapstone ; it is so smooth and handsome. 
Prior to its introduction, perhaps the best self purple 
kidney we had was the pretty well-known American 
Purple. That kind is a heavy cropper, and its tubers 
are fairly handsome and of good quality ; indeed, I 
do not know a better American kind. It is as a table 
Potato much better than is Edgecote Purple ; the old 
Purple Ashleaf never was good, although in its day 
thought much of. 
A review of the pimple Potatos of the past ten or 
twelve years shows how much we have advanced, and ' 
yet this section is always the smallest, and compara¬ 
tively few seedlings give purple self skins. Mottled 
skins are common enough, indeed, out of a break 
from the Radstock Beauty crossed with Woodstock 
Kidney, I have several forms with purple and spotted 
skins, as also some with red markings, and both white 
rounds and kidneys also. I made during the past 
season a cross between American Purple and Prizetaker, 
red kidneys, in the hope that something good may 
result from the combination. We yet need better red 
kidneys ; indeed, the great want is a Mr. Breesee of 
first- class quality, as that is the finest and handsomest 
of its section. Xo true raiser of Potatos is satisfied, let 
his parent sort be ever so good, and certain combinations 
sometimes give very interesting and unlooked-for 
results. I have found, so far, that those who have 
devoted time and skill to the production of good new 
Potatos, have usually got more kicks than halfpence 
for their trouble. Xo pecuniary reward, commensurate 
to the time and labour involved, ever results ; but 
some personal satisfaction and pleasure does, and with 
that we must be content.— A. D. 
--W'*- 
THE EUCHARI3 MITE. 
This troublesome insect has become far too abundant 
during the past few years, and many gardeners have 
had occasion to lament its appearance amongst their 
bulbs, for unfortunately it does not confine its ravages 
to its principal nest, the Eucharis, but indiscriminately 
attacks Amaryllis, Hyacinths, and other bulbs of a 
similar character. The bulbs are just affected round 
the upper part of the scales near the neck, which 
become discoloured and mark the progress of the insects, 
which, if promptly treated in this stage, can be des¬ 
troyed, and the bulbs saved.' If unnoticed they soon 
penetrate the inner scales or layers, and the bulbs are 
found to become smaller annually while the foliage 
gives undoubted signs of weakness and disease in the 
yellowish and spotted appearance it assumes. If these 
bulbs are cut open crossways, it will be seen that some 
of the layers are completely decayed, and consequently 
shrunk, while others are partially affected in the same 
way. Xothing that I have tried can save these, and 
the only mode of dealing with them is to bum them and 
the soil in which they were potted. A very close 
watch should be kept wherever there is a large stock of 
Eucharis or other bulbs, and especial care must be 
exercised in the introduction of fresh bulbs from other 
gardens, for if one diseased bulb be placed in a collec¬ 
tion, the others are veiy quickly affected, and the 
mischief is done before it can be prevented. 
Whenever there is the slightest suspicion that the 
Eucharis mite is present, prompt measures must be 
adopted if it is wished to avoid serious loss. I am 
sorry to say that I have had considerable experience 
with the pest, but now I have the satisfaction of 
knowing that our plants are as healthy and as free from 
these insects as they were before, the attack. Some little 
time elapsed before I discovered the mite, but it became 
so evident in a portion of the stock that there was no 
question respecting it, and we adopted the extreme 
course advised above, namely, burning them. The 
others were treated in the following manner: a solution 
of fir tree oil was prepared, about an ounce to a gallon 
of tepid water, and in this the bulbs were well washed, 
and then allowed to remain for several hours, beidg 
subsequently again washed in clear tepid water. They 
were then potted in fresh soil, and have since progressed 
favourably. Gishurst Compound and Petroleum were 
used in a similar way, and with equal success, but it 
must be remembered that these measures would be 
utterly useless if the mite has penetrated deeply into 
the bulbs, and are only efficacious in the early attacks. 
—A Young Head Gardener. 
-- 
PRIMULA FLORIBUNDA. 
This has been well described by Mr. T. S. Ware as 
one of the prettiest and most free-flowering of all the 
family, and certainly, although not exactly a new 
plant, it well deserved the First Class Certificate which 
was awarded to it at the last meeting of the Floral 
Committee. It is a plant that should delight the heart 
of every amateur who can give it in winter the pro¬ 
tection of a warm frame or greenhouse, as it seeds most 
freely, can be treated as an annual, seedling plants 
flowering the same year, and with great freedom. It 
is a native of the Western Himalayas, dwarf and tufted 
in its habit of growth, with hairy deep green leaves, 
and red pubescent scapes bearing bright yellow flowers. 
Our illustration was prepared from one of the plants 
exhibited at South Kensington, and kindly sent to us 
by Mr. Ware. 
