Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1876-09-14
10 R TT c i / 7 U R I
NEW AND OLD RAsPBERRIEs.


1t is said that all strawberries are good,
but some are little better than others.
and the same may be said of raspberries.
Ot course, we speak for the majority in ex-
pressing this opinion. for there are persons
who cannot see, OR taste, any good in either
OF these extensively cultivated and almost
universally admired fruits, But what most
Interests The majority of those who have
gardens, is to know what are the best varie-
ties now in cultivation. This, however is q
difficult question to answer, inasmuch as the
best for one locality and climate may not be
the best for any other. In addition to this
variation in the adaptation of varieties to To-
calities there is a wide difference of opinion
in regard to quality, which may be attribut-
ed to individual tastes. One person seeks
sweet fruits, another acid, while a third de-
lights in musky flavor Of certain kinds,
consequently it requires just the wide range
found in nature to suit all tastes. But the
adaptaton of varieties to climate and soil is
serious barrier to the wide distribution and
cultivation Of many kinds of fruits, and
with none is it more apparent than with the
raspberry. The wild species are found over
very wide range OF country, but generally
most abundant in situations protected from
severe cold in winter and the hot, scorching
rays of the sun in summer.
Our horticulturist have been raising new
varieties Of the raspberry for the past CEN
tury or more, vainly endeavoring to pro-
duce one in which are combined all the val
uaulc properties I,ol0uSlng 10 this frult; and
while much progress has been made towards
the production of such sort, still it has not
as yet appeared among us. Very excellent
varieties we certainly have in abundance,
among which sorts are found adapted to al
most all soils and climates, hence few per-
sons owning gardens and desiring to culti-
Kate raspberries need tear failure if q prop
er selection be made.
The ordinary farmer who, perhaps, does
not possess the skill Of the experienced hor-
ticulturists in cultiyating fruits, or has not
the time to spare for giving the best and
most carefal attention to his plants, will sue
ceed best with our hardy native varieties,
and while they may not be quite AS large, or
possess, in every instance the exquisite flaw
or of the foreign, they will, as a rule give
the best satisfaction.
The black-caps, as they are termed, are
not only very hardy and prolific, but sue
ceed in variety of soils and over wider
range of climate than the red sorts. They
thrive in the extreme Southern States,
where it is next to impossible to keep a va
riety of our wild red raspberry, (1zbus st,,i-
gosus), alive. The canes are so hardy that
they grow throughout the Northern States
and the Canadas.
There is, perhaps, some choice in the diff
ferent varieties, but the Doolittle, Large
Miami or Mccormick, (now called by some
Mammoth Cluster), known twenty or more
years ago, have no superiors among the lat
est introductions. Surprise, Seneca, Fay's
and Davison's Thornless are excellent and
well-known varieties. The yellow-caps are
ornamental and of fair quality, but none of
them are as good or valuable as the black
caps.
We have tested upon our grounds nearly
everything offered to the public in the way
of red raspberries, therefore can speak from
experience as to their merits.
The Kirkland, which was one Of the first
of our native sorts cultivated for market
purposes, is still fayorite with many on ac-
count of its earliness, firmness, good flavor,
| and brilliant color. The berries are rather
small, however, to successfully compete in
market with the foreign sorts, but elsewhere
twill always command ready sale at re-
munerative prices.