The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1896-06-17
REMARKABLE HYBRID BERRIES.
Cross Fertilization of Strawberries, Rasp-
berries and Blackberries.

Cross Fertilization of Strawberries, Rasp-
berries and Blackberries.
A nurseryman representing leading
eastern firm was in the city the other
day. and he showed reporter some re-
markable hybrid berries which he is
placing on the market, and which prom
Use to eclipse the strawberry, the rasp-
berry and the blackberry as table IA
yorites.
The first of these that may be men
toned is the strawberry raspberry,
which is said to be hybrid between
a strawberry and a raspberry. The
berry, while maintaining the shape and
general appearance Of a strawberry, has
globules or dupes like the raspberry
1t thrives on spreading, low-growing
bush, producing its fruit on branches
which cluster in three and four at the
ends of the stems. In form and appear
ance, it might be said that the fruit is
about as good combination of straw
berry and red raspberry as one could
well imagine. 1t is said to come from
Japan, and to be entirely hardy.
Perhaps the most remarkable hybrid
shown was what was called the Golden
Mayberry." It is principally so called
because it ripens about May 1, being the
earliest berry known. The mayberries
arc of golden straw color, as large as
the Cuthbert, and they ripen near New
York as early as the date named. The
bushes are distinct from all others,
growing like trees from six to eight feet
high, with spreading tops. Along the
branches are large, white, well-shaped
blossoms, which remain pendant. The
years ago collector from this country
was sent to Japan to hunt up the best
wild raspberries, blackberries and
Strawberries that could be found. Sew
eral curious species were returned next
season, among them being a red and also
dingy yellow unproductive variety
of Rubus palmatus.
One of the plants, though bearing only
few worthless, tasteless, dingy berries,
was selected, on account of its unusual
earliness, to cross with the Cuthbert
and other well-known raspberries.
Among the seedlings raised from this
plant was the Golden Mayberry, which,
while showing no evidences of the cross
with the Cuthbert, probably has affected
the new variety. Should the new va
riety prove hardy, it is likely it will be-
come popular, not only because the
berry is unlike any other, with a possi-
bic exception of the yellow raspberry.
A third hybrid shown was that called
the Logan berry, supposed to be cross
between the blackberry and the red
raspberry. The berries are large, fully
as large as the largest blackberries,
which they resemble in form and struc-
ture, but they are deep reddish-maroon
in color. The canes are of strong, Wig
orous growth, with an abundance of
dark green foliage, resembling that of
the blackberry more than the raspberry.
They are semi-trailing in habit, are
without the large, sharp thorns of the
blackberry, but with numerous fine red
spines like those upon red raspberries.
The hybridization is supposed to be
carried on by the bee, and the bushes
and vines are so arranged that the re-
suits may be detected with the nearest
approach to certainty. This opens
ton, and no doubt the results will be
watched with no little interest. Though
the berries named have not yet been in
troduced into this section, as they are
becoming better known in New York it
is more than likely they will find their
Way this far west before anv great