The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1918-07-04
A WONDERFUL BLACK
BERRY DISCOVERED
Which Bears a Very Enormous
Quantity of Fruit
FLoURIsHEs SUCCESSFULLY
r. ]. Yelvington Learned of the
Novel Blackberry and Has Pro-
duced 100 Plants at an Ex-
pense of $50. The Berries Sell
Readily at 25 Cents Per Quart.

pense of $50. The Berries Sell
Readily at % Cents Per Quart.
DeLand, FLA few years ago,
perhaps five or six, a remarkable
circumstance occurred near New
Smyrna, this county. A man
found a blackberry bush that bore
an enormous quantity of fruit of
a very superior quality, both as to
size and taste 1t was materially
different from all other blackber-
ry plants, and attracted much at
tention and awakened great in
terest. The lucky finder cared
for the plant, and later on began
the propagation of additional
plants by transplanting the new
shoots that came up from the
roots. These fourished very sue
cessfully and, like the parent
plant, bore exceedingly choice
fruit.
R. j. Yelvington, who owns a
farm near Spring Garden, be-
tween Lake Jackson and Lake
Odum, learned of the novel black
berry plant, and, upon investiga-
ton, became satisfied that it pos
sessed unusual merit. His faith
was so great that he produced 100
plants at an expense Of 500. These
he took to Spring Garden, set
them out, kept them well culti-
vated, and the next year was re-
warded by fine crop of luscious
fruit. The berries were of large
size and very rich in the pulp and
juice peculiar to blackberries. The
feature of special interest was the
enormous yield of fruit, far sur
passing anything that Mr.. Vel
vington had ever known before.
Wishing to test out the merits Of
the plant still further for himself,
before making any noise about it,
he transplanted a lot of the new
shoots, and was surprised at the
rapidity with which they came in
ito bearing.
Mr.. Yelvington and his init
mate friends who had observed
the rare plant and it's peculiar
manner of behavior, decided that
it was entitled to a special name,
all its own. 1t was reasoned that
in all probability it was rem
nant or descendant of plants that
the Spaniards brought here CEN
turies ago. and in harmony with
this thought it was decided to call
it the Big Spanish Blackberry.
Becoming thoroughly convinced
of its remarkable merits. Mr.. Vel
vington decided to let the public
know what he had found. To do
this he simply invited everybody
to come to his farm and see for
themselves. This was wise
for it would be quite use
less to attempt verbal descrip-
ion of it. So great is the quanti-
" of fruit that for one to describe
t correctly, he would jeopardize
lis reputation for truthfulness.
By his experience, Mr.. Yelving-
on has found that the young
hoots may be transplanted most
my time of the year, and that
hey flourish quite as well on high
line land as in the moist soil Of
over lands. The frosts of winter
10 not iniure the bushes to any
xtent. Each new crop is borne
N canes of the previous years
'rowth. The season of harvest
ng lasts from four to six weeks
nd an average yield is from six
cen to twenty-five quarts per
'ush per year. The berries sell
cry readily at 25 cents per quart.
70 extra care or cultivation is
ecessary to raise this excellent
ruit, and only an ordinary quan-
ity of fertilizer. 1t is fruit that
nv and all people of Florida can
aise with success.-Ex.