UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION CIRCULAR No. 164 April, 1917 Kevised May, 1923 SMALL FRUIT CULTURE IN CALIFORNIA By A. H. HENDEICKSON Fig. 1. — Class at University Farm, Davis, planting strawberries on raised beds. Small fruits, especially the brambles or fruits of the raspberry and blackberry type, are grown in nearly all parts of California. The plantings vary from the few bushes or plants cultivated for home use to plantations in which several hundred acres may be devoted to the production of enough berries to supply both local and distant markets with fresh fruit and to allow a considerable portion of the surplus to be canned. Nearly all of the different kinds of small fruits have been found to be adapted to California soil and climatic conditions and, although some of the members of this class of fruits cannot be grown successfully on a commercial scale in the hot, dry sections of the state, with judicious handling they may often be 2 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA — EXPERIMENT STATION made to thrive in the home garden. The home garden can be made to supply fresh berries of various kinds for the table throughout a long season. The small fruit industry presents a number of problems not encountered in the production of tree fruits, many of whith must be solved by more precise methods than those so largely used by deciduous fruit-growers. Berries are a soft, perishable product and must be handled accordingly; the bushes are short-lived, shallow- rooted, and subject to injury by drought. On the other hand, if properly managed, the small fruit garden or the commercial berry plantation can be made to yield large profits, often as soon as a year or two after planting. To accomplish the best results, however, painstaking attention must be paid to all the minor details connected with the production and marketing of the crop. Broadly speaking, this class of fruit demands the personal attention of the owner or proprietor, and very often the greatest success is obtained when practically all the work can be done by the members of the immediate family. There are a number of general factors involved in the success or failure of a berry plantation, the most important of which are accessi- bility to market ; labor ; location ; water-supply ; and care or manage- ment of the planting. Other factors, such as insects and diseases, pruning methods and choice of varieties, while important, are more nearly under the control of the grower. Because the crop is very perishable and often ripens within a comparatively short season, the small fruit plantation must have a market that may be reached quickly. The market should be either within easy driving distance of the plantation or situated on a rail- road, in which case the shipping station should be near to the planta- tion. Jolting over rough country roads in a wagon or auto-truck during the hot portion of the day often causes berries, especially if over-ripe, to become mushy and to deteriorate very quickly. The market should be large enough to use the fruit brought to it for disposal without danger of the supply exceeding the demand, as otherwise the price received for the product will be reduced below the point at which this fruit can be produced profitably. In case the near-by markets cannot use the crop, other outlets such as more distant mark ts or a cannery must be sought. Picking berries is slow, tedious work and the result of a day's labor is often not more than a crate or two. The entire patch must be picked every day or at least every other day, at the height of the season, to insure berries of a uniform degree of ripeness. The opera- Circular 164] SMALL FRUIT CULTURE IN CALIFORNIA tion requires a great deal of stooping and reaching for the fruit near the ground, and in the case of the brambles the picker is often con- siderably scratched by the prickers on the plant during the course of a day's work. Berries are usually picked on a piece-work basis and a comparatively low price is paid for each quart or crate picked. For these reasons, the largest part of the work is done by women and children or such itinerant labor as may be found during the season. Location near some fairly large city in a district where such help can be obtained is absolutely essential. Fig. 2. — Strawberries are sometimes grown in narrow rows on raised beds. The choice of the site for the plantation is very important. A region subject to late spring frosts must be avoided. Bottom lands or swales into which cold air drains from the higher surrounding elevations are hazardous because of the danger of the buds or flowers being frozen. The site should be chosen to allow the heavy, cold air to drain away from the plantation to lower levels. The aspect of the plantation may influence the season of ripening to a con- siderable extent. With small fruits a warm exposure may cause the fruit to ripen several days or a week earlier than the same variety planted a few hundred yards away on a site which faces in another direction. Earliness is usually desirable with small fruits as it is the early fruits that command the best prices. 4 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION Small fruits belong to a shallow-rooted class of plants. This is especially true of the strawberry which seldom sends its roots below fourteen or sixteen inches. Plants of this type, with a few exceptions, are not adapted to sending roots to a great depth for moisture, hence the available water in the soil, whether supplied by rains or by irrigation, must be carefully investigated before planting. There must be sufficient moisture in the soil during the growing season to keep the plants green and vigorous. At no time should they be allowed to wilt or show signs of drought. Lack of moisture is shown directly by weakness of the new growth and in- directly by the subsequent smaller crops during the succeeding years. Red spider is usually serious in berry fields which are allowed to suffer from lack of moisture. With a few notable exceptions, the small-fruit sections of California are in irrigated districts. To a great extent the success of a small-fruit plantation depends upon the care given it. The operations necessary to the production of a crop of this class of fruits require more hand labor of an irk- some nature than do those necessary for the tree fruits. The plants are small and set close together which necessitates much hand hoe- ing in place of the horse cultivation which suffices with tree fruits. Weeds must be kept down, as they draw upon the soil moisture in the area occupied by the roots of the plants under cultivation. Operations of planting, pruning, and trellising require a great deal of hand labor because of the low growing nature of the plants, and because of the large number of plants that are planted per acre. Tree fruits often produce fairly satisfactory crops when grown under the more or less haphazard methods so commonly followed by decidu- ous fruit growers, and the evil effects of the lack of pruning or spray- ing may not become apparent for a few years; but with small fruits this is not the case. A berry plantation neglected for one season produces, as a rule, a much smaller crop the following year. On the other hand, this type of fruit responds quickly and readily to proper pruning, thorough cultivation, and careful irrigation. SOILS The brambles, i.e., blackberries, raspberries, dewberries, and logan- berries, are adapted to being grown on a wide range of soils. Success with this class of fruits depends more on the skill of the individual grower and other factors, such as site, suitable labor supply, and accessibility to market, than to the choice of any particular soil. However, most of the successful plantings are found on soils rang- ing from sandy loam to clay loam types. As these plants are fairly Circular 164] SMALL FRUIT CULTURE IN CALIFORNIA deep-rooted the depth of the soil must be given special consideration. Strawberries thrive on soils of the clay loam type, but are also found growing with considerable success on sandy loams and on the loose gravelly soils of some of the lower foothill districts. In general, the lighter types of soils are easier to handle, but the fruit is often small if not given proper cultivation and irrigation, while, on the other hand, the heavier types of soils, though harder to cultivate, produce large crops of fruit. Currants and gooseberries are two fruits generally adapted to the heavier soils used for the growing of fruit, and often grow well on soil which is wet for a considerable portion of the year. \ . ii i^« fe *i ^gfc. i 4f ■ m lip ' v 1 8* w * •» **»* m sgf fly "■ 1 \> V ^ 6>* «* '- , £* ■ **^fe ."■*• ^SM **^ jb ■* . .-. ,. ~ /r t «P* ^S?^^^^^ isiai * « ' %. ■ jc * !- ■> ■ (Q — -^ ^^f^^^t ^r~*£s5 zf&M®k &h*mp'' "; , L ,-~l£ Jfc^^fev ^" ? ; '» '*iM Ifo Fig. 3. — Strawberry plant, variety Oregon grown under level culture system. For all small fruits, it is desirable to have the soil well supplied with humus, for ease in cultivation and conservation of moisture. This material is best supplied by plowing under cover crops or barnyard manure. PROPAGATION One of the factors that has an important effect on success in growing small fruits is the ease and readiness with which a new planting may be started. New plants may be obtained from older plantations with but little trouble, or they may be purchased from 6 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION a nursery at comparatively low prices. This factor is of special significance to the man of limited means just starting to grow fruit. Many of the brambles propagate naturally and abundantly of their own accord, while strawberries start annually more new plants than should be allowed to grow if best results are to be obtained from the plantation. Currants and gooseberries root readily from cuttings. The result is that new plantings may be set out, using older plant- ings already in existence as a source of supply, with no cost except for the labor of collecting and setting out new plants. Blackberries and Red Raspberries. — Blackberries and red rasp- berries may be propagated either by root cuttings or by suckers. These suckers, which appear wherever a root has been cut or injured, may be dug up and used as new plants, care being taken to secure a large portion of the roots. This method of securing new plants is very commonly used in this state and has proved to be satis- factory in every respect. The method of securing plants by root cuttings, which is a common procedure in nurseries, is to dig up a number of old plants and cut the roots into short pieces, three inches or less in length. These roots are* sown in rows in carefully prepared nursery soil. If not allowed to dry out and if given careful cultivation they produce plants large enough to set out in one year from the time of making the cuttings. Dewberries and Loganberries. — Nearly all of the trailing vari- eties of dewberries and loganberries and the black raspberries are usually propagated by tip layering. The method of obtaining plants in this way is to cover the end of the canes with a shovelful of earth, during the latter part of the summer. The portion of the shoot which is covered sends down roots from the nodes, and forms a plant which is ready for planting the following spring. Currants and Gooseberries. — New plants of currants and goose- berries are usually obtained from cuttings. These fruits may also be propagated by mound layering. Cuttings are made about seven to ten inches long from matured or ripened one-year-old wood. They may be cut at any time during the dormant season, and set out immediately in rows or stored in moist sand in a cellar or other cool storage place until spring. The cuttings are planted in nursery rows with one or two buds above the surface, care being exercised to see that the soil is firmly pressed around the portion which is buried. The resulting plants are grown in the nursery for one or two years. It is the practice in some sections of California to set these cuttings out in permanent form, instead of growing plants in the nursery row for a year. Circular 164] small fruit culture in California 7 Strawberries. — Strawberries propagate by means of runners or offsets. During the growing season, the old established strawberry plants send out in all directions slender stems eight to fourteen or sixteen inches long. Each alternate node, if in contact with the ground, takes root and forms a new plant. The roots become estab- lished in the ground and later the slender stem connecting the old plant and the young dies, leaving the new plants independent and Fig. 4. — Method of growing strawberries on raised beds. Strawberries are often grown as an intercrop in orchards until the trees come into bearing. in turn ready to send out runners. These young plants, before they have produced fruit, are the most desirable ones for planting in new plantations. The ease of gathering new plants should not lead to carelessness in the matter of selecting the best stock available, and certain precautions should be observed in collecting new plants from old plantations. Plants from diseased or insect-infested areas should be discarded and only clean, healthy ones chosen. Care- lessness in the choice of plants often leads to the introduction of diseases and insects into sections that may previously have been clean. PLANTING The brambles and the bush fruits are planted so that they may be easily cultivated in one or two directions. They are planted in 8 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA— EXPERIMENT STATION hills or rows to conform to the growth of the plant and the nature of the site upon which they are set. Strawberries are usually set in rows and cultivated in one direction only, relying on the use of the hand hoe for stirring the soil between the plants in the row. The planting distance is governed by the ultimate size of the plants and convenience in cultivating and picking. Whenever practicable, these fruits should be planted early in the season, preferably not later than February. A larger number of plants survive when planted early than is the case where the planting is delayed until March or April. Gooseberries and currants start to grow very early in the season and, hence, should be planted in the autumn. Straw- berries are planted in the spring months or during the fall and early winter. The preparation of the soil for the new berry plantations should be as thorough as possible. On account of the shallowness of the feeding roots of small fruits, the effort expended in preparing the soil before planting will be repaid by the vigor and thrift of the young plants. The soil should be plowed deeply in time to allow the weeds and cover crops to decompose before the plants are set out, and the soil should be as fine and friable as it is possible to make it by frequent harrowings. A mellow soil, free from lumps, enables the young plants to become established quickly, and a larger percentage live through the first year than is the case when the soil is carelessly prepared. Blackberries. — Blackberries should be set out during February or March in order to receive the benefit of the late rains. The plants ordinarily require but little care in planting. The long, slender roots are cut off, and the plants are set at the same depth they have been grown in the nursery. A hole is opened by a spade, the roots are spread out in a fan shape and the earth is crowded firmly around them so that all portions of the root-system come into immediate contact with the soil. The old stem is usually left as a marker or guide in cultivating before the new shoots, which usually appear from the crown, can be seen. Instead of opening each hole with a spade or shovel, a furrow may be plowed along the row and the plants placed along the landside and handled in much the same way as that just described. Blackberries of an upright-growing habit such as the Lawton are usually planted in rows 6 to 8 feet apart with the plants 4 to 6 feet apart in the rows. If planted in hills, they are usually set 6 to 8 feet apart each way. The trailing varieties, like the Mammoth, are planted in rows about 8 feet apart and 8 to 16 feet apart in the rows. Loganberries, Phenomenal loganberries, and Circular 164] SMALL FRUIT CULTURE IN CALIFORNIA dewberries are trailing" in habit and are spaced about the same as the Mammoth. Raspberries. — No definite standard planting distance can be set for raspberries. The distances vary according to the variety and the district where grown. If planted in hills, the plants are from 3 to 6 feet apart each way. If planted in rows, the rows are ordi- narily 6 to 8 feet apart and the rows themselves may be a solid mass of plants or may have the separate plants from iy 2 to 4 or 6 feet apart. Ordinarily the black raspberry requires more room than do the red varieties because it is more spreading in nature. Fig. 5. — Strawberries being grown as an intercrop in a young plum orchard Under level culture system. Currants and Gooseberries. — When planted in rows, currants and gooseberries are planted 2% to 5 feet apart in the rows and the rows are 5 to 6 feet apart. In hills, the plants are set on the square system, 5 or 6 feet apart each way. Strawberries. — Strawberries are planted according to different methods that are influenced by the irrigation practice in a given district. The necessity for frequent irrigation has led to the adop- tion of a number of cultural methods that will be discussed briefly in the following paragraphs. As a rule, strawberries in California 10 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION are grown in rows rather than in hills, and greater acreages are grown in " raised beds" than are grown in " level culture." The raised bed (fig. 1) differs from level culture in that the plants are grown on a wide row slightly raised above the interven- ing spaces which are used for irrigating, cultivating, and as paths for the pickers to walk upon. The sunken spaces in the raised-bed system are permanent during the continuation of the plantation, while the irrigation furrows in the level-culture system are made for each irrigation or at the beginning of each season. The width of the beds and the furrows vary greatly in the different sections. The type of soil influences the width of the bed; thus, if lateral percolation is rapid and the entire bed is moistened quickly, the width of the bed may be greater than in soils where the water soaks in slowly. The common width of the raised bed and its adjacent furrow is 4 to 5 feet ; the bed itself occupying considerably more than half of this width. The beds are raised from 3 to 6 inches above the furrows and are 200 to 300 feet long. The tendency with most growers is to make the raised beds too wide and difficulty is then experienced in properly moistening the soil in the middle of the bed. In sections where the beds are narrow, plants are set out in a single row in the center of the bed from 8 to 10 inches to 24 inches apart (fig. 2), according to the rate at which the new runners are produced and the number of plants available at the time of plant- ing. Runners or offsets are allowed to take root in the row itself and not to spread laterally, the aim being to maintain the width of the row at 10 or 12 inches. Runners spreading laterally are either cut off or moved to the center of the row. Where the beds are wider and the wide "matted row," as it is called, is desired, the plants are set out in a double row (fig. 1), the rows being 18 to 24 inches apart, and 3 to 4 inches from the edge of the bed. The plants are allowed to spread toward the edge of the bed and toward the center, forming a solid mat of plants. A variation of the matted-row system is to provide a rather narrow but deep furrow for irrigation extend- ing for the full length of the row in the center of the bed. The paths, in the latter case, are not sunk below the beds, but maintained on the same level. When level culture (fig. 3) is practiced, the plants are set out 10 to 14 or 16 inches apart in the row, and main- tained as separate hills, or allowed to form solid rows. Irrigation water is applied by shallow furrows made, whenever needed, as close to the rows of plants as possible. The raised beds can be irrigated more conveniently than can the level-culture plantings, as the ditches are permanent and are not Circular 164] SMALL FRUIT CULTURE IN CALIFORNIA 11 destroyed by cultivation. Frequently, however, water is applied without any attempt to cultivate, and the result is a hard-baked path between the rows. The level-culture system is adapted to thoroughness in cultivation and stirring of the soil between the plants. Strawberries require greater care in planting than do most of the small fruits. Only young plants having light-colored roots should be used; the older plants having dark brown roots should be dis- carded. The plants must not be allowed to dry out during the Fig. 6. — Bush berries are irrigated in shallow furrows close to the row. planting operations, but should preferably be wrapped in wet burlap or kept in pails of water. The outside whorl of leaves should be removed when the plant is set out, leaving only one or two of the small center leaves. The plant must be set firmly at the same depth at which it had been growing. If set too high, or if the soil is not sufficiently firmed, the young plants will dry out and die; and if set too low and the crown of the plant is covered with moist soil, the plant quickly rots. 12 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION CULTIVATION Shallow cultivation should be the rule with all small fruits. The feeding roots are comparatively near to the surface and are destroyed bjr deep cultivation. With the brambles, a great many roots are broken by deep cultivation, and this practice results in producing a large number of suckers in the middle of the row which must be cut out with a hoe. In other cases, an entire plant is often pulled out by catching the cultivator under one of the main roots. The land should be plowed in the spring, as shallow as possible and still turn over a clean furrow and completely cover the trash or cover crop that may be on the ground. The plowing should be followed by frequent shallow stirring preferably with a light, fine-toothed implement. Blackberries, Loganberries, Currants, and Gooseberries. — These may be plowed deeper toward the middle of the row and shallower when close to the plants. If the furrows are thrown away from the row it is much easier to hoe out any weeds that may be growing in the row itself, while, on the other hand, if the furrow is thrown toward the row, these weeds are covered up, only to appear later in the season. Unevenness, due to leaving the back-furrow or dead furrow in the middle of the row is easily remedied by a few culti- vations. Another plan, adopted by many growers, is to harrow or disc the plantation instead of plowing. This plan works satisfactorily if done before the cover crop has reached a size where it can only be covered by plowing. If the rows are close together, the plan of cultivating or discing to break up the soil is usually followed if the plantation is to be continued through" the following year and not removed to make room for another crop. Clean cultivation should be practiced throughout the season until the cover crops are sown or the fall rains begin. Strawberries. — Strawberries are usually grown on permanent beds raised slightly above the intervening spaces (fig. 4). The method of starting spring cultivation in this case is usually to break the ground with a one-horse cultivator. If grown under the level culture system (fig. 5), one or two shallow furrows may be plowed between the rows, turning the furrows toward the middle. More often, how- ever, the ground is broken with a single cultivator. In case the strawberries are mulched with straw or other mulching material, no cultivation is attempted. The spaces between the plants not covered by them should be hoed to break up the crust and to keep down the weeds. Cultivations should continue throughout the season to keep the plants in thrifty condition, CIRCULAR 164] SMALL FRUIT CULTURE IN CALIFORNIA 13 IRRIGATION i An unfailing source of water is a requisite for growing berries of all kinds, as these fruits, except in a few districts are grown under irrigation. The practice is fairly standardized and consists in applying water every two or three weeks until the berries begin to ripen when the irrigations are given more frequently sometimes every four to six or seven days. After picking, the plantation is irrigated every few weeks during the fall until late in the season 4fl| ^ .J- ^^^m^^^K^^^^^^^^^i ' Fig. 7. — Loganberries tied to a single wire trellis. The young shoots are allowed to grow under the row during the first season. when the plants are allowed to mature and become dormant. The necessity for frequent irrigation requires careful leveling or grading the land before planting in order that the water may be applied evenly and economically. With strawberries the practice is to fill the shallow ditches between the rows up to the level of the top of the raised bed upon which the plants are set. On steep grades small earth dams are thrown up across the ditch to give the entire row a uniform wetting. The middle of the beds are supposed to be moistened by lateral perco- lation but it is often doubtful if center portions are moistened suffi- ciently in cases where the rows are very wide. Experience indicates i For detailed information on the irrigation of small fruits see Irrigation Practice in Growing Small Fruits in California, by Wells A. Hutchins, Calif. Agr Exp. Sta. Cir. No. 154. 14 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA — EXPERIMENT STATION that the strawberry plant should never be allowed to suffer from drought even for short periods. In the case of bush fruits the water is applied in small ditches on both sides of the row (fig. 6). This leaves a high middle portion between the rows which remains dry and serves as a place for the pickers to stand. Very often when the row becomes wide and filled with canes due to the unchecked growth of suckers the central portion is not wetted by the ordinary irrigation. There is a tend- ency on the part of many growers to hurry the water from one end of the furrow to the other and then to consider the work done. During the hot weather bush berries use a tremendous amount of water, most of which is taken from the upper 2 or 3 feet of soil. Exhaustion of moisture in this area is quickly shown by wilting of the leaves and shrivelling of the fruit. Lack of moisture during the grow- ing period materially shortens the picking season and reduces the crop. PEUNING The pruning of small fruits cannot be neglected for even a single season. Strawberries, which do not produce hard or woody stems cannot be considered as coming under this statement, their fruit- fulness in a measure depending upon the number of runners allowed to be produced from the old plants; hence they need regular atten- tion as much as do the bush fruits. The brambles, which include all small fruits in this circular with the exception of currants, goose- berries and strawberries, produce fruit usually but once on a cane of one season's growth. There are, however, a few varieties of this class of fruits like the Himalaya and Evergreen which have peren- nial canes. The canes which are necessary for the bearing of the crops are produced during one season, flower and bear fruit during the next, and must then be removed. Some varieties of raspberries, like the Ranere, bear fruit during the first season at the ends of the new canes. These ends which have fruited should be cut off at the regular pruning time. As soon as they have borne a crop of fruit their usefulness ends, and they usually die before winter. The aim of the grower in pruning should be to accomplish two things: first, to remove the old canes which are of no more value to the plant; and second, to provide a supply of new shoots for bearing fruit the following season. The new canes should not be left too thick. Wider spacing tends to allow the canes to grow tall and picking is thereby facilitated. The care of strawberries and the pruning of currants and gooseberries are different from the general directions given above and will be discussed in the paragraphs devoted to these fruits. Circular 164] SMALL FRUIT CULTURE IN CALIFORNIA 15 Blackberries. — Blackberries are pruned in such a way that they may be tied to wire trellises, tied to upright stakes, or trained to grow upright without support of any kind. The varieties which trail or produce long runners that naturally lie on the ground are trained to wire stretched on posts, and the stronger upright-growing Fig. 8. — Trailing varieties are often woven around the trellis wires in loose spirals. varieties are tied to stakes or pruned short so that they are able to support their own weight. The length of the canes which are left to produce the following season's crop varies considerably with the variety and with the practice found to give the best results in different sections. Strong-growing varieties like the Lawton are 16 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION usually pruned back to three or four feet. Trailing varieties like the Mammoth are cut back leaving 8 to 14 or 16 feet, depending on how far apart the plants are set in the row. It is a good practice to tip back or cut off the ends of the growing shoots during the summer as soon as they have reached the desired length. This tipping back tends to induce lateral branches to grow and thus increases the fruit- bearing area of the plant. New canes to take the place of the old ones removed after fruit- ing come up as suckers around the crown of the plant. More of these suckers are produced than should be allowed to grow. For most varieties from 4 to 7 new canes should be left to each hill and the remainder cut off close to the ground. The healthy and vigorous canes should be left and the small or inferior ones removed. This pruning should be done during the winter season. Trailing varieties are trained to one or two wire trellises. When one wire is used, it is stretched along stakes in the row at a height of 21/2 or 3 feet above the ground, and the canes are fastened to it by winding them around the wire or tying them to it (fig. 7). Another method which has proved successful is to use a two-wire trellis and weave the canes around both wires in a loose spiral, (fig. 8.) The canes should be spread on the wires and not twisted together, like strands in a wire cable. The new canes which grow during the season are allowed to lie on the ground under the row during the • growing season. During the winter pruning the old canes are cut and pulled off the wire and the new canes are brought up and tied in their place. Sometimes two wires are used, the lower one is 2 to 3. feet from the ground and the upper wire iy 2 to 21/2 feet above the lower one. The young canes may be trained to the upper wire, and the bearing canes to the lower. This method provides shade for the fruiting canes and aids in producing berries of large size. Loganberries (including the Phenomenal variety), and dewberries are pruned and trained in the same manner as trail- ing blackberries. The general practice in many sections has. been to train these varieties on a single wire, extending the canes along the wire either in one or both directions from the crown of the plant. Number 14 guage. wire is used for, raspberries and : dewberries, and number i2 gauge, for the heavy growing sorts like Himalaya. Raspberries. — Both the red and the black varieties of raspberries are for the most part trained to stand alone. In some cases, when varieties are drooping in nature or a rank, heavy growth is produced, posts are set along the row and short cross-arms 18 or 20 inches in length are nailed at a convenient distance from the ground, Circular 164] SMALL FRUIT CULTURE IN CALIFORNIA 17 usually 2y 2 to Sy 2 feet. Wires are stretched from post to post at the end of these cross-arms. The plants are pruned so as to grow up between these wires and are supported by them and, as a rule, no additional tying is considered necessary, (fig. 9). Blackberries may also be trained to this system. By means of short cross-pieces fastened to the wires, a number of different methods of training may be devised to suit local conditions. dNPci^v* f '11 Li ■ t * ■ A.% '•'^W tu. i -i Fig. 9. — Raspberries are partially supported by two wires stretched between short cross arms on the stakes. Raspberries produce their fruit in the same manner as do the blackberries, hence the old canes must be removed after fruiting. The plants are thinned to 3 to 6 or 7 canes to the hill and cut off about 3 to 4 feet above the ground, depending upon the nature of the growth made by the plant and the training system followed. Weak-growing varieties without supports must- be cut back- more heavily than the more sturdy sorts. Red raspberries produce large numbers of suckers which spring up from the roots, and, unless it it desired to have a more or less solid row, these suckers must be grubbed out with a hoe, and the plants maintained in single units. Currants and Gooseberries. — These fruits must be treated in an entirely different manner from that described for the brambles. The 18 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION growing habit and method of bearing fruit of these two kinds of berries must be carefully studied in order to prune them correctly. The bushes of the currant and gooseberry are more compact in form and are treated more like tree fruit than are the brambles. New wood is produced both by the branching of existing limbs and by suckers which come up from the root. These suckers, however, come up near the crown of the plant and not promiscuously from the roots as in the case of some of the raspberries. The larger portion of the fruit is borne from short spurs on the two and three-year-old wood, a smaller amount being produced on the four and five-year-old wood. The pruning consists in removing the three and four-year-old wood, which is easily distinguished by the dark color, and by thin- ning out the new shoots when they are too thick. DURATION OF PLANTATION Small fruits come into bearing early, reach their maximum pro- duction in from three to five years, and then begin to decline. Very few of the bush fruits remain profitable after eight or ten years, while straw T berry plantations should be removed after the fourth or fifth season. The intensive cultivation given this class of fruits, as a rule, quickly exhausts the organic matter in the soil, leaving it in a poor physical condition. In addition to the foregoing reason, the presence of onf or more diseases in a field often makes it advis- able to plow up and burn all of the old plants and start a new plant- ing rather than to attempt to eradicate %e trouble in the existing plantation. Certain varieties of raspberries, like the Ranere, often produce a few berries the same year they are planted and usually bear a profitable crop the second season. Blackberries should produce a few berries the second season after planting, reach their maximum production in from three to five years, and should be removed in from seven to ten years, according to the character of the soil and the care given the plants. Loganberries often produce fairly heavy crops the second season after planting and remain profitable a number of years. Currants and gooseberries ordinarily do not produce crops until the third year, are at their best from the third to the sixth year, and should be removed not later than the ninth or tenth year. Strawberries normally produce their largest crops the second year, and should be removed after the fourth or fifth season. Circular 164] SMALL FRUIT CULTURE IN CALIFORNIA 19 BERRIES AS INTERCROPS Because of the fact that berries provide a source of immediate income and occupy the soil for a limited length of time, they are used considerably as intercrops in orchards (figs. 4 and 5). If properly managed, no injury to the trees results and the grower has a source of revenue until the trees come into bearing. The chief danger from using berries as an intercrop in young orchards is that the welfare of the permanent planting may be forgotten in the effort to produce one or more crops after the bushes should be 'vfW ' &> ■ : Fig. 10. — An expensive berry shelter is unnecessary. The lumber for the shed shown above, which takes care of three acres of berries costs approximately seven dollars. removed. Examples of poorly pruned, stunted trees are to be found in every section where berries have been used as intercrops. The care of the intercrop of berries should not interfere with the cultiva- tion, pruning, spraying, or general care of the trees; hence, where it is impossible to care properly for both the berries and the trees, the trees, rather than the temporary berry plants, should be given the proper attention. Truck crops like spinach, head lettuce, peas and beans are often grown between the rows of bush berries the first season. 20 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA — EXPERIMENT STATION FEETILIZERS Berries, being shallow-rooted, remove a great quantity of plant food from the surface layers of the soil and this drain must be replenished by the addition of materials containing" the elements essential to plant growth. One of the best fertilizers that can be used for this class of fruits is an annual application of well-rotted barnyard manure. Several successful growers make a practice of adding well-rotted barnyard manure to the plantation at irrigation time. The manure is shoveled into the irrigation stream and dis- tributed to the plants by the water. Chicken manure should be composted with leaves or strawy material before using on the berry plantation. Complete commercial fertilizers, or those which contain potash, phosphoric acid and nitrogen, can also be used successfully, although caution is advised in the application of any commercial product which contains a high percentage of quickly available nitro- gen, because of the fact that this element often stimulates leaf pro- duction while fruit-bearing is lessened. The use of nitrogen is said to produce soft fruit that does not stand shipping. This element, however, may be added to the soil by use of leguminous cover crops, such as vetch or bur clover, without so much danger of stimulating the vegetative vigor of the canes, with the added physical benefit of the organic matter which is incorporated in the soil at the same time. INSECTS AND DISEASES There are several serious insect pests and fungous diseases which injure berry crops. The heavy annual pruning to which berries are subjected (with the exception of the strawberry) in which the old wood and such new shoots that may show signs of disease or insect injury are removed, serves to hold some of these troubles in check. The comparatively frequent removal of the plantation also serves to prevent the permanent infestation of a given piece of ground. In many cases it is cheaper to pull out the old plants and reset with healthy ones in a new location than to combat these insects or fungous diseases by spraying or by other preventive measures. On the other hand, certain troubles can only be controlled by spraying. Brambles. — The most serious disease of the brambles with which the grower must contend, is the crown-gall or root-knot. This is a bacterial disease forming a warty growth on the roots and ultimately causing the death of the plants. This disease can only be held in check by planting clean stock when setting out new plantations and by removing and burning old plants which are infected in the older Circular 164] SMALL FRUIT CULTURE IN CALIFORNIA 21 plantings. In some districts brambles become infected with oak fungus (Armillaria mellea). There is no remedy for this disease. As soon as the plantation is decimated so it is no longer profitable, it should be plowed out. Brambles are sometimes also infected with Leaf Spot which appears on the leaves as light colored dead spots with Fig. 11. — The twenty-drawer chest used in California for local shipments of small fruits. Each drawer holds a slide containing six small cups. reddish borders; and with Orange Rust which is shown by masses of bright orange spores on the lower surface of the leaves. The remedy is to cut out all infected canes at pruning time and to give the plants a thorough spraying with Bordeaux mixture during the dormant season. 22 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION Kaspberries are often attacked by the Raspberry Horntail, the larvae of which girdle the tips of tender new shoots causing them to wilt. The wilted canes should be cut out and burned as soon as noticed and all canes showing any signs of the presence of borers should be removed at pruning time. The Rose Scale is occasionally found on the canes of blackberries and raspberries. Ordinarily the winter pruning serves to hold this insect in check, but in case of severe infestation the plantation should be sprayed in the winter with a distillate emulsion or lime-sulfur solution. The most serious pest on the brambles and the strawberry is a minute pale yellow mite with from two to six dark spots on its back commonly known as Red Spider (Tetranychus telarius). It is known by a number of names such as the Two-Spotted Mite, Yellow Mite and Summer Mite. It appears in early summer and does great damage to raspberries by causing the leaves to fall and the fruit to shrivel and dry. They spin webs on the under side of the leaves under which may be seen the eggs and adults in all stages of development. They feed upon the tissues of the plant, sucking the juice. As they spend the winter in the ground there is no way of control by spraying until they begin to appear with the approach of warm weather. Different forms of sulfur have been used to control this pest on tree fruits, but when tried on raspberries severe burning of the foliage usually results. Sulfur is not a safe remedy for red spider either on bush berries or strawberries. In a few isolated districts where the temperature is moderated by the influence of the San Francisco Bay, sulfur has been used with the minimum of injury, but only when the maximum tem- perature did not go above 80° to 85° F. The only treatment which seems promising for the brambles is a spray of clear water applied to the under sides of the leaves with considerable pressure when the mites are first seen, and followed by additional applications as condi- tions warrant. On strawberries, an application of sulfur on the ground close to but not on the plants gives some relief. The Himalaya blackberry and possibly several other varieties are often affected by a trouble known as ' ' Red Berry. ' ' The fruit grows to approximately full size, but does not mature, all or part of the drupelets remaining red and hard. This trouble is caused by a very minute animal known as Blister Mite. It is readily controlled by a spray of lime-sulfur at the rate of four gallons of lime-sulfur solu- tion to 100 gallons of water applied when the leaf buds are beginning to open in early spring. An additional spray during the summer of five pounds wettable sulfur to 100 gallons of water is also effective. Currants and Gooseberries. — Currants and gooseberries are troubled with mildew, which forms a whitish powdery growth on Circular 164] SMALL FRUIT CULTURE IN CALIFORNIA 23 the new leaves and shoots, reducing the vigor of the plantings and ultimately affecting the size of the crop. This disease is usually con- trolled by dusting the plants several times during the early part of the season with flowers of sulfur, or by spraying with Bordeaux mixture as soon as the mildew appears. These two plants are also injured by the work of the currant borer. This insect works in the heart- wood of the branches or stem of the plant, which it either kills or injures to such an extent that these parts break down under the weight of the crop of fruit. The only remedy is to watch carefully for its work and remove all infested parts when pruning. Fig. 12. — Slide used on local markets for strawberries and bush-berries. The small single cup on the left is used for raspberries while the larger one on the right is for strawberries. Strawberries. — The strawberry is attacked by several serious dis- eases and insect pests. Leaf Spot causes irregular dead spots with red borders on the leaves. The leaves should be cleaned up and burned in the fall and the plants sprayed with Bordeaux mixture if the infection is serious. The Strawberry Aphis, a small pale yellow louse occurring on the under side of the leaves can be controlled by dusting liberally with five per cent Nico-dust. The Strawberry Crown Moth which is a white caterpillar boring into the crown of the plant is best controlled by removing and burning infested plants. The Straw- berry Root Weevil has only been found in California in one or two places. Areas known to be infested are quarantined. Suspicious cases 24 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION should be reported immediately to the Department of Agriculture at Sacramento, California. The Red Spider also attacks strawberry plants, particularly if the plantation has been allowed to suffer for lack of water. Sulfur is very injurious to the foliage and should only be used as suggested in the paragraph for raspberries. At certain times berries of all kinds are injured by rots or molds which work on the ripe fruit on the vine or after it is picked. The only control is careful handling, by keeping the bruised or moldy berries separate from the sound fruit and by prompt cooling and shipment. HARVESTING Berries are the most perishable fruits that are now being grown on a commercial scale and cannot be handled in the same way as even the tender kinds of tree fruits. The length of time between reaching a stage of maturity when they are of highest quality for table use and when they begin to deteriorate is very short. The perishable nature of this class of fruit necessitates extremely careful handling, prompt shipping, and immediate consumption. No class of fruit has better flavor or quality when at the proper stage of ripeness or decays more quickly when not properly handled. Brambles. — The brambles should be picked often during the height of the season. During the early part of the picking season, the patch should be picked every three or four days, but when the berries begin to ripen faster, the entire patch should be picked each day. Berries should be picked directly into the box or cup in which they are sold, and should not be handled by regrading or sorting. The marketable grades should be picked directly into the market packages, and the soft fruit either picked into a separate receptacle or dropped on the ground. Berries crushed in picking should not be mixed with the sound fruit. The berries should not be left standing in the sun, but should be placed in the shade under a tree or in the packing house. No berries should be picked when wet from rain or fog. All fruit should be taken to market or shipping station as soon after packing as possible. The use to which the berries are to be put determines the exact stage of ripeness at which they should be* picked. Generally speaking, raspberries may be used for local or near-by markets when they separate from the ''core" without crumpling or falling apart. For long-distance shipments only the firmer berries should be used, while the softer grades are utilized for canning. Blackberries, logan- berries and other brambles in which the berry does not separate from the core or receptacle, for long-distance shipments must be Circular 164] SMALL FRUIT CULTURE IN CALIFORNIA 25 picked when hard and firm, though well colored. Fruit which is somewhat softer, although not mushy, may be used for local markets. The common package for marketing this class of fruits locally is the twenty-drawer chest (fig. 11), each drawer of which holds six small cups (fig. 12). Crates holding twelve 12-ounce boxes of strawberries or blackberries (fig. 13) are universally used for long-distance ship- ments and also, to a limited extent, in shipping to local markets. For raspberries shallow crates holding twelve 8-ounce boxes are used (fig. 13). Fig. 13. — Crates used for shipping berries. The deep upper crate contains twelve 12-ounce baskets for strawberries; while the shallow lower one contains twelve 8-ounce baskets for raspberries. The cleats on the ends prevent the crates from sliding lengthwise when stacked in the cars. Currants and Gooseberries. — Currants are usually harvested in two pickings. There is no danger of the fruit becoming soft under ordi- nary conditions, but during a period of hot weather injury from scalding often results. The danger of loss from this cause is reduced by making two pickings. The fruit is in right condition for picking when all the berries on the cluster are red. The cluster should be picked whole, and the berries not separated from the stem, as when the berries are picked from the cluster, the entire package is moistened with the juice which escapes and decay quickly follows. Gooseberries are sometimes picked by holding a portion of the bush in a gloved hand and picking with the bare hand. On a large scale they are 26 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA — EXPERIMENT STATION picked by stripping the leaves and fruit into a shallow box and then removing the leaves by running the entire picking through a fanning mill which blows out the leaves and pieces of branches. As the fruit is picked while still hard and green, no injury results from this method of handling. Straivberries. — Strawberries are picked every day or two through- out the season. For long-distance shipment the berries are picked showing considerable green or white color, and while still very hard in texture. For nearby markets, the fruit must be well-colored but still firm and not mushy. Berries must be picked with the calyx attached and preferably a short portion of the stem. Strawberries are usually shipped to local markets in the twenty-drawer chest, each slide of which holds six 12-ounce cups, and to distant markets in crates holding twelve or twenty-four 12-ounce boxes. USES Berries are preeminently dessert fruits and for the most part are consumed in the fresh state. There is nothing more tempting than a dish of fresh strawberries or raspberries and the prices which the consumer is willing to pay for this class of fruit shows that it occupies an important place in the diet of many people. They are consumed in comparatively small quantities by individual families and the markets are easily over-supplied, particularly when there is an abun- dance of other fruits such as peaches, plums, and melons. It has been necessary, therefore, to develop new outlets to take care of the over- supply at the height of the picking season. This important side of the marketing problem has been successfully met in many sections. In recent years berries which have been carefully picked and promptly pre-cooled have been shipped from various points in Cali- fornia to the large cities of the middle west. A few shipments have been made as far east as New York under refrigerator express, and the fruit was reported to have reached the market in excellent condition. These shipments are only possible where modern pre-cooling facilities are available and the acreage is sufficiently large to enable the growers or association of growers to ship in carload lots. No such markets, of course, are available to growers in isolated districts or in sections where the daily output is 100 or 200 crates. Berries which are too ripe for shipment are sent to the cannery to be preserved or made into jams and jellies. The excess over the market demands are likewise disposed of in this manner. Many black- berries and loganberries are dried and sold to the bakery trade. In Circular 164] small fruit culture in California 27 other cases the berries may be placed in the freezing rooms of cold- storage plants to be used later in making pies. A new process for handling strawberries has recently become prominent. It consists in placing the fresh ripe strawberries in paraffined wooden barrels in layers alternating with layers of sugar. When full the barrel is tightly sealed, frozen, and placed in cold storage or shipped in refrig- erator cars to eastern markets. The product is used principally at soda fountains. One grower has contracted to handle part of his rasp- berry crop in this manner. There is also a possibility of using logan- berries for the juice. VARIETIES The following is a brief description of the principal varieties of the different small fruits grown in California. It is not intended to be a complete reference to all varieties of small fruits, but simply a short discussion of the varieties now being grown or those considered worthy of trial : Blackberries Lawton. — Bush sturdy; erect; strong grower; heavy producer. Fruit is large, black, sweet and of excellent quality. Mid-season. A standard variety in California. Kittatinny. — Strong grower; hardy; productive. Fruit is large, glossy black, sweet and of good quality. Mid-season to late. Popular. Early Harvest. — Strong upright grower; hardy; good producer. Fruit is medium to small, sweet and of good quality. Season is early and fruit ripens over long period. Susceptible to leaf rust. Said to be self -fertile. Crandall. — Vigorous, hardy, very productive, ripens fruit over a long season in the coast region while in the interior valleys it is inclined to have a short season. Fruit is large, firm and sweet. Season early. Fair shipper. Popular in southern part of state. Wilson Junior. — Hardy, upright grower and productive. Fruit is large and black. Season early. Evergreen (Oregon Evergreen). — Bush vigorous, strong growing, drooping, perennial. Fruit is large, firm, and sweet, and of good quality. Season late to very late. Worthy of trial. Mammoth. — Extremely vigorous, fairly hardy, rapid grower, and a heavy producer. Flower is considered partly self -sterile. Canes are semi-trailing or trailing. Fruit is very large, long in shape, black, sweet and soft when fully ripe. Very popular in California, ripening early to mid-season, usually between the Loganberry and the Lawton. Often sold as a "Black Loganberry. ' ' 28 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION Cory Thomless. — Extremely vigorous, hardy, strong grower, pro- ductive. Canes are semi-trailing, and occasionally have thorns. Fruit large, sweet when ripe, but inclined to be soft and difficult to handle, not suitable for long distance shipments. Becoming popular for local markets. Mid-season. Burbank Thomless. — Said to be a shy bearer in many districts. Macatawa. — Probably identical with Crandall. Hybrids Loganberry. — Canes are vigorous, hardy and exceptionally pro- ductive ; trailing in habit, covered with a large number of rather small spines. Fruit is long, large, dark-red in color, sub-acid in flavor and good in quality. Excellent for shipping or canning. Season early. Grown in nearly all berry sections of California. Phenomenal. — A variety of loganberry very similar to the original variety. Held by some growers to be indistinguishable from the orig- inal loganberry. Vines are strong, vigorous and productive. Fruit is large, long, red in color, sub-acid in flavor, larger than loganberry but softer in texture. Generally given same culture as loganberry. Ripens about a week later than the loganberry. Himalaya. — Bush extremely vigorous ; very spiny ; trailing or semi- trailing; perennial and heavy producer. Fruit is roundish in form, medium -size, and juicy. Season from June to late fall. Dewberries Gardena. — Vigorous grower; heavy producer. Fruit is large, glossy black, firm, sweet and delicious. Season early. Popular in southern part of state. Lucretia. — Hardy and productive; berries are large, sweet, black in color and soft ; said to ripen shortly after the Gardena. A general purpose variety. Self -fertile. Red Raspberries Cuthbert. — Hardy ; vigorous grower, with heavy foliage which pro- tects fruit from sunburn. A heavy and regular bearer. Fruit is deep red in color, large, conical, firm, separates readily from core and is a good shipper. Superlative. — New variety. Fruit is medium to large, excellent flavor and ripens over a long season. CIRCULAR 164] SMALL FRUIT CULTURE IN CALIFORNIA 29 Antwerp. — An old variety, not generally planted in this state. Plants not vigorous except under favorable soil and climatic condi- tions. Fruit is dark red, firm, of excellent quality and a good shipper. Season early. Bauer e (St. Regis), also commonly called Ranaree. — Plant vigor- ous ; hardy, sends up suckers freely. Berries small to large, bright red, firm; season early and very long. Is what is termed a "dry" berry and is an excellent shipper. The leading variety in the central coast region of California. La France. — Recently introduced. Canes strong,- vigorous, pro- duces fruiting laterals freely. Berries very large, light red, excellent flavor and quality. Mid-season to late, sometimes producing until Thanksgiving. A prime dessert fruit. Surprise. — Canes rather slender, plant hardy. Bears through a long season. Berries medium in size and of good quality. Desirable for planting in central and southern parts of state. Black Raspberries Gregg. — Plants are strong, hardy and productive. Berries are medium in size, firm and sweet. Mid-season. The standard variety of black-caps for home or commercial planting. Kansas. — Strong; vigorous grower; hardy and productive. Fruit is early in season, medium size, black, firm and of good quality. Currants Cherry. — Bush is fairly vigorous, hardy, medium in size and a good bearer. Fruit is large, bright red and borne on rather stout, well- filled bunches. The leading variety in the central part of the state. Somewhat subject to attacks by mildew and cane borers. Fay. — A new variety, said to bear more abundantly than the cherry. Berries large, dark red, acid, early to mid-season. Easy to pick. Perfection. — A new variety, grown very successfully in eastern currant districts. Bush is vigorous, healthy, strong-growing and very productive. Berries are large, bright red, borne on long well-filled bunches, flavor acid. Worthy of trial in this state. Bed Cross. — Berries large, firm, light red in color, flavor mild sub- acid, clusters large, easy to pick. Mid-season. It is reported that the fruit cracks some seasons. 30 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION Pomona. — Bush is vigorous, hardy and a good producer. Berries are medium in size, red and hang well after ripening. White Grape. — One of the white varieties. Manner of growth and bearing same as that of red currants. Does not yield as heavily as red varieties and does not have the brisk acid flavor of the former. Grown principally for home use. Gooseberries Downing. — Bushes are vigorous, sturdy and productive. Berries are medium to large, oval in shape, smooth, yellow sprinkled with red dots when ripe. Flavor sweet and pleasant when fully ripe. A good market variety. Houghton. — One of the oldest varieties. Bushes are strong-grow- ing, long-lived and productive. Berries are small, roundish, dull red when fully ripe, skin smooth and thin. Ripens in advance of the Downing. Chief disadvantage of this variety is the small size of the berry. Resistant to mildew. Champion. — Bush is a strong grower and a prolific bearer. Berries are medium size, smooth, roundish-oval, sweet when fully matured. Resistant to mildew. Industry. — One of the English varieties. Bush is vigorous, upright, and a good bearer. Berries large and dark red when ripe. Subject to mildew. Berkeley. — Bush is fairly vigorous grower and good bearer. Berries are very large and ripen early. An English variety and subject to mildew. Strawberries Marshall. — Plant is vigorous, healthy and a good producer of new plants. Flower, perfect. Fruit is medium to large, dark red, flesh somewhat lighter in color, firm, roundish-conic in shape. Grown in Fresno district, upper interior valleys and in Watsonville district. Jessie. — Average in size and vigor; fairly good plant producer; good bearer. Flower, perfect. Fruit is medium to below in size, roundish conic, dark red ; flesh, red and firm. Grown in Fresno district and upper interior valleys. Gold Dollar. — Medium in size and vigor ; erect ; good plant maker. Flower perfect. Fruit rather elongated conic, dark red; flesh, some- what lighter, firm. Grown almost exclusively in the Florin and New- castle section. Ripens early and produces over a long period. CIRCULAR 164] SMALL FRUIT CULTURE IN CALIFORNIA 31 Malinda. — Plant is inclined to be small; fair plant producer. Flower, perfect. Fruit is small in size, conic in shape ; flesh is a dark red, firm and has a firm core. Grown, with others, in Pajaro Valley. Oregon. — Plant is medium in size, vigorous, erect, good plant maker and a heavy producer. Flower, perfect. Fruit, medium to large, broad conic, dark red; flesh, medium red and inclined to be soft. Popular in Pajaro and Santa Clara valleys, and in the Sebas- topol section. Ripens early. Klondike. — Vigorous and fairly good plant maker; fair producer. Flower, perfect. Fruit is of fair size, roundish, dark red, firm and a good shipper. Largely planted in region around Los Angeles. Nick Ohmer. — Medium in size and vigor; is a fair producer and plant maker. Flower, perfect. Fruit is medium to large in size, roundish-conic, medium red and soft, flavor mild sub-acid. Grown in districts adjacent to San Francisco. One of the best shippers in that region. Brandywine. — Medium in size, compact, a fair producer and plant maker. Flower, perfect. Fruit conic in shape, light to medium red and firm and a good shipping variety. Season is medium to late. Largely grown in Los Angeles section. Excelsior. — Vigorous; a medium producer and a good plant pro- ducer. Flower, perfect. Fruit is medium in size, conic, medium red and firm. Grown in Los Angeles section. Sharply acid in flavor but very early. Banner. — Plant is vigorous, upright, a good plant maker and an exceptionally heavy producer. Flower, perfect. Fruit is large in size, roundish-conic, dark red in color becoming almost purple when fully ripe. The leading variety in the central coast district. Magoon. — Plant is large and vigorous, a good plant maker and producer. Flower, perfect. Fruit medium to very large, often irregular in shape, dark red in color, inclined to be soft. Said to be adapted to heavy soils. Good for home gardens in the central coast sections.