THE BOYSENBERRY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 July 1939, Page 4

THE BOYSENBERRY

NEW RASPBERRY-LIKE FRUIT. GOOD REPORTS FROM AUCKLAND A new hybrid fruit, the boysenberry, is attracting interest in the north. The habit of the plant resembles that of the well-known loganberry, but it gives a berry about twice the size, jet black, very juicy and richly raspberry in flavour. It ripens over a long period (December, January. February) and is an exceptionally heavy cropper in any climate on laterals of the- current spring’s growth. The method of pruning, however, differs from that of the loganberry and is more in line with that of the ■ raspberry. The orthodox treatment ill America is to cut off all tiie old growth dose to the ground immediately after the fruit crop is gathered. There follows at once a new crop of strong young canes, which are ample to carry the next season's fruit. This eliminates the tedious work of separating new from old canes and detailed pruning. The new crop of canes is simply gathered together and lied to a suitable pole or spread along a wire. The fruit grown in New Zealand (about 4 tons per acre) is reported to have made excellent jam last season and still more excellent conserve, canned dessert, and fruit juice. It is stated that the crop in California last season was not available for the dessert market, as it was all taken up for the fruit drink industry, which flourishes so much in America. Steps are now afoot in North Auckland to establish a fruit drink factory for the local and export trade. Last season’s berries in Auckland (their first appearance) were shop-windowed at 3s 6d per pound punnet for the early consignments, and the wholesale auction market closed at Is 9d, beating the best strawberry variety throughout. Though the boysenberry is classed among the soft fruits, its usefulness for preserves and drinks gives it an escape from collapse in glut periods, which are sometimes so devastating to other soft fruits. Planters sot approximately 1000 plants per acre. The culture is simple, comprising the initial planting, the tying-up of the canes, the harvesting the cutting away of the old canes with pruning shears immediately after the harvest, and then tying-up of the subsequent new growth, which will produce the fruiting laterals of the next spring. The berry is declared to be by far the biggest and most handsome in its class and the heaviest cropper.