18 OCTOBER 1946, Page 13

A Be - devilled Fruit We have all heard of the local

superstition that blackberries must not be eaten after the last day of September: the Devil has poisoned them ; but I was surprised to discover that the berry is totally avoided in some few places on the ground that birds do not eat it. Well, I have known dogs and pheasants to partake. In this queer season the crop did not reach its best till October and is in great perfection in the third week, and they miss a good deal who will not at least flavour their windfall apples with the seductive fruit. The berries on the American ivy-leafed variety are particularly many and lush.