CROWN OF THORNS

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 101, 23 January 1935, Page 10

CROWN OF THORNS

The Untouched Blackberry A FRENCH BELIEF Fully a month earlier than usual that irritating bramble and noxious weed, the bane of so many farmers — the blackberry—is bearing its luscious fruit. Motor parties, well supplied with tins and boxes, are taking the opportunity to gather the berries in the Akatarawa and Mangaroa valleys, and large quantities of blackberry jam and jelly are being stored away in cupboards for later consumption. At, a recent private lawn party in a Wellington seaside suburb, the conversation happened to turn on the blackberry. “I’m very fond of blackberry or blackberry and app.e jam.” said one much-travelled member of the party, “it: reminds me of the time I lived in France. There were any quantity of blackberries growing by the roads in the countryside round about Paris, and when in fruit I was struck by the fact that never once did I see the French people picking them.

“As jfott know, these people are the most frugal on earth.” cou f ii.ued the narrator, "and I thought it so remarkable that they did not gather this fruit and turn it into jam or conserve of some kind that I made inquiry as to why they neglected this free gift from the soil. Tlie answer I re.’e'<- ef j was just as amazing. It seems that file French hold that the crown of thorns thrust upon the head of Jesus Christ in mockery as King of the Jews was made of blackberry brambles; and it is for that reason they wilt not touch the fruit.”