Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1860-08-10

THE RssrpERRIEs--E autumn
pruning is thought to be of benefit to the
raspberry, which, being of an excitible
character, begins to swell early in the
spring, and pruning after the buds have
swollen is always at the expense of the
vigor of the plant. The pruning OF this
fruit is very simple indeed. The plants
produce their fruits on long rods OF the
previous years growth, that is very ordi-
nary kind does termed the double bearing
raspberry, produces on wood of the same
summers growth, or, in other words, on
the annual wood 1t is common prac-
tee to 20 over the raspberry bushes, and
tim out the young suckers or rods, for
they in general produce so abundantly
that they would become confused, and tie
character of the fruit be materially ir-
urcd About half dozen are left to Sc
ct from, and it now become necessary to
reduce that number. Four good rods are
by some thought to be sufficient, but this
depends on the strengh of the soil, and
more especially its continued moisture,
even in summer, which is an essential
considerations
II any Of the shoots or parent plants
are very weakly, they must be allowed a
less number of shoots, some three, others
only two and i'll some very weekly shoots
it is necessary to cut them entirely down
in order to strengthen them for the ensu-
ine year. In selecting the canes, the
strongest must in the main be preferred.
When they are very strong, however,
some Of the canes are liable to produce
side branches during the season they are
sprngins Such must be cut away, for,
although SO promising in appearance, they
Will not produce fruit Of such good quail
ity as those of reasonable amount of
strength About five feet is the greatest
height to which the raspberry canes
should in general be cut, though good
practice is to cut the canes to different
lengths. Thus, when there are four canes
on d stool, the strongest may be cut to five
feet, the second, to four feet six inches,
the third to four feet, and the fourth to
little more than three feet. As the top
buds grow strongest, it follows, by this
arrangement, that the young fruit-bearing
shoots which grow from the canes are
more equally divided, and enjoy more
room and more light.
TnE CtaEASr- The pruning and train
ing OF the current bush is, like that of
the gooebery, a very simple affair, if per-
formed the right way when young. 1t is
to lie kept in view that the main object is
fine fruit and thi, eau only be produced
by abundance of light sun and air. Con-
when the bushes arc young,
they should be cut back to make them
form sufficient number of branches,
pointing outward all round these should
not be III each others way, nor cross, and
the centre should be kept tr er from wood
Carrant bushes naturally grow outward
aud upward. When the end of branch
/, not healthy, it may be cut back to the
first healthy shoot which will become the
growing end of the branch. If, during
the formation Of the bush, two branches
are found too far off, while the rest are
pretty well formed, one of the lateral
shoots that grows onward Should be al
lowed to form Il new branch to occupy the
vacant place between them and when
branch becomes unhealthy, it should be
cut back to a healthy part, even if it be
close to the base. From the new wood
that breaks cut the strongest should be
and the others taken away before
they make any particular growth, so that
all the strength may be thrown into the
shoot. BY cutting back branch
e. that are getting old and decaycd, the
bush may easily be removed but in such
ease thorc may be easily expected little
forest OF new shoots, and these are all to
hc removed excepting those wanted to
form new branches.