The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1860-08-03
VOLUME XVI.


another year, with little attention in the
watering if necessary. and freedom from
the depredations Of insects, they will be Zinc
bushes, full Of shoots, some dropping out.
ward, and many crossing each other in all
directions. In the fall they may receive
their pruning, which will consist in rcmov-
ing all the worse cross shoots, and in keeping
the middle Of the bush still somewhat open.
Dangling shoots may have rs much OF their
top pruped away as viii prevent their touch
ing the ground, and even upright shoots may
have as much cut Of us appears OF weakly
character. -,
The pruning OF the following seasons will
be much Of the same nature, still keeping
the middle Of the bush much more open than
the outside. As . general rule in regard to
the distance at which the bearing shoots may
be leit, 1t may be mentioned that in a well
pruned bush no two shoots will by any means
touch, but stand apart quite distant. Badly
pruncd bushes are both less productive and
much more difficult to gather the fruit from,
than those which are done in skillful man
J ner. As the bushes get older and showsi
of wearing out, tho knife must be used more
literally indeed whole limbs OF old wood
will REQUIRE occasionally to bc removed, IN
order to throw the powers OF the bush into
deeper compass.
TIE RAsrBERRiES.
E,rly autumn pruning is thought to bc OF
benefit, to the raspberry, which, being OF an
excitable character, begins to swell early in
the spring, and pruning after the buds have
swollen is always Mt tho expense OF the yigor
of the plant. The pruning Of this fruit is
very simple indeed. The plants produce
their fruit on long rods Of the previous years
growth, that is, every ordinary kind docs
termed the double bearing raspberry, pro-
duces ON wood Of the SINE summers
growth, OF, in other words, ON the annual
wood. Ii is a common practice to 90 over
the raspberry bushes, and thin out the young
suckers or rods, for they in general produce
~ abundantly that they would become con-
fused. and the character Of the fruit be ma
terially injured. About half dozen are
lett to select from, and il now becomes nee
essary TO reduce that number. Four good
rods are by some thought to be sufficient, but
this depends on the strength Of the soil, and
moro especially its continued moisture. even
in summer, which is an essential considcra-
ton.
II any Of the shoots or parent plants are
very weakly. they must be allowed less
number Of shOOts, some three, Others only two,
and in some very weakly shoots it is necessa-
nv % cut them entirely down, in order to
strengthen them for the ensuing year. In Sc
lecting tho canes, the strongest must in the
main be preferred. When they are very
L.. Of th., can IN lIahla
to produce side branches during the season
they are springing. Such must be cut away,
for, although 50 promising in appeaancc.
they will not produce fruit OF such good
quality ~ 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 stool, the
strongest may bc 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 fol-
lows, By this arrangement, that the young
lruit-bcaring shoots which grow from the
canes arc more equally divided, and enjoy
more room and more light.
Tuk
The pruning and trimming Of she currant
bush is, like that Of the goosebcrry, u very
simple affair, IL performed the right way
when young. 1t is to be kept in view that
the main object is fine fruit and this can
only be produced by abundance OF light, sun
and air. Consequently, when the bushes are
young. they should be cut back to make
them form u sufficient number of branches,
painting outward all round these should
not bc in each others way, nor cross, and
the centre should be kept free from wood.
Currant bushes naturally grow outward and
upward. When the end of branch is not
healthy, il may be cut back to the first
healthy shoot, which will become the grow.
ing end Of the branch. II, during the for
nation of the bush, two branches are found
too far of, while the rest are pretty well
formed, one OF the lateral shoots that grows
onwards should be allowed to form new
branch to occupy the vacant place between
them and when branch becomes unhealthy.
il should be cut back to healthy part, even
if il be close 10 the base. From the new
wood that breaks out, the strongest should
be selected, and the Others taken away before
they make any particular growth, so that
all the strength may bc thrown into the Sc
lected shoot. BY cutting back branches that
are getting old or decayed, the bush may
easily be removed; but Is such case there
may be expected little forest OF new shoots,
and these are all TO DO removed excepting
those wanted to form the new branches.