The mountain Democrat., 1863-05-16
Raspberry Culture.

There is no finer fruit of the earlier
ripening sorts can be brought to market
than the raspberry. Following closely
after the strawberry it Oils up an interval
in which we should have no fruit at ell,
and with its 6ne aroma and tender flavor
is generally esteemed as Of superior ex-
cellence to the former fruit. Now as to
the soil. Undoubtedly the best sell for
the raspberry is a strong sandy loan; it
does not require TO be very rich, for in
such case the canes grow too rank, and
the product of fruit is diminished. The
best aspect is northern slope, both be-
cause it holds moisture longer, does not
expose the canes SO mach to the i'll effects
Of the warm after period Of frost, whilst
at the same time it prolongs the period of
ripening. The finest Strawberries we ever
saw grown were planted between the in
tervals of peach orchard, which was
regularly plowed during the season Of
fruiting, as all peach orchards should be-.
The ground where the raspberry planta-
ton is to be made should be first deeply
plowed and subsoiled, and the planting Of
the canes should take place as early as
possible in the spring. With the harder
varieties fall planting is to be preferred.
The best mulch, as in the case Of straw
berries, is woods earth and dead leaves,
and whether the canes are planted in the
spring or in the fall this mulching for the
retention of moisture in the first instance
and to prevent the newly set plants from
being injured by the frosts in the second.
To set the plants draw light burrows with
q ne.horse plow across the space to be
planted If it be large, and both athwart
and across as for corn. 1t is better,
where the area of land is large enough to
admit Of it, to let the rows be six feet
apart one way, and not less than three feet
apart the other; although it is very COM
Goaa'y the case that the rows are laid of
four feet apart each way. After planting
they should be mulched as we have be
fore stated, and during the season should
be kept light and free Of weeds by an oc.
casional blowing, or beets or potatoes
may be advantageously planted in the in.
tervals between the rows. The second
season, if the young canes that spring up
from the root have made vigorous
growth, stakes should be driven down
alongside to which the canes are to be
gathered and tied to prevent them from
being broken by the wind, for the new
shoots are very succulent. At the close
of the second season, and when winter is
approaching, the vines should be trimmed
and pruned. All the slender and feeble
shoots should be removed, leaving not
more than three or four in hill. These
should be cut back freely to concentrate
the whole energies Of the plant in the re-
naming buds and thus increase the pro-
duct Of fruit the following year. 1t is
better not to leave the canes, especially
Of the tender sorts, too long-fOur feet is
the usual length-bnt it is questionable
whether it would not be preferable on the
whole to shorten them still more. The
after cultivation in succeeding years con-
sisted simply in spreading annually about
the canes early in the spring a compost
of woods earth and well rotted barn yard
manure; in keeping rigidly down all
young plants that make their 0ppearan
in the intervals between the rows; in
keeping the ground light with the plow
and thoroughly clean with the hoe, and
in protecting tine canes from the effects
of early and late frOSts by a light cover
ing Of litter or straw or cornstalks thrust
in among them.