The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-03-12
Culture Of BIackberries.

The following extract is from an article
read last year, by VIM. Parry, of CHINA
minson, n. j., before the Fruit Growers
Club of New York city:
Having experimental on several kind'
OF land, from firm clay to light blow
ing sand, prefer as the most favorable
location for blackberries g light, moist
sandy loan, well underdrained, if water
would otherw sc stand near the surface
Formerly we thought that low, rich land
would be best judging from the large
growth of briars along the bitches and
sxangy Plan .s Accordingly p lSa of I'm. ny
rich land that had produced heavy crops
of corn and timothy, expecting to get q
corresponding one Of blackberry; but in
this he was disappointed, except in growth
of canes, which were very large and
strong, but not well ripened before winter
set in, and consequently were greatly in
jured, and sometimes entirely killed be-
fore spring, yielding but little or no fruit !;
while black berries planted on thin higher
land, not worth near so much for agricul
tural purposes, producing small canes with
buds well developed and the wood ma
tured before the approach of winter, would
yield heavy crops of fine fruit In walk
ing through my patch when loaded with
berries, he remarked that he could not
understand why those small bushes had 80
much more fruit on them than his large
ones / attributed it to the fact that the
canes and fruitbuds were better ripened
the fall previous, and had stood the cold of
winter with less injury.
Another farmer near by having about
forty acres devoted to the culture of black
berries, purchased a tract of light sandy
land, at $13 per acre, and planted it with
them. But desiring to have model
patch, he purchased few acres of the
richest and the best land for ordinary az
ricultural purposes in the vicinity, at $500
per acre, and planted il with the same
kind of blackberries, giving the best treat
ment and special attention, which pro-
iuced an enormous growth of canes; but
which never yielded as much fruit per
acre as the $1S land He remarked to me,
while looking st them, that We have
earned something since commencing this
business; to begin now, with the knowl-
pest land with blackberries might be |
wooded.
The land should be plowed and har-
owed smooth; then open burrows in the |
all at q distance of eight feet apart and |
f muck can be had conveniently, it is |
Taluable to spread along them during
winter, leaving it exposed to the action of
he frost. Early in the spring set the
,lants about four feet apart on the muck,
which require SEQ plants to an acre.
The intervening space, while the plants
re small, need not be lost, but corn, po-
atoes or other vegetables may be grown
midway between the rows for the first
ear or two. The roots will mostly follow
long the row to feed On the muck. and
row more vigorously than lateral or side
boots. Hence the strongest and
est plants viii come up nearly
There they are wanted to produce
ruit the following year. But they should
ot be left to stand along the rows closer
ogether than an average Of one plant to
foot in length in the rows. The planta-
ion should be gone over several times
uring the summer, and the tops Of the
Dung canes, as they appear above the
caring bushes. should be shortened in,
o as to keep them at uniform height of
bout three to five feet according to the
trength of the soil This will induce the
ide branches TO grow vigorously and de-
elop fruit buds near the ground, and, in
erlocking with each other, the bushes
Till support themselves, and thus avoid
be necessity Of stakes and wires to pre-
emit high winds from injuring the tender
anes The side branches should be short
ned in the following winter or spring to
form, somewhat resembling
dwarf pear tree when properly trimmed.
'lants thus properly treated win yield
lore fruit, and of better quality, than If
# to grow tall and slender, as by nature
hey are inclined to do.
To insure good crops requires close at
,ntion (; the canes should be kept thin
nd well headed back and on poor land
n occasional dressing of manure, muck,
r fertilizers of some kind, adds to the
uantity and quality of the fruit There
no likelihood Of the market being over
locked with the fruit, as II pays wen to
,ake 1t into wine. Three quarts Of black
erries and three pounds Of sugar, with
he addition Of little water, will make
allon Of wine, highly recommended for
9 medicinal properties, worth "a per
allon, while new; and its value in
reases with age. All the poorer berries,
hose that are too ripe to ship to market,
lay be properly converted into wine at
ONE and only the finest and most per-
'ct fruit sent to market, which will al
vays command fair price.
1t Is somewhat remarkable that all the
aluable varieties in cultivation have been
,und growing wild, and were selected
nd saved on account of their supposed
lerit over others, and from the thousands
seedlings raised, none have yet proved
1perior to parents. May it not be at
.ihuted to the fact that sufficient care has