The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1869-05-20
Small Fruits In Old Gardens.

IN many an old garden there are some
really choice varieties of the small fruits,
but through neglect they have failed to
produce as much or as good fruit as
formerly. The currants and raspberry
plants were probably planted near the
fence, where it wss difficult matter to
cultivate them except on one side, and
even this was not thoroughly done
consequently the grass has gradually
taken possession of the entire space
which it was intended they should
occupy, and the struggle between grass
and Currants or raspberries has been a
severe one; but grass is usually the victor
in such contest. We have not had much
experience in this renovation of old gar
dens !: but it does appear to us that il the
old, decayed wood was cut out from the
currant-bushes, the grass roots all forked
out, and then liberal application of
manure given them, the fruit would be
very much improved in quantity and
quality. Even mulching of straw, tan
bark-leaves, or any other material that
would cover the soil and keep it moist
during summer, would be highly bene-
fetal. Besides assisting In keeping the
earth moist, this mulching will keep down
the weeds.
In fOrking up the soil about these old
plants, 1t is not necessary to dig very deep,
nor so close to the plants as to disturb
their roots. Raspberries that produce
suckers from their lateral roots are very
likely to become so crowded that none of
the canes have room to grow strong
enough to bear fruit. 1t is necessary, there
fore, to thin out the plants, leaving
three or four canes in each hill, or leave
them in rows say three feet apart, and
the canes about foot apart in the row.
Mulching will also benefit the raspberry
nearly as much as the currant, particularly
on light soils. Hardy varieties of the
raspberry should be pruned now if it has
not already been done. Our plan is 10
shorten the main stems nearly opo-half,
and the lateral branches wo-thirds-ihat
is, leave only one third of their original
length
By shortening the branches, we compel
the lower and stronger buds to develop
into fruit branches, while if the cane is
left entire, the smaller buds on the upper
portion grow, and the lower ones remain
dormant. Even the dwarf growing varie-
ties of raspberries are benefited by prun-
ing them in the spring, and all canes that
have been partially killed should be cut
back To live bud. Blackberries should
be treated very much the same as rasp-
berries, although they will usually bear
more neglect; but digging deep near the
bearing canes is very likely to iniure them,
because more or less of the roots will be
broken. The small fibres on the roots of
blackberries are generally at considerable
distance from the base of the canes, and
are connected with them by large, coarse
roots containing scarcely any fibres, ex-
cept at their extreme ends, many feet from
the stems.
If, in digging about the canes, one or
more of these roots are broken, the
source from which the fruit obtains its
substance is cut off, and it fails in conse-
quence. Too much care can scarcely be
given in working the soil in spring about
rasperries and blackberries; still it is very
necessary that the surface should be
stirred Hearth and Home,