Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1881-05-26
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Small Fruits.

The cultivation Of small fruits has IN
creased largely within few wears and no
well ordered garden is now without them.
Every farmer with little pains. can sup
ply his family with delicious fruits in their
season. and aside from the enjoyment they
give, they are conducive 10 health The
acids contained IN all the cultivated small
fruits. j. that which the system Graves and
needs 10 aid digestion and keep the stomach
in healthy condition. Nearly all profess
s.onal men who have their gardens, have
portions devoted to III. culture Of the straw
berry, raspberry and blackberry. and the
same is true Of mechanics while the number
Of farmers who give attention 70 these so
called minor matters is comparatively few.
Land in good condition for corn will pro-
duoe good berries and fourth Of an acre
well laid out and cultivated viii produce
generous supply Of each Of the fruits above
named. Weeds should be eAtermlna,cd
before the plants are set out. The land
should be cultivated several times during
the spring and thoroughly pul,cr!zed. AZ
ter the ground is once prepared and tie
plants set ont, a top-dre,,.ng each year Will
keep up the fertility. For top-drcsN.ng use
well composted manure IN which wood
ashes are liberia. constituent. In planting
the rows should be sufficiently far apart to
permit the cult.vator TO pass; tins viii
greatly lessen the labor and cost e c4.,.,a-
ton. During the winter the vines. should
be m4.ched with straw or some other coarse
material evergreen bough, make good
protection.
There are various WAys q! lu.t.,4t.ng the
strawberry, each having ii, advocate. but
The matted VOW system j, - good a. am,
The plants should be ihickly set III rows
four feet apart, and the runners 80 trained
g. 10 form row, Two feet IN width The
spaces between the VOWS after being well
cultivated may be muiched WIKI straw 70
Keep down the weeds and 10 retain moisture
After taking of the third crop. the space
between the rows may he plowed and har-
roWed until well pul,erized than runners
MAY be trained TO root between the Original
rows and the next spring the old roots may
be plowed up. BY this method the cultiya-
tloa will he easy and the plantation renewed
every three YEAR without the loss Of crop
Raspberry plants may be set to adyan-
tage IA rows four feet apart and three feet
in the row. Good, thrifty plants, true to
name should be secured. They should be
kent well mulched and cut back severely TO
induce branching, stooky growth and lib
eral bearing. For q succession Of fruit, for
early. the Davidson, Thornless and boo
l.tile. will be found satisfactory for later
varieties. plan, the Mammoth Cluster
There are other varieties just Is good, but
We think none better The Turner Is one OF
the best red berries For blackberres,
which We esteem above all berries, about
the SAME treatment a. for raspberries,
should lie given. In field culture or IN
large gardens, they should be set from five
TO seven feet apart between the rows and
four in the ROW. and well cut back. In
small garden. they must be set nearer. Sue
cess in this as in every kind Of fruit culture
depends on thorough cultivation, and care
ful attention at the proper time.