St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-06-26

plowed and dragged, and by enriching it
heavily. have never seen bed of straw
berries which l really thought paid the out
lay of labor by endeavoring to revive it to
the vigOr and productiveneSS of the first
year. Better pillow them under and Guilt
vate the land for some succeeding crop.
What has been said of our strawberries ap-
plies also to all kinds of fruits. Like the
strawberry is the raspberry. 1t also be-
longs TO the rose family, and by many Is
preferred to all Others. All people
SEEM TO HAVE A FEELING SENSE
of the thorns of this plant, as may be gath
cred from its name in different languages.
In the German, Kratsbarre or Scotch
Scratchherry, while it is true that the
raspberry in various forms is found wild
throughout the continent, and that the
ancient gardeners in most instances obtained
their supply of plants in the adjacent fields
Or forest. Some kinds of raspoerries de-
mand a good clean culture rather than a
rich soil that would cause too great
growth of cane and foliage. But with
most varieties. | consider from my own eX-
perience, there is but little danger of over
enriching the ground. Plant in rows six
feet apart and three feet apart in the row,
give them a thorough system of cultivation
and vigorous application OF the pruning
knife. When the plant has attained the
height of about two feet cut OFF the top.
1t will cause it to branch out from a we'll
shaped tree capable of standing up OF
itself. L think it a good plan to ploW
furrow up to the rows in the fall, as 1t acts
as protection.
THE BEST VARIETIES.
Twill name over the varieties which have
proved the most hardy with me, and will
name them in the order in which the fruit
ripens The Hunsell has proved the most
hardy of any of the reds; Waterloo and
Cuthbert next. Of black raSpberries the
Laughlan, Ohio and Tyler are the earliest.
and along come the Mammoth and
Gregg. All are vigorous growers
and productive. l find there IS
a great deal which might be said on the
subject of the different varieties OF the
strawberry and raspberry and the different
modes of cultivation. But there is one
other kind of small fruit that would not
like to be guilty of not mentioning. That is
THE BLACKBERRY,
a fruit which is strewn over many acres
other states, growing wild, and from which
the greater part of our supply has been
gathered by the natives and others and
shipped to almost every town and village
that could be reached. The onward march
of civilization has caused the supply to di
miniSh. AS to varieties, this species has
also an endless number. Many of them are
of great merit in certain localities and
wholly worthless in others. | will give
some little history of my own success and
of others in the immediate vicinity of Ri
pom. The culture of the blackberry has be-
come one of the first, and within the last
twelve Years it has extended from one-half
acre, until at the present time you
can see over fifty acres now in full bloom,
promising large crop. The Ancient Briton
is the variety which is cultivated with I'M
PARALLEL success. 1t was first sent here
from Wales to an amateur agriculturist, and
after eighteen years trial, in different To-
calitieS we place it at the head of anything
as shipping berry, and as to prOductiveneSs.
1t may be called the king. -Four thousand or
5000 quarts is about an average yield per
acre. The treatment of the blackberry may
best be understood by noting in what it
differs from the raSpberrieS. 1t seems to
do the best on light soils, warm and well
drained. We should most certainly manure
the ground as the blackberry luXuriates in a
good rich soil as much as a crop of corn or
any other crop. More room should be
given the blackberry than the raspberry
In planting for field culture plant in rows
eight feet apart, three or four in the rows,
which will enable you to cultivate easily.
They need cultivation and hoeing, the same
as corn. The season being favorable you
will find that with few exceptions
you are progressing towards foundation or
start IN blackberry culture. After the first
year is passed and you have every hill eStab-
liShed, comes the time of vital importance
to the grower. You must then take care of
the new wood, your promise for your fruit
crop for next year. At this stage they re-
quire support by stakes or by setting stake
at each end of the row and stretching a
wire on each side. kept at the proper height
by nail. This answers for support for
the young bearing plants and for the new
shoots, which, without support, are liable
to be broken with the wind. The ideal
treatment of the blackberry is management
rather than culture. More can be done
with the thumb and finger than by the most
savage pruning shears after a years
neglect. Two or three feet is considered
fair height at which to stop the growth. It
will branch out and generally become high
enough.
1t is necessary to protect the plants. Two
good men will lay down and cover 1000
plants in day. Begin at the end of the row,
move away a small quantity Of soil
from the side of the hill with garden fork,
which is less liable to injure the roots than
a spade. Step to the opposite side of the
bush and placing one foot at the crown
close to the ground and the fork in the top
of the bush, we push lightly with the
foot, hard enough to bend the roots, not the
tops. The other man then throws on the
soil, and the bush is nicely covered and
secured ready for a long cold winter. When
spring comes take long four-tined fork,
loosen the crust and place your fork under
the plant and carefully raise it up and
firmly press the soil back. After the row
is all taken up, lose no time in stringing
your wires and your plants are protected
from the winds.
AWARDING PREMIUMS.
The respective committees awarded
premiums as follows:
STRAWBERRIES.
Best general collection of five named vari-
cites
First premium, Geo. S. Woolsey.
Second premium, j. G. Krammer.
Best four varieties
First premium, William Lyons
Second premium, G.. S.WoOlsey.
Missouri seedlings
First premium, J. c. Krammer.
Second Premium, William Lyons.
Three plants in pots
First premium, II. 7. Busse.
Second premium, William Lyons.
Three quarts, Wilson Albany
First premium, H. T. Busse.
Second premium, g. S. Woolsey.
Crescent seedlings
First premium, l.. Asire.
Second premium, A. w. Sias.