The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1904-06-15


it, and the training upon the habit of
growth. There are many systems in
practice of training the raspberry re-
CARELESS of their being suited to the
natural habit of the variety planted,
and hence no set rule could be given
to guide an amateur as to the best
method of pruning without causing
confusion. To go into the details of
the various systems would involve a
lengthy article with perhaps little to
be gained therefrom.
The purpose of this article is to de-
tract from the various systems in
vogue and permit our attention to be
drawn to the natural habit of the plant,
and from this standpoint to submit the
why, when, and how to prune. The
habit of the plant is governed by the
variety. Why horticultural literature
has not classified the habits of growth
of this fruit is beyond my comprehen-
sion, as the habits are very pronoun-
ced and upon the best control OF the
natural habit of growth depends the
conservation of the energy OF the plant
to produce the maximum of high quail
ity and quantity of fruit. The habits
of growth of this fruit should be class
flied into three divisions, viz: The
erect growing, the semi-erect and the
vinuous. Thus it is obvious that
with these various habits of the plant,
the pruning of this fruit must be gov
erned by the habit of growth. To out
line the method of pruning to be intel
ligently understood, the system of
training best adapted to each habit OF
growth should be considered. At this
iuncture it may be well to state that
the most difficult habit of growth to
control out of it's wild state is the
semi-erect on account of it's excessive
suckering and lateral producing habit.
Perhaps the bone of contention caus-
ing the wide range of opinion as to the
best mode of pruning and training the
raspberry is caused by the unrully hab-
il of the semi-erect variety. The
Cuthbert is a good example of this.
The method of training for the various
habits of growth should be such as to
so control each cane as to greatly ell
inmate it's tendency to produce later
ais Laterals are not essential to
fruit production or heavy yields and
all conditions being equal the fruit
spurs on laterals produced much small
er berries than the fruit spurs on
canes without laterals.
The erect growing varieties produce
no laterals, unless the canes are dis
turbed by some secondary influence.
The semi-erect growing under neglect
ed or wild conditions assume an erect
habit, on account of being supported
by the dead brambles, and in this
condition produce few, if any, laterals
except when disturbed by some sec
ondary influence. If planted in soil
not overly rich or moist, laterals are
not grown. Thus it will be seen that
if the plant has any natural preference
it would decide in favor of no laterals.
The training then should be such as
to favor the natural tendency and per-
nit the new canes to grow erect with
such protection as to best eliminate
the causes which tend to produce lat
erals.
To accomplish this each cane, both
new and old, must be under full con-
troll. This is made possible by adopt
ing the row system and using wires
to which each cane may be secured.
The rows are feet apart and in the
row the hills are three feet apart.
Each hill is allowed from to 8 fruit