West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1909-10-14

ted row system gives larger yields. In
this the plants are set from ten To
twelve inches apart I'm rows four feet
apart The runners are trimmed TO
mako a matted row about two feet
wide. The spaces between the rows
should be kept well cultivated during
the early part OF the season and the
weeds pulled I'm the rows After the
second year the runners can be allow
cd 20 fin these open spaces and the
original rows plowcd up In this way
the bed can be easily renewed and kept
bearing for several years, usually until
the land becomes SO wcedy that it
must be plowed up and put I'm TO some
other crop.
In cold climates the Strawberries
must be given some sort OF winter
protection. The object Of this Is not so
much 20 prevent freezing as TO keep
the ground from that alternate frccz-
Ing and thawing which cause hcaving
OF the plants. A mulch of coarse horse
manure applied after the ground freezes
is excellent for this purpose, as It adds
fertility at the same time In the
spring the straw can be rakcd up and
removed. One necessary prccautlon is
to be sure that the manure IS free
from weed seeds. have seen straw
berry beds ruined because the mulch
contained timothy hay I'm which the
seeds were ripe enough 20 grow
Raspberries and Blsekberries.
Next 10 Strawberries I'm Importance
are raspberrlcs and blackberries. The
best soil for blnckbcrrles is about like
that for Strawberries, while for rasp-
berries It may be little heavier. The
two kinds OF raspberrles most exten-
sively grown I'm this country are red
and black. The red raspberry is propa-
gated by shoots which grow up from
tho roots. One-year-old shoots are
preferable for planting. The rows
should be at least four feet apart. with
the plants two feet apart I'm the row.
Frequent and thorough cultivation is
necessary 20 keep down the suckers
which grow up from the roots. IL Is a
good plan to plow the ground between
the rows every spring.
Black raspberries do not send up root
shoots. They are propagated by bury
Ing the tips OF the shoots I'm the ground
some time In August. These take root
and produce new plants, which can he
transplanted the following spring. The
black raspberries are more rank I'm
their habits OF growth and should be
planted farther apart than the red va.
rieties. Planting every three feet I'm
rows seven TO eight feet apart is
good distance. They should receive
thorough cultivation I'm the same man
ner as the red sorts.
The application OF n coat OF manure
between the rows in the fall Will ma
terially increase the yield OF all small
fruits. Pruning is also important.
Blackberry and raspberry shoots bear
but once, so I'm the spring all those
which produced fruit the season be-
fore should be cut out Black rasp-
berry shoots should have the tin nip
ped or when they are about eighteen
Inches high. This causes lateral
branches to form and greatly increases
the yield. The same treatment should
be given TO blackberrles After about
four good crops OF raspberrles have
been secured the patch should be plow-
ed up and n new one started some
where else.
BlackberrIes are usually propagated
by suckers. The distance apart is
about four feet I'm the row, with rows
seven feet apart. The proper depth TO
set the plants IS about four inches. IL
Is n common practice TO plant n row OF
potatoes or some other vegetable be
tween the blackberry rows the first
season. This can also be done with
black raspberrles. About four or Eve
blackberry shoots are all that should
be allowed TO grow up tho first sea
son. After that the number may be
gradually increased. a well establish
cd blackberry patch will last six or
seyen years The yields that may be
secured depend largely upon the fre-