Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-03-23
Profit IN RASPBERRIES
Experience of an Expert viii
Be of Valuable Assistance
to Beginners.

! The raspberry can be cheaply grown,
and with proper care and management
It is as sure a crop as corn. It's perloo
of ripening covers a greater length OF
time than any other small fruit, last
Ing from four to five weeks If early,
medium and late varieties are grown.
Any soil that will produce forty to
sixty bushels of corn to the acre is suf-
ticiently rich for raspberries. The
most essential point is to secure fine,
well pulverized soil in which the roots
ran grow below the effects of dry
weather. The more there are of the
line or working roots to each plant the
larger the growth and the better will
be the crop. AS these roots require
a loose soil in which to work, it is
never best to plant on ground that
cannot be thoroughly pulverized.
The preparation of the ground is Of
very great Importance, and l will
briefly give the method 1 pursue, as
have grown raspberries for a number
of years with good success. I pillow
the soil for a depth of about six inches,
harrow 1t well and then level it down
smoothly with roller. I then mark
1t out by stretching line where the
row is to be made. making the rows
eight feet apart, and then dig wedge
shaped holes with a long, narrow spade
by inserting it in a slanting position
about eight inches from the line, in
such position that the point will
reach almost under the line, then with
draw it without removing any soil
again inserting it at the line nearly
perpendicular, so that the point will
reach the same place reached the first
time, removing the soil between the
two cuts. as I withdraw the spade
making the holes two and one-half feet
apart. Before they dry out I set the
plants, holding them against the side o,
the hole where the line is will
the left hand and draw the mellow sol
In with the right, pressing it firmly
use only first-class tips, covering tn,
roots three or four inches deep, which
prevents the bushes from being blown
!. over by heavy winds.
After starting right with the hes
1 varieties, strong, vigorous plants an,
thoroughly prepared soil, the most es
Eent1al thing to success is cultivation
l am confident more failures are du
to the lack Of cultivation than from
any other cause. They will grow an,
produce some fruit without being Guilt
waited for q year or two. if the groun,
is In fair condition to begin with, s.
some often think it is not important t
cultivate. If the best results to be at
tanned are desired, row of corn, DO
tatoes. or some other garden Gro
should be grown in every space be
tween the rows the first year and tn
{ patch cultivated every week or tie
days from the time they are plante
until the first Of August.
After the first year they should b
cultivated five or six times each sea
son. l use only five toothed cult
vator and horse hoe in cultivating. F'c
large bushes the handle of the cult
vator can be set over one side, thu
enabling the shovels to run as nea
the bushes as necessary. I enrich tn
ground from time to time, as the goo
Of the bushes requires.
When the young plants are abol
q four inches high I thin out to one car
In each hill. When the cane is abo,
+ twelve inches high I pinch out the bu
+ This can be done with the thumb an
finger, and will cause the plants
throw out laterals After pnching o,
the bud do no more trimming unit
next spring. l then cut the latera
3 back to about eight inches in lengt
The second year l look after the your
4 canes when about four or five inch,
high, leaving only two of those star
ing out lowest down in each hill.
remove and keep down all others du
Ing the season, using the hoe and cult
varor freely for the destruction
weeds and to keep the ground in goo
condition. pinch back the your
canes when they are about TWEEN
inches high; this will make plenty
wood for the next seasons fruiting.
always remove the old wood as soon
the fruit is off and burn it. The fc
lowing spring cut the laterals back
about twelve or fifteen inches in lengt
or as ferba ok as the wood is dead, a,
burn M%The third year I handle L
young QRpts the same as l did t
second ssson, except that leave 70
canes in each hill; but in case the 70
is not strong enough l reduce the nur
fber until it b able to carry well VIII
is left.
1t should be remembered that the +
raspberry. is mat as hard to raise
the blackcaps, since they adapt thel
selves more readily to their situate
THE only difference / make in growi
the two kinds is I cultivate the blac
caps somewhat deeper than I do t
red varieties.