Year: 1878

The cultivation Of raspberries, espec.
tally the hardy sorts is much easier
than that of strawberries. There are
less plants to the acre and if carefully
set in straight rows can be kept ne.rly
clean with horse and cultivator. To
grow the Black-Caps select land good
enough to grow corn or potatoes, pre-.
ferring mellow loan, and cover it
with barn yard manure. mix it we'll
with the soil, leaving the surface as
fine and level IS possible. Then make
out the ground in strsight rows 6 feet
by 3. get good well rooted tips. cut of
the old cane and plant them with the
main bud pointing vertically. There
is no better imrlenen. for this than
the hands, which will plant faster aud
better than any tool. The crown OF
the root should be set about three
inches below the surface, covered and
the soil pressed down firmly.


Doolittle and Mammoth Cluster arc
the mos, profitable of lorg tested
varieties. They are hardy, vigorous
growers. productive, and sell we'll in
market. If the Gregg sustains its
early promise it will probably super
cede both Doolittle and Mammoth
Cluster 1t is said to be the largest of
all the Black-Caps, hardy, vigorous and
productive. If we were planting
Black Caps Tor market, we would plant
about one-thlrd Doolittle. two-thirds of
Mammoth Cluster, and would then
try q few plants of Gregg, expecting to
extend the latter should it prove sup
perior.


After the new cane has grown to the
height OF Is inches we should pinch off
the terminal bud. 10 make it branch
and grow stocky, and we should pur-
sue the same course in subsequent sea-
Sous with the view of making the
canes self supporting and save the
necessity Of stalking Some recomend
letting the canes grow until they attain
the height of four or five feet and then
cutting off foot or two with the sickle,
but we should not favor such sloven-
ly practice. The canes would be like
ly to die back several inches from the
cut. 1t is much better to stop theie
growth as we recommended. Some ad-
wise pinching off the leading buds of
the branches, and while we think it a
good plan we consider it of less impor
tance than the first pinching.


A cultivator will do most of the work
of keeping the plantation clean which
should on no account be neglected.
In the spring the branches should be
cut back to within about foot of the
main stock so as to keep compact
head. aud the berries well pat out of
the dirt.


While the best Black Caps are hardy.
the best reds are not. Among the
hardy kinds that may be cultivated
with profit. are Clark. Highland Hardy.
Turner aud Brandywins. The Latte.
is becoming the most popular in New
Jersey. The hardy reds may be cul,i-
waited in the same way as the Black
Caps, only care should be taken to cut
dowa all sprouts "a weeds, excepting
such as you wish to save for next years
crops. If you leave some of the sprouts
to grow for the sake of selling plants,
you do it at the expense of the frnit
crop. a plantation can not do its best
ut growing fruit at the same time it is
growing plarts for market. The plants
will rob the fruit of portion of its
nutrimcnt.


Were we to make q plantation Of red
raspberries for market and were Ger.
tain. from experiance that our soil
would grow our choice. we should plant
q variety that is tender and requires dit-
fcrent treatment from hardy sorts. The
EEanconia is tender and very particular
about its soil and locality, but when
suited in these respects is the most
profitable of rsspberries, being the
largest, hrmest, most beautiful and
most productive of the family. In
the northern part Of the city of Roch-
ester, on strong loamy soil it just meets
its requirements If you are uncertain
whether it will sucoscd. or not. on your
soil. try few plants. and If they
should prove successful, make that
variety your leading one. Make your
soil rich, manuring the fall before
planting 80 that the manure will be
available for the early growth. plant as
you would the other kinds. keep the
plants clean. but do not pinch of the
leading buds. but rather let the canes
grow slender. 20 that you can bend
them to the ground withou. breaking.
Before the ground freezes in autumn.
throw small mound of dirt against
one side Of the hill, bend the tops of
two clusters OF canes together and
throw shovelful Of dirt upon the
tips. to bold them down. Thus is gen.
erally considered enough to protect
them, but to make the thing sure we
would entirely cover the canes with an
inch or two of dirt if your plants need
more manure. cover entirely with
sta bio manure.


During the winters leisure prepare
as many stakes OF chestnut, cedar, oak.
or any ether weod that will keep
sound in the ground, ~ you have hills
Of raspberries. and in the spring stick
them beside the hills, tying the canes
to the stakes. This will keep the
berries up clean, aud. although this in
crcases the coat Of cultivation. il this
sort does we'll with you it will abund
antly repay the extra cost. Francon-
ias are always salable at higher prices
than the other reds or blacks.


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