SUMMER MEETING. 53 



always start early and make a better growth than spring planted — a 

 fact hard to get the general planter to act upon, owing to the failure 

 many have had by doing the work in a careless manner and omitting 

 the important part of winter protection. 



In planting the black raspberry, which is one of the best paying 

 of all small fruit crops, if the plants are kept healthy, the plant must 

 not be set too deep, or the bud or germ will decay before it can get 

 out. Especially will this be the case if the weather is cold and wet, 

 xind unfavorable to growth. I would not plant the bud more than 

 three inches deep. On the other hand, there is danger of too shallow 

 planting. If the weather is dry and windy, the plants may dry out if 

 too near the surface. 



As I have intimated, the black raspberry has been the most paying 

 crop for me of all the small fruits. It is more certain in bearing than 

 the strawberry, and the demand for it is much better, as it is used 

 auuch more for canning. With me, the black raspberry has paid much 

 better than the blackberry, with the same attention. The latter, espe- 

 cially the Snyder, usually sets an abundance of fruit, but it ripens at a 

 time when the weather is likely to be dry, and with its heavy crop of 

 fruit, is sure to be affected by it. 



The young plants of the black raspberry are often quite a source 

 of revenue. They are easily made by burying or tipping, as we say, 

 the end of the growing cane, in September. These young tips are 

 ready for planting in two months after burying or tipping them. This 

 tipping process takes somewhat from the vitality of the fruiting-plant, 

 ^nd to over-balance this, strong soil and high culture are needed, and 

 the plants should be pruned closely after the young tips are dug. The 

 young tips or plants sell for from $10 to $12 per thousand, which will 

 pay about as well as the fruit, allowing 8 to 10 tips to the fruiting-plant, 

 and an average of one quart of berries to the plant, at 10 cents per 

 <3uart. 



With the blackberry I would not advise this double working. If 

 joung plants are wanted they should be grown from root cuttings or 

 transplanted suckers, and all suckers among the bearing plants should 

 be treated as weeds. There is more money for me in growing the 

 plants rather than the fruit of the blackberry. 



The demand among farmers for Snyder blackberry plants is enor- 

 mous. With the methods of cultivation in general use among farmers, 

 I do not know of anything they could plant that would be of as little 

 benefit to Ihem. Many seem to think that because the wild blackberry 

 ■flourishes on our river bottoms without any care being bestowed upon 

 it, that the tame berry will flourish equally as well if planted in nooks 



