196 Ageioulttjeal Experiment Station, Ithaca, N. Y. 



the ground, making a well balanced self-supporting bush. On the 

 other hand, if it is allowed to grow higher and is then cut back, only- 

 weak buds are left, and the result is that they do not develop so rapidly 

 and only three or four of the upper ones start at all, producing a top- 

 heavy and unsatisfactory plant. Sheep shears are very convenient for 

 this summer pruning, or it may be quickly done by merely pinching 

 out the tip with the thumb and finger. To determine whether the 

 manner of doing this would make any difference, two sections of row 

 were marked and in one case the canes were all cut with shears, 

 taking care that the cut should be in a slanting direction so 

 that water would run off readily. In the other case the canes 

 were snapped off by bending them quickly with the thumb and 

 finger, leaving an irregular, ragged end. The canes had grown 

 too high, so that rather more was removed in both cases than 

 ought to have been in the best practice. An examination the 

 following spring showed no perceptible difference in the condition in 

 which the two lots came through the winter. The cane nearly 

 always died back to the first bud in either case, so that while 

 theoretically a smooth, slanting cut would seem to be best, practically 

 it does not matter. 



Harvestiiig. — The means of gathering the crop is one of the most 

 important considerations in growing small fruits, and as before 

 intimated, upon the success of the berry harvester depends the adapta- 

 bility of raspberries as a farm crop. This harvester is a very simple 

 affair (see picture on page 191), consisting of a canvas tray some three 

 feet square, there being only enough wood about it to form a frame- 

 work and enable it to be moved about. Under the corner which rests 

 ' on the ground, there is a sort of shoe of wood enabling it to be slid 

 along from bush to bush easily. In one hand the operator can-ies a 

 large wii'e hook with which the bushes are drawn over the canvas or 

 lifted up if too low down and in the way. In the other hand is a bat 

 resembling a lawn tennis racquet with which he knocks off the ripe 

 berries. This is merely a canvas-covered loop of heavy wire fastened 

 in a convenient handle. In place of this, some use a wooden paddle 

 but this probably bruises the berries unnecessarily. In gathering by 

 this method, the berries are allowed to become pretty ripe and the 

 plantation is gone over but two or three limes in a season. Many dry 

 leaves, some stems and a few green berries are knocked off with the 

 fruit, but the leaves are no disadvantage for they help to absorb 

 moisture before and after drying, and may aid in preventing mold if 

 the fruit has to stand for some time before going to the evaporator. 



