STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 1(;9 



In reply to Mr. Scofield's question, I will say that I find the Turner 

 about as hardy as the Philadelphia. It was injured somewhat last winter, 

 and some canes killed, as there were of the Philadelphia. I would ask as 

 to the pruning of the raspberry — what time is it best to prune? My own 

 success has been varied. 



Mr. Mahan — I would just like to state the experience of the growers 

 in Southern Illinois on that point. The plan I have acted on is this : 

 Immediately after the fruit is taken off the old canes, as the new shoots 

 get up above the old ones, they should be cut off, or pinched off with the 

 fingers. If neglected until a foot above the tops of the old canes, they 

 may be cut off with a common corn-cutter. The stems then throw out 

 lateral shoots all the way from near the ground up ; and in the following 

 spring, these laterals should be shortened in, according to their number, 

 to within four to twelve inches from the main stem. The bushes will 

 then stand up like small trees, and be covered with leaves and fruit upon 

 all sides. The canes should be cut down to two and a half feet high as 

 soon as the fruit is off. The Doolittle imd McCormick (or Miami) will 

 stand up without pruning. 



Mr. McAfee — The gentleman's plan is excellent; except in one 

 respect. He speaks about doing that in the summer. If you don't do it 

 before the loth of June, in our county, you will get no fruit. They 

 should be pinched off when they are a foot high, and not longer; and if 

 you do that, they will stretch up and get about two feet, and the laterals 

 will be from the ground up ; and if you cut off one of these tops that have 

 been so pinched, you will find that the pith is very small, that there is a 

 good head, and that the cane will stand of itself. 



If you want to have a fancy black cap berry, that will sell for a high 

 price and get a big crop of mammoth canes, treat them in that way, and 

 cut them off about three inches from the ground, and you will get lateral 

 shoots from these canes that will fiirnish you with masses and clusters of 

 raspberries larger than you can think of. If I were going to raise berries 

 lor market, I think I should do that for the puri)ose of obtaining a fancy 

 article. 



Mr. Scofield — I think a mean between two extremes is best; when 

 you cut down to a foot, you are too close, and when you say two and a 

 half feet, you are too long. 



Mr. Baldwin — I would like to know whether it makes any differenc e 

 between the frost cutting down the plants and doing it yourself. 



Mr. Hav — My experience is the same as Mr. McAfee's. They are 

 not so liable to be injured by the frost when they are pinched back short 



