1884.] THE farmer's small-fruit garden. 45 



spring plantings will usually live and grow well, the fall set plants 

 will make a much better growth the first season. However, it is 

 better to plant this coming spring than to put it off till next fall. 

 Prune closely at time of planting, and each year following thin 

 out all crowding branches and shorten in the new growth one-half, 

 and they may be continued in bearing for years if manured 

 annually. 



Gooseberries. — Gooseberries should be treated much the same 

 as currants, and if they can be planted where they will be par- 

 tially shaded during the middle of the day, they will be much less 

 likely to mildew. 



Grapes. — Grapes are so easily grown, that plant a vine almost 

 anywhere you will, you can depend upon abundant annual crops 

 after the third year, if clean culture and close pruning are strictly 

 attended to. Trained to a single stake six feet high, or to a trellis 

 not over five feet, and the vine not allowed to spread more than 

 the same distance each way, allows of all the room any vine wants 

 to produce the best results. Many systems of pruning and train- 

 ing are pictured out in the books; but any that results in close 

 annual pruning will give an abundance of fruit at small cost. 

 Enclosing the cluster in small bags made of manilla paper as soon 

 as the berries begin to form, is strongly to be recommended, for 

 after some years' trial it is found to prevent rotting and to greatly 

 increase the size and beauty of the fruit, while not injuring the 

 flavor in the least. 



In mentioning the different small fruits, the distances at which 

 they should be planted are recommended with the supposition that 

 each are to be grown alone, or at least independent of any of the 

 others. But where land is plenty, and there is enough uncul- 

 tivated on most farms, I would recommend that not less than one- 

 half acre be devoted to the small-fruit garden, planting all together 

 and at greater distances, which will be of great advantage in case 

 of drouth. The best plan that I know of would be to mark off 

 the field in straight rows six feet apart each way, which is none too 

 far for raspberries, blackberries, and grapes, while currants and 

 gooseberries will bear enough larger and finer fruit if given such 

 an amount of room. And by planting four or five strawberry 

 plants in each hill, and allowing them to form a large matted hill 

 one and one -half to two feet across, an amount of fruit may be 



