148 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



autumn months should be used to mature the wood. The cultivator 

 should be set going as soon as the ground is dry enough in the spring, 

 and the priceless water should not be allowed to get away. The whole 

 surface should be covered with fine, loose earth all the time, and a 

 crust should not be allowed to remain a moment longer than necessary. 

 Cultivate every week and after every rain. It is the greatest blunder 

 to stop the cultivator when picking begins, just when the bushes need 

 moisture so much to fill their great loads of berries with their rich juices. 

 The feet of the pickers tramp the ground down hard, and capillarity is 

 perfect to the surface and water passes off with the greatest freedom. 

 The berries soon dry up, and the vitality of the bush is sapped by having 

 its functions suspended in hot weather. The plant goes through the 

 same process as if preparing for winter — buds form and foliage ripens. 

 Later, the fall rains come and a new growth starts, and the early frosts 

 destroy the leaves, rendering the proper ripening of the wood an impos- 

 sibility, and winter-killing is sure to follow. 



It has been almost the universal practice to pinch new canes when 

 about eighteen inches high, so as to make them throw out laterals and 

 become stocky and self-supporting. If the ground is rich so a vigorous 

 growth is made, and no trellis used, the canes would sprawl around on 

 the ground so as to interfere with cultivating and picking, and thus 

 pinching in may become a necessity, but I confess I have come to enter- 

 tain the gravest doubts about the advantage of suddenly stopping growth 

 by removing terminal buds when in full tide of growth. I am satisfied 

 it brings on a congested condition that seriously interferes with the 

 hardiness and vigor of the canes. The better way is to set stakes about 

 every thirty or forty feet, string a No. 9 wire about four feet high ; then, 

 with well-gloved hands and a bundle of short willows, pass along rapidly 

 and tie each cane, spreading the canes out fan-shape so they will have 

 plenty of air and light, so all will be out of the way of the cultivator, and 

 pickers can get to the fruit with the greatest ease. No dirty berries, 

 none threshed off by the wind, no broken canes, but pruning and all 

 work done with an ease that much more than compensates for the cost of 

 wire and tying the canes to it. 



Different varieties require different pruning, and on some soils the 

 canes can be left longer than on others; but in any case it should be so 

 close that there will not be any overbearing and consequent exhaustion. 

 A green blackberry is not the sweetest thing on earth. The berries 

 should be black at least three days before picking. Twice per week is 

 plenty often enough to gather them. Exercise the greatest care to not 

 let the berries stand in bright sun after they are in the boxes. They 

 quickly sour and turn red. Keep them in a cool, dark place. 



The list of desirable varieties is not long. Of the extremely hardy 

 sorts. Western Triumph and Synder still head the list, Taylor Prolific 

 being the best late variety and of highest quality. Ancient Briton is a 

 grand berry and a leader in many qualities. It is classed as hardy, but 

 should be given winter protection in the north. Erie has gained 

 many warm admirers and will remain with us until we find our ideal 

 berry. It has many of the desirable qualities. Wachusett, Early Clus- 

 ter, Lawton, Kittatinny, and a few other sorts have nearly gone out of 

 tise in this section. 



