Culture of Raspberries 



1695 



application of fertilizer and how the results compared for the different 

 methods. The common practice with most growers is to apply fertilizer, 

 in the form of stable manure or commercial mixtures, before the plants 

 are set out. This is done in the case of practically all the patches. After 

 the plants come into bearing the practice differs, some growers applying 

 fertilizers in one form or another while many apply nothing at all. If 

 fertilizer is applied it may be stable manure or commercial fertilizer or 

 both. The following table shows the practice in this respect, and gives 

 the yield and income per acre under the different methods: 



Method 



No manure nor commercial fertilizer 

 Manure and commercial fertilizer . . 



Commercial fertilizer only 



Manure only 



Yield 

 per acre 

 (quarts) 



I ,168.0 



1,526.7 

 I.439-0 

 1,472.0 



Income 

 per acre 



$116.69 

 176.69 

 142.85 

 170.50 



The table indicates clearly that fertilizers are beneficial. The best 

 results are obtained when stable manure is applied, either alone or in 

 connection with commercial fertilizer. Commercial fertilizer alone is 

 beneficial, but does not seem to give so good results as does stable manure 

 alone. It should be explained that the expression " Manure and com- 

 mercial fertilizer," under " Method," means that stable manure is applied 

 one year and commercial fertilizer the next. They are seldom applied 

 together. 



Pruning 



The pruning of the red raspberry will be better understood if the pruner 

 knows the habit of growth of the plant. A new cane springs up and 

 develops during the summer ; the next spring this cane throws out fruit 

 clusters, bears fruit, and dies that year. The root is perennial and the 

 cane is biennial. The object of the pruner, then, should be: first, to 

 remove the old wood as soon as it dies in order to give the new wood 

 room in which to grow; second, to secure, both by thinning and by 

 heading-in, canes of sufficient vigor and development to produce the 

 most and the largest fruit. 



The following definite directions are given as an aid to the reader : 



At planting. — The top should be cut back to four or six inches from the 

 ground. If sprouts are transplanted in May or in early autumn, they 

 need not be cut back until the following spring. 



Bearing patch. — The general practice in the case of the red raspberry 

 is, first, to take out the old wood as soon as possible after picking, and, 



