KASPliEKUlES. 87 



way, but geuerallj scoop out a small hole with a hoe, and have 

 a boy set in the plaut aud lirin the dirt welLarouud it. In 

 settiug the reds we take a spade, place it where the marks 

 cross, and with the loot press it down as far as possible, 

 then push it ahead and have a boy set in the plant. We then 

 press the spade into the ground some 4 to G inches from the 

 plant, and by pulling back on the handle firm the dirt well 

 around it, and as a general thing give it a jab or two with 

 our heel to be sure that the soil is well firmed. It is our 

 belief that if a thing is worth doing at all it worth doing 

 well. And this is especially true of plant setting as by set- 

 ting them in straight rows both ways much time and labor 

 may be saved in the cultivation, and with the reds they can 

 the more easily be kept within bounds, and in iiills; we firmly 

 believe in the hill culture. 



With the red varieties we believe in pinching back the 

 young canes. It is our belief that it will pay to cover the 

 reds, but we will have a good test, as we got caught in the 

 mud last fall and did not get our fine patch of Cuthberts 

 covered. 



» 



In covering have one lay the plants down and another 

 throw a spadeful of dirt on top to hold them down, after which 

 throw a furrow over them one from each side- of the row. 

 This leaves a dead furrow between each row, which is a 

 good place to throw in a lot of manure. In the spring take 

 a fork and lift the vine out from its winter's bed. In a few 

 days they will straighten up and you can then get in with 

 a cultivator and cross cultivate, Avhich levels up the ground 

 in good shape and mixes up the manure with the soil. 



So far ups ; now for our downs. In the spring of 1908 we 

 bought 2,000 blackcaps from a reliable nurseryman wh*o 

 claimed to have bought them from a reliable grower. When 

 we opened them it was quite evident that they had been 

 "burned" in transit or else in keeping them over in the stor- 

 age room. We sorted them up and threw out about 800. The 

 balance were set out in good shape, nursed, and tended until 



