SMALL FRUIT IN WASHINGTON COUNTY. 37 



thing we must bear in mind is that a small fruit patch once planted is 

 by no means a completed plantation, but that the steady and interest- 

 ing time has just begun and that the good luck expected •tuust be ac- 

 companied by some common sense and hard labor. This well carried 

 out, no otlier patch on the farm of equal size and given equal labor 

 will give one-lialf the returns or satisfaction one year with another 

 that the small fruit patch will. 



SELECTION OF LOCATION. 



Wiiile the small fruit patch siiould be near the house, yet it must be 

 borne in mind that we must keep out of the hollows, as we must have 

 good air drainage in order to prevent late frosts from cutting short our 

 crops of fruit. High east or northeast slopes preferable. South and 

 west slopes bad. If land is level, a wind-break should be planted on 

 the south and west. If east slope, a south wind-break will be suffi- 

 cient. We have learned by experience that this wind-break is very 

 important, especially with blackberries and raspberries. 



PREPARATION OF GROUND. 



In preparing the ground for the planting of any small fruits, it 

 should be plowed from eight to ten inches deep and subsoiled if possi- 

 ble, followed by harrow; then with plank drag or roller. This will 

 leave the ground mellow and easy to mark out in rows. 



WHAT TO PLANT. 



We can plant the following with satisfactory results : Blackberry, 

 raspberry, juneberry, gooseberry, currant, strawberry, and grape. 

 However, as before said, when once planted, we must not sit down 

 and expect "luck" to bring us success. 



Blackberry plants should be fresh and lively, with at least one good 

 strong cross-root; should not be started too much (with new shoots 

 not over one-half inch in length) ; should be planted in rows six to 

 eight feet apart and two to three feet in the row. This can easily be 

 done by running out the rows with a plow or lister running twice in 

 a row. Please remember that a common lister or fourteen-inch plow 

 run once in a row will not make the furrow deep enough for black- 

 berry plants. They should be planted at least two or three inches 

 deeper than they stood in the nursery row, with dirt pressed about 



