116 THE GARDENER. [Sept. 



this exception, that the distances apart upon the horizontal rail will be 6 inches. 

 They must be cut over at 4 feet, as formerly directed, and this course of pruning 

 and training pursued year after year. This we consider by far the best plan for 

 Raspberry cultivation, as by this means every branch is fully exposed to the action 

 of light and air, and, as a natural consequence, is in a more favourable position and 

 condition for the production of first-class fruit. In the various other methods, 

 of tying them up in bunches to an \ipriglit stake, of plaiting several canes to- 

 gether at two plants and bending them so as to form anarch, or by whatever modi- 

 fication of either or both of these methods they may be trained, there is always a 

 number of the best of the buds very seriously injured, or perhaps destroyed. In 

 doing them by either of these methods, many of the buds must necessarily be 

 crowded up inside the plait, or against the stake, so that before they can approach 

 the light and air they must work their way between the branches, much in the 

 same way as if they had to perforate an old stone wall. All this is obviated by 

 the plan we have described ; each separate branch is not only free from the 

 branch nearest to it, but is also clear of stakes and all suchlike, so that it is fully 

 exposed to the action of air and light on every side. There may be a little more 

 trouble in doing them in this way, but we consider all this more than counter- 

 balanced by the quality and quantity of the crops. 



When the soil has been well prepared for the young plantation of Raspberries, 

 we do not consider it necessary to manure the ground till the third year. During all 

 this period we would recommend that the spade never be used, as digging de- 

 stroys many of the roots, and is highly injurious to the wellbeing of the plants. 

 All that is necessary is to keep them well hoed and raked, to keep them tidy and 

 clean. When the plants require to be manured, we do it in this way : Remove 

 1 or 2 inches of the surface soil into the middle of the rows in a ridge, there- 

 after put on a coating of good rich manure to the depth of 3 or 4 inches, replace 

 the soil over the manure, and the operation is finished. This done every second 

 year will be found to be enough to enable the plants to produce a very good crop 

 of fruit. 



The diseases to which the Raspberry is liable may be said to be nil, as there 

 is no disease known to attack it where planted in soil suited to its nature and 

 liberally manured. Its insect enemies are also few. The Raspberry leaf- 

 miner is occasionally found to injure and destroy the cellular tissues of the 

 leaf, which soon assumes a blotched appearance. Gathering the leaves so 

 affected, and having them destroyed, is the only known remedy. The grub of 

 the Byturus tomentosus sometimes attacks the fruit when nearly ripe ; and 

 although its ravages are not noticed to a very great extent, yet it is unpleasant to 

 think that such a thing should exist within the bright and tempting fruit. 

 There is no remedy known. Another enemy is the grub of the Tinea corticella, 

 which sometimes does great injury to our Raspberry crops by consuming the 

 interior of the young flower and footstalk of the young fruit. About the begin- 

 ning of June the caterpillar becomes a pupa, and about the middle of that month 

 becomes the perfect moth. In a few days it begins to deposit its eggs on the 

 stems of the young wood, these eggs producing larvae about the middle of August, 

 which feed upon the leaves till winter, after which it hides itself until the follow- 

 ing spring. Gathering those flowers which appear afiected by it, and having them 

 destroyed, appears to be the only remedy. 



James M'Millan. 

 [To he continued.) 



