CULTIVATION OF THE RASPBERRY. 



CULTIVATION OF THE RASPBERRY. 



BY DANIEL HUGHES, IIAVERSTRAW, N. Y. 



FitOM a given amount of money, the Raspberry will, I tliink, return a larger 

 amount of enjoyment and profit than any other fruit — the grape even not excepted. 

 The ras})lierry season is looked forward to with the same earnest longing; both 

 are delightful portions of the circle of the year; the refreshment which charac- 

 terizes the grape is possessed in even a higher degree by some of the fine varieties 

 of the raspberry, such as Knevett's Giant, Rivers' Monthly, and pre-eminently by 

 Brincklc's Orange, which is undoubtedly the finest in cultivation. 



Raspberries may be grown in almost every variety of fertile soil with nearly 

 equal productiveness, but with greatly varied luxuriance, two constant requisites 

 being always maintained — depth and richness of soil. The ground should be 

 worked at least to the depth of eighteen inches, unless it is very retentive of 

 moisture, or the subsoil very obstinate, in which cases water will accumulate at the 

 roots, and cannot be disposed of at much less depth; so that the fibres may avoid 

 the danger of being winter-killed, or death from being laden with water in sum- 

 mer, I have grown them with great success on reclaimed old swamp, and on 

 very open sandy loam, as well as on almost every intermediate grade of soil. 

 Those on reclaimed swamp grew, for the most part, rampantly as regards the 

 plants, but did not produce the best berries, nor the best plants from which to 

 form a new field; the best fruit was uniformly from light upland. 



In manuring for the raspberry, a deep alluvial soil, rich in vegetable mould, 

 will require a light dressing of well-rotted stable manure, with a top dressing of 

 ashes immediately after planting, employing from ten to thirty bushels to the 

 acre. For a light sand or loam, a liberal dressing of compost will be necessary; 

 to four loads of vegetable muck, add one load of rich barnyard manure, and from 

 four to eight bushels of unleached ashes ; and if lime is cheap, it may be advan- 

 tageously used to twice the amount of the ashes, together with salt lye, which is 

 the best addition to the compost that can be used for this fruit. Mulch the roots 

 well, to keep the ground free from weeds; but the grand point to be insisted on is 

 depth of culture, which leaves a constant supply of moisture, obviates the danger 

 of too much wet, and gives scope for the ever active roots to hold their revels, 

 which they manifest in a profusion of fruit. 



For the growing of good fruit it is not necessary that the canes should be sup- 

 ported, though it is advantageous, and also convenient in picking. The most 

 obvious method is to support the canes of each hill with a stake ; but a more 

 effective and convenient way would be to stretch a wire along the rows, supported 

 by a firmly braced post at each end, and at intervals of about thirty feet drive 

 takes into the ground to support the wire at an elevation of about three feet, or 

 feet for the most vigorous growers ; spun yarn will answer 



