198 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



examining their goods when they receive thein to see that they are 

 in good condition, and that they are in good condition when they 

 plant them, they would have the first requisite to success. I think I 

 have had better success in planting black raspberries in the fall 

 than in the spring. I plant them just as soon as we get enough 

 rains in the fall so the ground is moist, so they will not dry out. 

 They must not dry out, and after planting they can be covered over 

 with a little coarse manure, I think you will have bettei* success 

 than with spring planting. In spring planting, it is absolutely nec- 

 essary that they be in the best of condition when you receive them; 

 and if the dirt is all off the roots so they are in one mass, I believe 

 the idea of root pruning to be a good one, as by pruning you get the 

 roots spread out, and the most particular point is to set them out 

 right. I do not care what you set out, whether strawberries, rasp- 

 berries or any other plants whatever, you must set them carefully 

 and thoroughly. No one can be a good planter unless he gives the 

 most careful attention to setting out his fruits, and the point on 

 w^hich I would lay the most emphasis is to set your plants firmly. 

 It does not make any difference what kind of a tree, or shrub, or 

 plant you are setting out, it must be firmed about the roots in order 

 to insure a successful growth. When I have trees or plants set out 

 in the nursery, the first thing I do is to take hold of the plant and 

 pull, and if they pull out I let the men plant them over at their own 

 expense to teach them a lesson. I do not care what it is, if it is a 

 cabbage plant, it should be set firmly. In raspberries particularly, 

 you want to set them G.rinly, and the top of the ground must be 

 loose, so the moisture will not evaporate and leave the root in a hard, 

 impervious condition. The small roots must have moisture, and 

 the conditions must be such that the roots will not dry out. I think 

 with intelligent setting, either in the fall or in the spring, j^ou can 

 be reasonably successful. We have had quite a successful experi- 

 ence with black raspberries set in rows three and one-half feet apart 

 until thej^ got too thick, and then pull up one row. If you want to 

 occupy all your ground and get quite a crop of fruit the first year, 

 you can leave them two years and then take out every other row. 



ROOT PRUNING. 



Mr. D. C. Converse (Wisconsin]: I am unfortunate enough to be- 

 lieve that the larger the root of a blackcap can be kept the better, 

 and I would like to know what the philosophy is in cutting off the 

 root. I would, I believe, rather take the trouble of making the hole 

 larger than take off any of the root. I believe the great mistake is 

 made in not taking proper notice of the buds, that is, the part that 

 will grow, and tramp down right over the bud, and that is the only 

 reason where I can see that transplanting would be superior to 

 using the tip. 



Pres. Underwood: You ask what the advantage is in cutting off 

 the root. You are familiar with the condition the blackcap roots are 

 in; they have a large cluster of fine roots, that are almost as fine as 

 hair, and the idea in root pruning is to encourage a new growth of 

 roots; and wherever there is a cut in any root it heals over, makes a 



