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RASPBERRY AND BLACKBERRY IN WINONA COUNTY. 207 
THE RASPBERRY AND BLACKBERRY IN WINONA 
COUNTY. 
L. R. WIDMOYER, DRESBACH. 
Winona county is situated in the southeastern part of the state. 
The surface of this county is undulating, or hilly. Itis more uneven 
in the eastern and northern parts than in the western and southern 
parts. This is owing to the fact that all the large drainage valleys 
are in the eastern and northern portions of the county. 
Along the Mississippi river the land lies in terraces. These are 
more noticeable in some parts than in others, and they disappear 
altogether as you go farther inland. The land then becomes more 
rolling. Many valleys branch out from the Mississippi river and 
extend back into the county. These valleys send out tributaries 
which intersect, making a perfect net workof hills and vales all 
over the surface of the county. 
The soil of these valleys is generally well adapted to the growing 
of the raspberry and blackberry, butthe industry is chiefly confined 
to a narrow belt along the Mississippi river. There are, however, 
several farms farther inland where raspberries and blackberries are 
grown. The soil of the county is a loose loam but differs in some 
localities. In some places there is a rich, black sandy soil, while in 
others we find a sandy clay loam. On the new timber land and in 
some of the narrower valleys, the soilis a moist, loose clay witha 
layer of humus on the surface. 
The subsoil is usually open clay but in some places consists of a 
layer of gravel next to the surface and then a layer of clay under 
that. In some portions of the county the subsoil consists of a hard 
blue clay. The soil over this is very wet. 
The climate of the county in winter is not very favorable for these 
two fruits, consequently.they must be carefully protected. The cli- 
mate in summer is just the opposite. It sometimes gets quite dry, 
in summer, and irrigation becomes recessary, but this is not the 
case every year. 
It is a disputed question as to which slope is the best for raspber- 
ries and blackberries. Some say a northern slope, for it is 
not subject to drought to the same extent as other slopes. 
Some say the southern slope, while still others say the east- 
ern. I have concluded from observation that it doesn’t make 
much difference what slope is selected in Winona county, that 
is, if proper care is taken to protect the plants. I will not 
say that this would hold good all over the state, but I am 
satisfied that it is invariably true in the berry district of Winona 
county, because of the way the land is cut up by valleys. In these 
narrow valleys the fruit is protected as much on one slope as on an- 
other. I have seen this proved in more than one instance. A good 
illustration can be had if one will take the time to go over Mr. H. 
Decker’s fruit farm. This farm is back a mile or so from the river, 
and lies on several different slopes. Mr. Decker has raspberries and 
blackberries on an eastern, on a southern,on a northernand a small 
portion on a western slope. He says that he has had very good 
