MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 90 
at various times, from the middle of April to the middle of Juve, when the 
plants had made growth of a foot or more, with equal success; indeed, I 
prefer to have them well started if they can be removed ina moist time, 
with some dirt attached to the roots. 
Soil and Location. 
The raspberry cannot be grown successfully in any place under the sun, 
without a good, rich, moist soil, such as you would select to grow a pre- 
mium crop of corn or potatoes, and if those requisites are wanting they can 
only be remedied by abundant manuring, frequent cultivation, and deepen- 
ing of the soil. Moisture is a partial fertilizer, but low moist grounds are 
to be avoided, as producing too much wood of a weak succulent growth, 
which is sure to winter kill. 
The best location that can be found for a raspberry plantation is high, 
level lands, sheltered well from the cold, sweeping winter winds. Many 
’ trees and plants exposed to the full sweep of the winds and sunshine of 
winter, perish, that otherwise would have been perfectiy hardy. The next 
best location and one that will ripen the fruit a little earlier is an eastern 
or southern slope. and if there should be a lack of moisture in the soil it 
may be remedied by mulching. 
Cultivation and Protection. 
Good cultivation consists in keeping the soil mellow and free from 
weeds; and no crop will give better returns for a little extra labor and 
care. The plow should be started early in the season, followed by the 
cultivator at frequent intervals, until the fruit is anout half grown, when 
mulching may take its place. Perhaps no part of the culture of this fruit 
is so important, and has so great an influence on the success of the crop, 
as a careful mulching. It should be applied invariably during the fruiting 
season. It can afterwards be removed, the ground carefully cultivated, and 
then replaced for fall or winter protection. 
Pruning may be considered a part of the cultivation necessary in the 
management of a black cap plantation. The young canes should be short- 
ened in just previous to the ripening of the fruit; this removes them out 
of the way of the pickers, and checks their rambling growth by causing 
the plant to branch out and grow more stocky, thus making it stronger to 
sustain itself and its load of fruit. It also stands the winter better, being 
nearer the ground. 
After the fruiting season is over, the old canes should be removed, as 
they are then entirely worthless, and tend to check the growth of the 
new. If the work has all been properly done the rows of plants at the 
end of the growing season will present a broad top bending over toward 
the ground; and now a little dry straw placed on top of the rows, just 
enough to shade the plants from the sun, will bring them through the 
winter all safe. 
Marketing, &c. 
I am not going to load down your ships for the market, nor guarantee a 
