394 ANNUAL REPORT. 



Among the black raspberries the Doolittle is the earliest, and 

 as hardy as any known variety. 



The Mammoth Cluster in hardiness ranks second, with large 

 fruit and of fair quality. 



The Gregg is the largest and latest of all the blackcaps. The 

 fruit, owing to its large size and great beauty, is very attractive. 

 Owing to its late growth it is very apt to kill down from a third 

 to a half unless planted in a favorable location. It is advisable 

 to grow a few plants of this variety. 



In growing raspberries for profit, aside from cultivating and 

 mulching, due attention must be given to thinning out, pinching 

 back, and cutting off in the spring all diseased stocks or wood. 

 When the new plants of the red raspberry attain a height of four 

 and a half or five feet the leaders should be pinched back. This 

 will stop the upward growth and make the plants stocky. In the 

 spring when the new plants start all should be destroyed except 

 two or three in the hill, and they should be a little apart. In 

 the spring all injured or dead wood must be cut away without 

 fail. If not the fruit will be small and poor. 



There is no profit in growing small berries for market; the 

 extra cost of picking and the reduced price of selling will take 

 all the profit. For that reason we recommend planting them a 

 little further ajjart than is usually done. This gives the plants 

 an abundance of air and sunshine, which makes the fruit larger, 

 firmer, and of better color, and the yield per acre is equally 

 good, if not better, than when they are closer. There are 

 several varieties that I have not spoken of that it would be well 

 for the society to recommend for trial. The soil for raspberries 

 should be dry and moderately rich. 



The president said that he had only covered a few of the most 

 I)rominent points of raspberry culture, merely an outline. He 

 had laid a foundation, as it were, and the subject was now open 

 for discussion. 



GENERAL DISCUSSION. 



The question being asked how far apart plants should be set 

 and how many canes should be left in a hill, Mr. Chandler said 

 that his method was to put the plants four feet apart and six feet 

 between the rows. He only left four or five canes in a hill, not 

 very often more than that. 



Mr. Pearce. I would say that it is best to put them a good 



