334 ANNUAL REPORT. 



The average farmer cannot afford to experiment, and is easily discouraged with 

 one failure. For such, a few varieties only can be named that are entirely reliable. 



The Wilson for clay ground. Downers Prolific for sandy soil, and the Crescent 

 seedling with a fertilizer for either soil, will with proper care, well repay one for 

 time and labor. In order to reduce the labor, I mean hand labor, to the lowest 

 point, this and all other small fruit should as far as possible be placed upon clean 

 ground, in rows of such length that the cultivation can be mainly done with a 

 horse. Rows of ten rods In length are short enough to be conveniently managed. 

 If every farmer would set apart half an acre to be devoted to small fruit, and plant 

 so as to be easily cultivated, the fruit return would pay him a hundred fold 

 besides enhancing the value of his farm in the opinion of any intelligent buyer. 



KASPBERKIES. 



Raspberries follow strawberries in season, and there is no small fruit grown more 

 easily than the red varieties. After the first year of planting the amount of work 

 given them does not necessarily involve more than is usually given the same 

 quantity of corn or potatoes, and a selection of two or three kinds will prolong the 

 season, till blackberries are ripe. Plants set ten years ago of the Philadelphia and 

 Turner have produced nine good crops, some very large yields, and are still in good 

 condition, without any hand labor except trimming out and picking; the cultivation 

 being done with a horse and small plow or cultivator. Some growers practice 

 trimming in the fall, and laying the canes down, and with a team and large plow 

 turning backfurrows over the rows, claiming that they are thus certain not to be 

 injured by the cold. Others do not disturb the bushes in the fall after picking the 

 fiuit, claiming that the surplus bush retains the snow, and thus enable them to 

 endure the cold without damage. The Wisconsin growers pinch back the growing 

 canes to make them branch out, but it is doubtful if this method is beneficial after the 

 first year of growth, with any of the red varieties, while it is absolutely necessary 

 with the black ones to secure large yields. The black varieties were abundant in 

 the market at Winona a few years since. The kinds were Mammoth Cluster, 

 Seneca, Miami, Davison Thornless, and Doolittle ; mostly the latter. There are 

 at present some of the Gregg, a disease having attacked the others and nearly or 

 quite destroyed them. The disease was not the well known rust or yellows, but 

 the tender shoots had the appearance of being stung with an insect which killed 

 them. No known black variety will stand our winters as will the red ones, but if 

 it is desirable to try them, the Doolittle is probably the most reliable for hardiness 

 and quantity of fruit. 



BLACKBERRIES. 



Very few farmers have tried to raise blackberries; where they have tried, they 

 have succeeded beyond their expectations. In addition to the cost of cultivating, 

 they need to be protected in winter. The cultivation does not require much hand 

 labor. The method of protection for winter in a great measure fills the place of 

 hoeing, etc. Farther south it is advised to sow clover between the rows; cutting it 

 and. using as a mulch between the hills. That plan is not practicable here. Shallow 

 plowing, turning the furrows to the rows and then from them to keep the surface 

 level and the weeds and suckers down, is the cheapest and easiest way to cultivate 

 them. Large stout canes that have been pinched back will produce the most fruit. 



