368 Landscape Gardening 



hay, straw, or other material 2 . or 3 inches thick be spread 

 over the surface. At the end of the fruiting season the old 

 canes should be cut out and the small weak new canes be 

 cut or pulled, so that the whole growth may be forced into 

 the canes for the next season's fruit. It is the practice 

 of most growers to pinch the ends of the new canes when 

 they are 3 to 4 feet high, which causes them to grow more 

 stocky and require less support. In the more northern sec- 

 tions the canes are bent over and covered lightly with soil 

 to prevent winter-killing. This is a simple matter, and the 

 canes need not be broken if the soil is loosened a little on 

 the south side with a spading fork and they are bent over 

 with a strong pulling motion. They should be bent over 

 toward the south, that the sun during the winter may not 

 strike them with direct rays, and should be uncovered and 

 placed upright as soon as the frost is out of the ground in the 

 spring, as they start into growth earlier when lying on the 

 ground than if standing upright and are thus less liable to 

 be injured by late frosts. 



To keep the canes upright when loaded with fruit, they 

 may be tied to stakes or be supported by tying the canes in 

 from opposite sides, one cane thus supporting the other. 

 No. 14 or 16 wires stretched on each side of the rows from 

 12 to 15 inches apart serve as good supports. When grown 

 on a strong soil, the canes if made to branch by pinching 

 will be large enough to stand up without support. 



The varieties that succeed at the north are the Agawam, 

 Snyder, Eldorado and Taylor, while further south the 

 Early Harvest, Wilson, and Erie may prove more satisfac- 

 tory. 



Under good cultivation the blackberry is very little 

 troubled by insect or fungous pests, but it will generally be 

 best to spray the bushes before they start into growth and 

 again just before the blossoms open with the Bordeaux 



