370 The Canadian Horticulturist. 



RASPBERRY GROWING. 



.«*-• 



OR the benefit of those who have not yet tried it, we would say that 

 a moderate amount of shade makes raspberries better. The sUght 

 shade of trees have made our vines grow more thriftily and the ber- 

 ries larger. The size of the crop has not been diminished at all by 

 the shade. Not only do the vines produce more in bulk on account 

 of the large size of the berries, but in many instances they will yield 

 a larger crop in numbers. After fully proving this matter to my 

 satisfaction, we planted the raspberries in the cherry orchard. The 

 trees afford fair shade to the berries part of the day, and they are kept trimmed 

 up to seven and eight feet from the ground. The results so far have been emi- 

 nently satisfactory. Both cherries, of good quality, and a fine crop of raspberries 

 have been cropped from the field for two seasons now. We see no reason why 

 they should not continue to yield so in the future. The general theory is that 

 large trees sap out the nutriment from the soil, and rob the berry vines that are 

 planted under them. But we can add plenty of manure to keep both vines and , 

 trees well supplied with nourishment. Some of our orchard trees fail to get 

 enough fertilizing, and it may prove a way of inducing farmers to give more 

 attention to their fruit trees. 



Here are some notes taken from our book for this season. A piece of land 

 about two hundred feet square is planted with 2,500 hills of raspberries. We 

 prefer the hill system. The hills are four feet apart each way, with five to six 

 canes left growing in each one every year. All of the rest are cut out in the fall- 

 On this piece of ground we averaged three good quarts to the hill, and the season 

 was not very favorable. Other years we have averaged four quarts to the hill. 

 At ten cents a quart (and many times we received twelve and fourteen), the ber- 

 ries from that land of less than an acre in extent brought in $750. The cost of 

 picking, manuring and cultivating is no greater than for strawberries, leaving the 

 margin of profit largely on the side of the raspberries. — Rural American. 



The Australian Apple Box is similar to those in which California oranges 

 are packed, says the Fruit Trade Journal, outside measurements being 1414 by 

 27^ inches, and 8 inches deep, with one division through the centre. The 

 heads of the boxes and the divisions are made of ^ inch stuff and the sides of 

 ^. The gross weight of a box filled is 50 to 54 lbs., and is supposed to con- 

 tain about 40 lbs. net, with each fruit wrapped in paper. As a rule the apples 

 reach London in good condition. Much depends upon the attention given to 

 the refrigerator, for the apples are almost as much injured by excessive cold as 

 by getting heated. Each steamer employed carries 10,000 to 20,000 boxes, the 

 mail steamers of the P. & O. lines taking about 42 days in transit via the Suez 

 Canal and Mediterranean Sea. 



