The Canadian Horticulturist. 383 



the season of 1890, from which he had cleared $15-55, ^^^ similar crops at 

 other times had been harvested. The fruit this season is of a fine size and well 

 colored, a special feature being the absence of scab which so destroys the 

 Flemish Beauty in some sections. 



The people of the Beaver Valley are alive to their own interests, and have 

 vigorously enforced the black knot by-law during the last seven years, and this 

 forethought has been worth thousands of dollars in this valley. 



I 



THE FALL CARE OF BERRY PLANTS. 



INTER protection is an absolute necessity for growing small fruit 

 successfully in a Northern climate. It should be practiced in 

 every locality where the temperature reaches zero or below. With 

 the high cultivation now practiced, a large and tender growth is 

 stimulated, hence the greater necessity for maintaining as uniform 

 a temperature as possible throughout the winter. Even in localities 

 where plants show no injury, and among those considered most 

 hardy, the quality is often affected and the succeeding crop very much reduced. 

 The best winter protection for blackberries, raspberries and grapes consists in 

 laying them down and covering lightly with dirt. All old canes and weak new- 

 growth should be cut out and burned soon after fruiting, leaving only strong, 

 vigorous plants. 



If plants have been well mulched in the summer with green clover, clean 

 straw or coarse manure, as they should be, less dirt is required by using this 

 mulching. In laying plants down (the rows running north and south) begin at 

 the north end, remove the dirt from the north side of the hill about 4 in. deep ; 

 gather the branches in close form with a wide fork, raising it toward the top of 

 the bush and press gently to the north, at the same time placing the foot firmly 

 on the base of the hill and press hard toward the north. If the ground is hard 

 or bushes old, a second man may use a potato fork instead of the foot, inserting 

 the same deeply, close to the south side of the hill, and press over slowly, bend- 

 ing the bush in the root until nearly flat on the grou id. The bush is then held 

 down with a wide fork until properly covered. 



The top of the succeeding hill should rest near the base of the preceding 

 hill, thus making a continuous covering. This process is an important one, but 

 easily acquired with a little practice. In the spring remove the dirt carefully 

 with a fork and slowly raise the bush. With hardy varieties and in mild winters, 

 sufficient protection may be had by laying down and covering the tips only. 

 Grapes, beins: more flexible, are laid down without the removal of the dirt near 

 the vine. There is no more miportant work on the fruit farm or garden than 

 wmter protection and there is no work nrrore generally neglected. Let it be 

 done thoroughly after frosts have come and before winter sets in. — M. A. Thayer, 

 in Farm and Home. 



