Notes on Raspberries. 259 



In forming a plantation, they are usually planted in rows five or six 

 feet apart, and about four feet between the plants. The growth of the 

 tender varieties should be afterwards restricted to hills or stools ; the 

 hardy kinds may be allowed to form continuous rows. Their culture 

 consists in removing the old or bearing-canes of the current year as 

 soon as the fruiting season is over, and then permitting only a sufficient 

 number of new canes to grow to occupy the ground without crowding, 

 hoeing or cultivating all others out with the weeds. With the hardier 

 sorts, pinching or shortening in during the latter part of July or in 

 August, induces a branching habit and stocky growth with the strong- 

 growing kinds, rendering the use of stakes unnecessary, and with this 

 treatment I have found them generally very productive. The tender 

 varieties are necessarily confined to hills, and allowed to grow without 

 shortening in. Before severe freezing weather they should be bent 

 down to the ground, and covered lightly with earth or litter, which 

 should be removed pretty early in spring, or as soon as the buds are 

 swelling. 



Of the red i-aspberries the hardiest and best suited for general culture 

 in this region are the Kirtland, Clarke, and Philadelphia, and they are 

 the only ones which have endured our severe winters unprotected. 



The Kirtland is the earliest, and commences to i^ipen during the de- 

 cline of the strawberry season, and is in full bearing when strawberries 

 are past. When well cultivated, and not allowed to sucker too freely, 

 it is very productive. Fruit medium to large ; color bright and hand- 

 some crimson ; tolerably firm ; flavor sweet and agreeable ; richer, but 

 somewhat like the wild red. Perfectly hardy and healthy here, and in 

 the west very reliable and highly prized. From the east and far south, 

 reports are not so favorable. 



The Clarke, though comparatively of recent introduction, has proved 

 very satisfactoiy, and for the past three winters entii^ely hardy without 

 protection. It is of very strong growth, and seems both in wood and 

 foliage perfectly robust and healthy. On rich soils it suckers veiy free- 

 ly, and requires pretty vigorous thinning to be kept in proper bounds, 

 and in best condition for fruitfulness. It is a week or ten days later 

 than the Kirtland, but is a much larger berry, higher flavored, and per- 



