178 CROP PRODUCTION 



Black Raspberries have become important commercial 

 fruits in practically all northern markets and have also 

 been largely utilized for drying. The fact that the berries 

 are fairly firm enables them to stand shipment better 

 than the red raspberries. The evaporated product is 

 on sale throughout the year and has led to the establish- 

 ment of great plantations in the neighborhood of the 

 evaporating factories. In a single county in New York 

 one thousand tons of dried raspberries have been pro- 

 duced annually. 



Culture 



Black Raspberries thrive in a deep, rich, loamy soil. 

 On a large scale they are planted in hills five or six feet 

 apart each way and cultivated in both directions by 

 horse power. On a smaller scale and in home gardens 

 they are set in rows about four feet apart, the plants 

 being about three feet apart in the row. The trans- 

 planting is best done in early spring. The plants should 

 be set three or four inches deep and gradually covered 

 deeper as the new shoots develop. When thus set 

 rather deep they withstand dry weather better because 

 the roots are further from the surface and the canes 

 being more deeply imbedded in the soil are less likely 

 to be blown over than when the plants are set nearer the 

 surface. All large canes should be cut back severely. 



The Raspberry plantation requires frequent tillage to 

 conserve moisture and prevent the growth of weeds. 

 It is especially important to keep out witch-grass or 

 other grasses having a similar habit of growth. The 

 young canes should be cut or pinched off as soon as they 

 reach a height of two feet : they will lengthen some after 



