436 Raspberries. 



CHAPTER XL 



THE RASPBERRY AND BLACKBERRY. 



THE RASPBERRY. 



PROPAGATION. The varieties which have originated from the 

 foreign species (Rubus Idceus) are increased with great facility 

 by suckers ; but plants with better roots may be obtained by 

 planting under glass, with a mild bottom heat, cuttings of the roots 

 an inch or more in length. The American Black Cap and its va- 

 rieties (Rubus occidentalis) are propagated readily by layers, the 

 tips of the recurved branches when slightly buried, soon taking root. 

 This layering may be done in August or September, the tips of the 

 shoots having been nipped about midsummer, and when these 

 branch and form tips bare of leaves, bury them in the soil at an 

 angle of 45 degrees, and they will form fine roots before winter. 

 New varieties are raised from seeds, and come into bearing the 

 second year. 



The soil for the raspberry should be rich, and an admixture of 

 swamp muck is useful. A strong deep loam is the only soil from 

 which a full crop may be expected every season. If sandy or 

 gravelly, or a stiff, cold clay, it cannot be relied upon. But the 

 most important requisite is depth, only to be attained by deep 

 ploughing or trenching, which will go far towards affording a 

 remedy for any natural defect of the soil. The more tender varie- 

 ties may be raised on higher, drier, and firmer spots of ground, 

 where they are less liable to severe frosts . 



The stems of the raspberry are biennial, the canes growing the 

 first season and bearing fruit the second, after which they die, and 

 the new ones take their places. As soon as growth ceases and the 

 leaves drop, the old canes should therefore be cut away. When 

 the new canes have reached a sufficient height the following sum- 

 mer, the tips should be pinched off, to prevent their growing taller, 

 which will cause them to become stout and thick, and to send out 

 side shoots, which in turn should also be pinched back when they 



