TRAILING BLACKBERRIES 415 



cial point of view except, perhaps, for local markets. It is magnifi- 

 cent on a garden fence or trellis. 



Several varieties of "thornless blackberries" have been intro- 

 duced by Mr. Burbank and others, and, after fuller trial, some of 

 them may be expected to become popular. 



The Dewberry. The improved varieties of the dewberry, or 

 trailing blackberry, are now quite widely known and highly praised, 

 but are chiefly grown for home use. Some growers use trellises ; 

 others train the vines along rows on the ground surface. The 

 following is the method of Mr. A. M. Munger, of Fresno, and 

 includes irrigation arrangements: 



For planting the Lucretia dewberry, prepare the ground by plowing 

 deep and cultivating until the dirt is thoroughly pulverized. Set the plants 

 about three inches deep and four feet apart, in rows, leaving a space of six 

 feet between the rows. Plant between February 15th and March 15th. Ir- 

 rigate as often as once a month, always thoroughly cultivating after each 

 irrigation. By so doing a sufficient growth is secured to produce a good 

 crop the second year. Immediately after the first rainfall, generally in 

 October, the vines should be pruned by cutting back within about sixteen 

 inches of the base of the vine. 



In February of the second year, plow between the rows with a small 

 one-horse plow, turning the furrows toward the vines, but using a shield so 

 as not to cover them. Follow immediately with a hoe, drawing the dirt 

 up under the vines and forming a ridge. This ridge should be high enough 

 to keep the vines up out of the water when irrigating. After this ridge 

 is formed, water should be run quite often, as the dewberry requires a great 

 deal of water to mature properly. The vines should be irrigated as often 

 as three times at least during the spring. The fruit begins to ripen in 

 Fresno about May 25th, and continues about one month. The dewberry 

 roots readily from the tips without covering if the soil is loose and moist. 

 If many plants are desired it is advisable to cover slightly, and the tips 

 will root as soon as the soil is moistened by the fall rains. 



A trellising method for dewberries consists in driving posts to 

 stand about three feet high, for the dewberry can not be trained 

 up as high as other berries. Make a half hoop of coarse wire extend- 

 ing from the root of the plant over the arms at top of the post and 

 training the plants on this. The rows are usually six feet apart and 

 the plants six feet apart in the rows. The vines should be well 

 thinned to produce large berries. 



What may be called a clean sweep with Lucretia dewberries is 

 thus described by Mr. A. H. King, a very successful grower of 

 St. Helena, Napa County: 



In the fall I planted 1500 dewberry plants six feet apart, in rows with 

 seven feet distances. I made trellises by setting posts firmly in the ground 

 at the ends of each row, and driving four-foot grape stakes every twelve 

 feet along the rows. Number twelve wire was stretched between the 

 posts and stapled on top of the stakes. The next fall there was plenty 

 of long vines which I gathered up, two or three at a time, and wound in 

 long turns around the wire, tucking one end under now and then to keep 

 vines from unwinding. The canes were arranged on the wire so as to 

 be fan shaped from the stump upward to the wire. The following year, 

 a very heavy crop of fruit ripened from the ground to the top of the 

 trellis and along the wire. The new growth started early, and soon cov- 

 ered not only the trellis but filled up all the space between the rows, 

 making it difficult to get the berries and preventing irrigation. When it 



