RASPBERRY. 131 



climate. The fact that one class succeeds better in a 

 heavy soil than a light one should not be overlooked, even 

 at the South, but taken advantage of whenever practicable. 



SELECTION OF PLANTS. 



The canes of all the varieties of Raspberries are only 

 biennial, that is, canes are produced one year, bear fruit 

 the next, and then die ; therefore there is no such thing 

 as two or three year old plants, as with trees and vines, 

 when we refer to the stems, but the roots may be several 

 years old, as they are perennial. One year old plants are 

 the best for transplanting in all cases. Suckers are con- 

 sidered the best plants with those kinds which produce 

 them, but plants grown from root cuttings, if the opera- 

 tion is properly performed, are equally as good, and some- 

 times they are really superior, because furnished with a 

 larger number of fibrous roots. The same may be said of 

 those grown from cuttings of the stems; they may be of 

 first rate quality or otherwise. 



The old stools may also be taken up and divided and 

 planted again, but such plants are not to be recommended, 

 and should never be used if it can be avoided. With 

 those kinds which produce plants from the tips of the 

 canes, it is more important to select none older than one 

 season, because the old plants produce new fibers very 

 slowly at the best, and when transplanted they are very 

 likely to fail, even with the best of care. 



PLANTING AND CULTURE. 



Thorough preparation of the soil before planting is jus 

 as important with the Raspberry as with other fruits. 



Planting in rows and then restricting the plants to hills 

 or stools, as it is termed, is the usual method. 



The rows should be four to six feet apart, according to 

 the variety cultivated. With the Antwerp, and similar 

 varieties, four feet each way is the usual distance, but with 



