THE RASPBBBBT, 173 



the rows may be set four feet apart. If set at two feet apart in 

 the row, the plants will soon form a continuous hedp;e, and any 

 suckers appearing between the rows, unless wanted for a new 

 plantation, should be treated as weeds and thoroughly cut up. 



The plants should be prepared for setting out by cutting 

 back the cane or top to within three or four inches of the root. 

 A growth of leaves or shoots is not wanted from this cane ; such 

 growth only serves to exhaust the plant; but what is wanted is 

 a good strong growth of new shoots from the root. These will 

 gurvive the winter and produce fruit the next summer, while aU 

 the growth from the top or old cane will only die when autxunn 

 comes ; and if this top should bear fruit, as it very likely will, 

 the effect is to exhaust the root and enfeeble, if not wholly ruin, 

 the yoimg root sprout that forms the cane for next year. If no 

 sprout comes up from the roots, and survives the summer, though 

 the top you plant may bear leaves, and shoots and fruit, in the 

 autunm it will die, and the whole plant with it. 



The Easpberry is a sort of biennial plant; the canes that 

 come up from the root this season will bear finiit next summer 

 and die in the autumn, and if from any cause no new canes come 

 up during the summer to supply their place, there will be nothing 

 to continue the plant another year, and it wholly fails. For this 

 reason it is best to cut away the top when planting, leaving only 

 enough to show its position after it has been set out. 



The cultivation during the first season after planting will con- 

 sist in keeping the soil well stirred on the surface and free from 

 weeds. Those who wish to economize groiind and labor may 

 plant bush beans between the rows, without injury to the Easp- 

 berry plants. In the autumn or very early in the spring, but 

 better in the autumn, the plants should be liberally supplied 

 with barnyard manure spread on the surface over the roots. 

 This should be allowed to remain there, becoming gradually in- 

 corporated with the soil by the tilling, and renewed as often as 

 it becomes wasted, so that the roots may be kept cool and moist 

 in. Bummer, e.ud protected from the extremes of the winter's frost. 

 13 



