25 



during the balance of the year. Of course a thorough culti- 

 vation and hoeing should be kept up. 



Another item of great importance is knowing when to 

 stop cultivation. In orchard practice, we are often glad to 

 discontinue cultivation in July and sow a cover crop. With 

 the red raspberry, I believe cultivation should continue well 

 into August. It is our practice to withhold the planting of 

 the cover crop until this date. I believe that the raspberry 

 plantation winters better if the cultivation is continued until 

 fairly late. Vigorous foliage aids formation of strong fruit 

 buds. 



To many, the idea of a cover crop for raspberries is a 

 new one. It is, however, a very practical thing to do. 

 Primarily, we ought to choose some crop which will be en- 

 tirely killed out during the winter. ]\Iany are thinking that 

 it will require considerable skill to plant a crop as late as 

 the last week in August and then secure growth enough be- 

 fore winter killing, to be of any value. This, however, is 

 secured by employing oats and barley. Nearly all of the 

 reasons favorable to a cover crop in orchard management 

 are equally favorable when employed in a raspberry planta- 

 tion. It prevents the washing of soil, adds humus, avoids 

 deep and severe freezing, and many other things. Thus far 

 I have never been able to figure out a legume Avhich will 

 lend itself profitably to this system of management, but un- 

 doubtedly one will yet be secured. To repeat, use every ef- 

 fort to secure a good heavy sustaining cover crop, yet one 

 which you are sure will winter kill, in order that when 

 spring comes you simply have to incorporate the dry, dead 

 organic matter. This furnishes a good quantity of humus 

 to the soil at the right season. By actual experience, we 

 have been able to grow 30,000 pounds or 15 tons of green 

 matter on an acre after the last week in August, and you can 

 easily figure how^ much dry matter this will return in the 

 spring cultivation. Of course one's soil needs to be in good 

 condition to do this. We usually employ one horse plow to 



