250 SUCCESS WITH SMALL FRUITS. * 



PROPAGATION, CULTURE, ETC. 



In most instances I think more difficulty would be found 

 in making a blackberry die than live. A plant set out in 

 fall or early spring will thrive if given the ghost of a chance. 

 Late spring plantings, however, often fail if subjected to heat 

 and drought while in the green, succulent condition of early 

 growth. Like the raspberry, the blackberry should be set, 

 if possible, while in a dormant condition. If planted late, 

 shade should be given and moisture maintained until dan- 

 ger of wilting and shrivelling is past. I advise decidedly 

 against late spring plantings on a large scale, but in early 

 spring planting I have rarely lost a plant. Almost all that 

 has been said concerning the planting and propagation of 

 raspberries applies to this fruit. Set the plants two or three 

 inches deeper than they were before. With the exception 

 of the early Wilson, all speedily propagate themselves by 

 suckers, and this variety can be increased readily by root 

 cuttings. Indeed, better plants are usually obtained from 

 all varieties by sowing slips of the root, as has already been 

 explained in the paper on raspberries. 



The treatment of the blackberry can best be indicated by 

 merely noting wherein its requirements differ from the last- 

 named and kindred fruit. For instance, it does best on 

 light soils and in sunny exposures. The partial shade, and 

 moist, heavy land in which the raspberry luxuriates would 

 produce a rank growth of canes that winter would generally 

 find unripened, and unable to endure the frost. Warm, 

 well-drained, but not dry land, therefore, is the best. On 

 hard, dry ground, the fruit often never matures, but be- 

 comes mere collections of seeds. Therefore the need in 

 the preparation of the soil of deep plowing, and the thor- 

 ough loosening, if possible, of the subsoil with the lifting 



