10 



8 THE FRUIT GROWERS GUIDE. 



exposures. The wild blackberry thrives in waste places, woodlands, lanes, fields, parks, 

 shrubberies, orchards, and gardens. 



Soil. Cold wet clay, pure dry sand, a mere crust of soil on chalk, a thin layer of 

 peat on a hard wet pan, or a bog will not grow blackberries profitably, but deeply 

 worked fertile soil, including moorlands, produce enormous crops. Stagnant water is 

 their greatest bane ; they like moisture, lut it must drain freely away from the 

 rootstocks. A tolerably strong soil affords the finest fruits. The ground in all cases 

 must be deeply stirred, and if at all poor, liberally manured, adding opening material 

 to heavy ground. In the latter and shallow soils it is a good plan to form ridges of pre- 

 pared soil at the distances the rows are to be apart, with the ends north and south. 



Planting. Autumn is the best time, and the smaller and younger the plants, 

 provided they are well rooted, the better they will grow. Transplant carefully ; ex- 

 posure of the roots and delay in transit cause a large percentage of failures. Spring 

 planting may be practised, watering in dry weather and mulching over the roots. 



1. The medium growers, such as Kittatinny, may be planted 3 feet apart, in 

 rows 5 feet asunder. 2. Strong growers, like Early Harvest, 6 feet between the 

 rows, and 4 feet from plant to plant. 3. Trailers, such as Parsley -leaved, rows 9 feet 

 apart, plants 4j feet asunder. Those distances are for plants trained to trellises ; if 

 grown in bush form the plants must be set at the distance named for the rows every 

 way. 4. Walls : if 6 feet, plant each section at the distance advised between the rows ; 

 if 10 feet or more high, the Parsley -leaved only is suitable, and should be placed 

 4J feet apart. 5. Espalier arches spanning walks : Parsley-leaved 4J feet apart. 



Trellises. 1. Ordinary raspberry espaliers answer: 4 feet high for the small, 5 

 feet for the moderate, and 6 feet high for strong-growing varieties. 2. "Wood trellises 

 are easily formed of stout poles thrust into the ground and crossed diagonally, nailing 

 them together at the top crossing, and cutting the top level at 6 feet high. This covered 

 with Parsley-leaved blackberry forms a useful break between the ornamental and 

 vegetable parts of small gardens. 3. Procure sound oak posts and fix them in the ground 

 one at each end of the row. Drive a stout stake into the ground at every 12 feet between 

 the posts, brace the posts, strain a No. 6 galvanised-iron wire from one post to the other, 

 near the top, and secure the wire to the stakes at the same height with small staples. 

 This simple trellis is not more costly than staking each plant, and lasts as long as the 

 plants. 



Training. Cut the plants off level with the ground at planting. Allow the young 



