RASPBERRIES PRUNING. 209 



bearing or fruiting cane (E\ with abundance of fibry roots, should be shortened half 

 its length (2), the result (</) being some growths and a little fruit on the old cane (/), 

 to be cut away at the bar after bearing, or towards the end of the summer ; then one or 

 two vigorous young canes (g) will follow for producing fruit the following year, after 

 being shortened in the winter in proportion to their strength (h). If a strong well-rooted 

 fruiting cane (F) is left nearly its full length the first year, merely cutting off a few 

 inches of the tip (), a number of fruits may be produced, and the consequences are 

 exhaustion (K): i, old cane to be cut out at the bar when the fruit is gathered; 

 /, weak canes, which must be cut hard back (k). 



Canes allowed to bear heavily the first year after planting rarely push others 

 strong enough to afford fruit in the second season. Shortening newly-planted oanes is, 

 therefore, imperative. "Weak and badly rooted plants should be cut down to the ground 

 or near thereto, and all shortened at least half their length early in the spring. This 

 will encourage the production of strong sucker growths the next summer. It is neces- 

 sary to reduce these suckers to two of the strongest when more push from the base in 

 the first year. This must be done carefully so as not to disturb the rootstock. Offsets 

 springing a foot or more from the rootstock may be pulled up, placing one foot firmly 

 on the ground just clear of the offset on the side next the parent. One or two vigorous 

 canes being secured the first year for bearing in the second, the only pruning required 

 is to cut off the portion of two-year-old at the ground and shorten the young 

 according to their vigour. Sturdy canes will only need 4 to 6 inches of their weak 

 curved tips removed ; those moderately vigorous may be shortened one-third to half their 

 length, and the short, also weak, should be cut down to the ground, with a view to their 

 pushing vigorous canes from the base the following summer. 



Assuming that all has gone well in the first year, the canes then produced will bear 

 fruit from the side branchlets in the second year and suckers will proceed from the base, 

 forming the canes for fruiting in the third season ; ajbout three or four of the strongest 

 and best placed will be sufficient to leave on each plant, removing the remainder early 

 or as soon after as they can be grasped by a gloved hand. The pruning for the year 

 consists in removing the old canes after fruiting and shortening the new ones in the 

 autumn. 



In the third season a good crop of fine fruit should be produced, also strong suckers 

 from the bnse ; about four or six of the strongest are sufficient to leave on each plant, 

 removing the remainder. That number of young growths is ample in this and sucoee iiug 



\OL. m. K E 



