532 



ROSACEJE. VIII. RUBCS. 



white Dutch among currants ; and although some may be found 

 nearly to equal them, yet it is doubtful whether they are yet ex- 

 ceeded by any. 



Propagation. The varieties can be perpetuated by the young 

 suckers, which spring from the root in spring and summer ; 

 when these have completed one year's growth they are proper to 

 detach with roots for planting, either in the autumn or die next 

 spring in February or March, but never later than the middle of 

 April. These new plants will bear some fruit the same year, 

 and furnish a succession of strong bottom shoots for full bearing 

 the second season. New varieties are easily raised from seed, 

 and they will come into bearing the second year. 



Soil and site. All the varieties will succeed in any common 

 mould, trenched about 2 feet deep, and sufficiently manured ; 

 but the soil in which the raspberry bush prospers most and bears 

 the finest fruit, is in a light rich loam. Allot the main crop a 

 free exposure to the sun, that the berries may ripen in perfec- 

 tion. Be careful to favour the double bearers with a dry soil, 

 and a sheltered sunny situation, to give the second crop every 

 aid in coming to maturity. When ra.ipberries are cultivated on 

 a large scale it is best to keep them in plantations by them- 

 selves. Set them in rows from 4 to 6 feet asunder, as the 

 bushes are of the smaller or larger kinds, and by 3 or 4 feet in 

 the row. Scattered bushes may either occupy a small row 

 lengthwise along the back part of a border, or stand in detached 

 stools, at 10 or 15 feet distance. Select sorts are frequently 

 trained against walls, stakes, or espaliers, from the most sunny 

 to the most shady aspect, for early and late fruit of improved 

 growth and flavour. Neill says " the raspberry bush grows 

 freely in any good garden soil; but it is the better for being 

 slightly moist. Although the place be inclosed by trees, and 

 even slightly shaded, the plant succeeds. In an inclosed and 

 well sheltered quarter, with rather a damp soil, containing a pro- 

 portion of peat moss, we have seen very great crops of large 

 and well flavoured berries produced ; for example at Melville- 

 house, the seat of the earl of Leven, in Fifeshire." Haynes also 

 recommends well manured bog-earth, and a situation naturally 

 or artificially shaded. 



New plantations. Raspberry bushes are in their prime about 

 the third and fourth year, and, if well managed, continue in per- 

 fection 5 or 6 years ; after which they are apt to decline in growth, 

 and the fruit to become small, so that a successive plantation 

 should be provided in time. Select new plants from vigorous 

 shoots, in full perfection as to bearing. 



Slimmer culture. Keep them free from weeds during the 

 summer by hoeing between the rows, at the same time loosen 

 the earth about the plants ; under this management the plants, if 

 tolerably strong, will both yield a moderate crop the first sea- 

 son, and supply young stems for bearing in greater plenty and 

 perfection the following season, and so from year to year the 

 summer culture should be repeated. As the plants get esta- 

 blished let all straggling suckers between the rows, or from the 

 extreme roots of single shoots, be cleared out by hoeing, or 

 twisted oflF to admit the air and sun freely to the fruit. The 

 fruit of the raspberry may be obtained of a very large size, other 

 circumstances being favourable, by destroying all the suckers; 

 but in this way, the plant being destroyed, a double plantation is 

 wanted, one to grow only suckers, and the other fruit. 



Pruning and ninter dressing. It is requisite every winter or 

 spring to cut out the dead stems, and to thin and regulate the 

 successional young shoots. This annual pruning may be per- 

 formed any time during open weather from November till the 

 beginning of April. When kitchen garden crops are cultivated 

 between the rows it is most convenient to do this as soon as the 

 old bearers begin to decay. As to pruning indiscriminately in 

 the open weather of winter, it sometimes happens that severe 



frosts immediately follow, and partially kill the plants ; there- 

 fore it is safer to shorten the tender young shoots early in the 

 spring, but let it not be deferred till the buds are making new 

 shoots, as that would weaken the root. Cut out all the old dead 

 stems close to the bottom, and having selected from the strongest 

 young shoots on each main stool 3-4 or 5 to be preserved for a 

 succession of bearers, cut away the superabundant shoots close 

 to the ground. Let each of the shoots retained be pruned at the 

 top below the weak bending part, cutting them in smaller 

 plants to about 3 or 4 feet in length, and in the large sorts to 

 the length of 5 or 6 feet. If any of the stems diverge irregu- 

 larly, or straggle much asunder, they may be tied together at 

 the top, and thus the strong ones will support the weaker, or the 

 taller varieties may have the support of stakes. Prune plants 

 against a wall or trellis in the same manner as directed above, 

 and train the shoots to rise a little diagonally. After pruning, 

 having cleared away the cuttings, dig the ground between and 

 about the plants. To turn in a little rich compost will conduce 

 to plentiful and fine returns ; lay it at the extremities of the 

 roots, and deeper as the plantation gets older. Eradicate all 

 straggling suckers. 



Taking the crop. " The fruit of the different varieties comes 

 in from the end of June or July till October or later. As it 

 ripens it should be timely gathered for immediate use, because 

 when fully ripe it will not keep above 2 or 3 days before it 

 moulds or becomes maggoty, and unfit to be used." Aber- 

 crombie. 



Var. ft, microphyllus (Wallr. sched. p. 226.) leaves all ternate; 

 stems suffruticose, bushy, humble. 



Raspberry. Fl. May, June. Britain. Shrub 4 to 6 feet. 



27 R. MENZIE'SII (Hook, fl. bor. amer. p. 179.) stems pro- 

 cumbent, terete, prickly, glabrous ; branches short, pubescently 

 tomentose, prickly ; leaves pinnately trifoliate ; leaflets broad, 

 ovate, slightly lobed, unequally serrated, on short petioles, hairy 

 above, paler and very hairy beneath ; panicle terminal, few- 

 flowered ; pedicels and calyxes prickly ; calycine segments 

 ovate, acute, mucronate, tomentose, shorter than the corolla. 

 Tj . H. Native of North-west America. Flowers red. 



Menzies's Bramble. Shrub procumbent. 



28 R. MACROPE'TALUS (Doug. mss. in Hook, fl. bor. amer. p. 

 178. t. 59.) hairy; stem tall, shrubby; branches angular, slen- 

 der, elongated ; petioles, peduncles, calyxes, and ribs of leaves 

 beneath beset with bristly prickles ; leaflets 3, ovate, acute, deep- 

 ly-lobed, serrated, membranous, terminal one on a long petiole, 

 but the lateral ones are on short petioles ; stipulas lanceolate ; 

 peduncles 2-flowered ; calycine segments long-acuminated, about 

 equal in length to the petals, which are oblong and white. I? . 

 H. Native of North-west America, on the banks of rivers and 

 in low woods in the valley of the Columbia. Flowers white. 

 Habit of R. spectdbilis. 



Far. ft, myriacanthus (Doug, mss.) leaflets obtuse. 

 Long-petallcd Bramble. Shrub. 



2. Leaves with 3-5 leaflets, disposed in a palmate manner. 



Shrubby. Stipulas petiolar , linear. 



29 R. LACINIA'TUS (Willd. hort. berol. t. 82,) stem nearly 

 terete ; prickles dilated at the base, compressed, recurved, 

 strong ; leaves with 3-5 leaflets ; leaflets dissected and sharply 

 serrated, puberulous beneath ; flowers in loose panicles ; caly- 

 cine segments lanceolate, tomentose, and prickly, somewhat 

 foliaceous and reflexed at the apex ; petals obovate-cuneated, 3- 

 lobed at the apex; akenia roundish, black. %. H. Native 

 country unknown. Wats. dend. brit. 69. Flowers white or 

 rose-coloured. 



Jagged-leaved. Bramble. Fl. June, Sept. Clt. ? Sh. straggling. 



