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ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL HORTICULTURE 



tern in cultivating; but if it is smooth or 

 level so that it can be cultivated both 

 ways, the check system is, to our mind. 

 preferable. The row system consists of 

 setting the plants in rows, from five to 

 ten feet apart, and the plants from three 

 to five feet apart in the row. The check 

 system is one in which the plants are set 

 five to seven feet apart each way. The 

 distances apart should be determined 

 largely by the nature of the plants. Some 

 varieties tend to grow large and tall while 

 others grow short and stocky. It is prac- 

 ticable to put twice as many of the small 

 varieties on a given area, as of the largest 

 growers. Distances apart will also be de- 

 termined in part by the character of the 

 soil. A very rich soil will support more 

 plants than a poor soil. When the nature 

 and habits of the varieties are determined 

 and when the character of the soil is con- 

 sidered, then the question of distances will 

 be determined, and the method of plant- 

 ing will logically follow. Our preference 

 is toward the check, or square system, if 

 the land is suited to that style of planting. 

 Our reasons are that, by that method, 

 more fruit and better fruit can be pro- 

 duced with a given amount of labor than 

 by any other. By this method the land 

 can be cultivated both ways and the work 

 of hoeing largely eliminated. By this 

 method also the sun shines more evenly 

 upon all parts of the plant and tends to- 

 ward a fuller and more uniform develop- 

 ment of the fruit. 



If the row method is adopted, run a 

 deep furrow where the plants are to be 

 placed. If the square or check method is 

 adopted, mark off the land both ways and 

 run a deep furrow one way. Then prune 

 the broken roots and cut back the top to 

 about four to eight inches in height: they 

 are then ready for setting. In setting the 

 plants, care should be used to prevent the 

 drying of the roots. Perhaps the best 

 method is to place the roots in water, 

 having one man to drop them and two to 

 set them. The three working together 

 make a team. This will set the plants 

 with less labor than a smaller number 

 working a longer period of time. Some 

 recommend that the "dropper" carry the 



plants in a bucket of water. This will do 

 if only a small number are to be set, but 

 if a large field is to be planted it is easier 

 to have a broad water-tight box on a 

 sled, in which the plants are placed, and 

 drawn by a horse. For the number of 

 plants per acre, see our "Table of Dis- 

 tances," page 155. Set the plants from 

 a half to one inch deeper than they 

 grow in the nursery. 



Cultivation 



The cultivation blackberries should re- 

 ceive depends mostl.v on the conditions 

 under which they grow. If they grow 

 where there is a lack of moisture, it will 

 be necessary to keep the ground thor- 

 oughly pulverized, so as to form a dust 

 mulch and conserve the moisture. Some- 

 times it will be necessary also to mulch 

 with straw, barnyard manure or leaves. 



In portions of the country where irriga- 

 tion is practiced and where there is 

 plenty of moisture, the land should be 

 cultivated after each and every irriga- 

 tion, which would probably be about every 

 20 to 30 days. In any event, the weeds 

 and the suckers must be kept down and 

 the land kept well pulverized, so that by 

 the process of aeration, the roots are 

 properly supplied with food. 



Training and Staking 



Upon this subject we quote here from 

 W. S. Thornber, formerly professor of 

 horticulture at Pullman, Wash. 



"The 'Upright Growers' where planted 

 in hills can best be staked by a single 

 strong stake from four to six feet in 

 height and the canes loosely but securely 

 fastened to the stake. Some growers pre- 

 fer to set two stakes about 15 inches apart 

 at each hill of blackberries with the idea 

 of training the fruiting canes on one and 

 the growing canes on the other. Where 

 the 'Upright Growers' are planted in a 

 continuous row they may be trained to 

 and supported by a two-wire trellis con- 

 sisting of a single row of posts four to 

 five feet high with a single No. 10 wire 

 stapled to the top and another from 18 

 to 24 inches from the top. The more com- 

 mon method however, is to set a single 

 line of posts four or five feet high in the 

 row, nail an IS-inch cross-arm three feet 



