SMALL P^RUITS. 77 



directions, at the same time making better space about the plants 

 for picking the fruit and tying and pruning the canes. Root 

 suckers can be removed more easily in this way, and the fruit is 

 exposed more evenly to the sun. 



The first year a root crop can be planted among raspberries 

 grown six by six feet and will help defray the expenses of planting 

 and caring for them. However, if a root crop is planted, cultiva- 

 tion can only be carried on in one. direction, and this will necessitate 

 more hand labor. In our climate the canes should be laid down 

 and covered with soil early in November. The following spring, 

 as soon as danger from cold drying winds is over and before the 

 buds swell under the cover, remove the soil and tie the canes up to 

 a stout stake. The first year's crop should pay the first cost of set- 

 ting. The fruiting canes are cut away as soon as the berries are 

 picked and the new canes pinched back in order to make them 

 branch low for it is better to head back the bushes in order to make 

 them stocky and more able to support the weight of berries. Spring 

 pruning consists in cutting out all dead wood and shortening the 

 laterals to about six buds. It is a good plan to sow some legumi- 

 nous crop among raspberries. Cut the crop when green and leave 

 the top on the ground as a mulch for the plants ; this will keep down 

 excessive suckers and weeds during the fruiting season; and after- 

 wards this crop can be ploughed in. The best varieties of rasp- 

 berries for this locality are Cuthbert, Loudon, Miller, and Worthy. 



The black raspberries, or Black Caps as they are frequently 

 called, are grown very extensively in Central New York where 

 more than ISDO tons of the fruit are annually dried or evaporated. 

 This promises to become an important industry especially where 

 local markets are too far away to be supplied with fresh fruit. 

 This dried product which is shipped to places where there is no 

 fresh fruit sells for 15 to 25 cents a pound, and 750 pounds are 

 often dried from one acre. This class of raspberries is not as popu- 

 lar as the Reds, but is grown in many gardens for variety. These 

 black caps root from the tips, and are better planted in the spring. 

 Among the best varieties are Kansas, Gregg, Ohio, Palmer, and 

 Tyler. 



The Purple Canes which are hybrids of the Red and Black Caps 

 are among the most productive of all raspberries. The best vari- 

 eties are Columbian, Shaffer, and Cardinal. 



