CHAPTER XI. 



THE RASPBERRY AND BLACKBERRY. 



PROPAGATION. Most varieties are increased with great facility by 

 suckers ; a few, as the American Black and American White, are 

 propagated readily by layers, the tips of the recurved branches when 

 slightly buried, soon taking root. New varieties are raised from 

 seeds, and come into bearing the second year. 



The soil for the raspberry should be rich and approaching moist, 

 and an admixture of swamp muck is useful. A strong deep loam 

 is the only soil from which a full crop may be expected every sea- 

 son. If sandy or gravelly, or a stiff, cold clay, it cannot be relied 

 upon. But the most important requisite is depth, only to be attained 

 by deep trenching, and which will go far towards affording a remedy 

 for any natural defect of the soil. The most tender varieties may 

 be raised on higher, drier, and firmer spots of ground, being there 

 less liable to severe frosts in cases where winter covering cannot be 

 applied. 



The culture is simple. It consists in pruning each spring, keep- 

 ing all weeds and grass well cleared away from the stems, and the 

 soil mellow and clean by cultivation. 



The pruning should be done early in spring. It consists in cutting 

 out all but the last year's growth, together with all the smaller shoots, 

 even with the ground, leaving only five or six of the last summer's 

 canes for future bearing. These are to be cut off three or four feet 

 high, and neatly tied together, using a stake to stiffen them if neces- 

 sary. In tying, they should be allowed to spread slightly at the top, 

 in the form of a wine-glass (Fig. 473). The distance asunder should be 

 about four feet. Another mode is to stretch a wire along the row, 

 spread the canes out in contact with it, and secure them by cord or 

 wire loops (Fig. 474). 



In many parts of the Northern States, some tender varieties need 

 winter protection. This is easily given, by covering the stems, when 

 prostrate, very thinly with earth ; placing a small mound of earth 



