VARIOUS SPECIES OF FRUITS 



115 



Where mulches are not used 

 the essential vegetable matter 

 may be supplied by cover 

 crops, the legumes used with 

 caution to prevent getting so 

 much nitrogenous matter that 

 the growths might become 

 rank. 



Blackberry and Red Rasp- 

 berry plants naturally propa- 

 gate from suckers which may 

 develop whenever a root be- 

 comes injured in any way for 

 instance, by tillage. The losses 

 among plants so produced, 

 often in amateur hands, reach 

 a high per cent., in spite of 

 apparently good care in plant- 

 ing. It is claimed by many 

 nurserymen and practical 



Fig. 83. Blackberry before Spring-pruning 



growers that plants produced from root cuttings, though 10 to 

 25 per cent, more costly, are far more successful than sucker plants. 

 Still more expensive perhaps 50 per cent, more, on the average 

 but also more satisfactory in amateur hands, are the plants produced 

 from transplanted root-cutting plants two seasons old when sold 

 because they are surer to grow and may be expected to produce some 

 fruit the first season. 



When plants are set closer than four by seven feet they are likely 

 to become too crowded when three or four years old. Five by eight 

 or nine feet is better. As this may be extravagant of space in the 

 home garden the plan of placing the plants three or four feet from the 

 fence is a good one provided the suckers are kept pujled on all sides. 



The plants may be set six or seven inches deep with a spade. 

 During the first year vegetables may be grown in and near the Black- 

 berry rows. The second year none but early maturing vegetables 

 such as Lettuce, Radishes, Onion Sets and Spinach should be grown 

 so the Blackberries will not be robbed of plant food and moisture. 



Every year as each desired cane reaches a height of 18 to 24 

 inches its tip should be pinched to make it grow short, stocky and 

 low-branched and to avoid the expense of trellising. While commercial 

 growers often have five or six fruiting canes to a plant, two to four are 

 better for home use because the fruit will be larger and of higher 

 quality. Since the earliest canes to develop are usually the best the 



