34 PROFITABLE FRUIT-GROWING. 



burying weeds, and, perhaps, manure, at the same 

 time mutilating the roots. That time-honoured 

 method of so called culture is absolutely wrong, 

 and with a change in practice, the value of the crop 

 can be, often has been, and it is hoped will be, 

 increased 100 per cent, in two years, without a 

 penny of extra expenditure being incurred. 



An example the narration of a positive fact 

 will render the matter clear. In a large and good 

 garden, in which excellent vegetables arid most 

 kinds of hardy fruits were grown, the Raspberry 

 plantation was unsatisfactory. After trimming and 

 tying up the canes in February or March, manure 

 was liberally added, often so liberally that it could 

 with difficulty be covered by digging it in with 

 spades. It was done, however, and in the process, 

 fibrous roots were turned up in masses ; after 

 hoeing to destroy weeds later on, the then dried 

 fibrous roots were raked off in barrow-loads. The 

 manure and labour were worse than wasted. The 

 plantation became weaker yearly, till at last it wa,s 

 condemned as worn out, and it was decided it 

 should be left to take its chance until newly planted 

 canes arrived at a bearing state. The following 

 year the old plantation was made presentable by 

 tying, hoeing, and raking, but no manure was 

 added, and no digging done. The result was much 



