the thoroughness with which it is applied. The addi- ^ ts for 

 tion of caustic soda materially increases this action. 



187 



Small Fruits. 



Under this head we treat of blackberries, currants, 

 gooseberries and raspberries. Strawberries are treated 

 separately. All these small fruits are commonly grown 

 in the garden, generally under such conditions that 

 systematic tillage is not practicable. For this reason 

 such plant food essentials as may exist naturally in the 

 soil become available to the uses of the plants very slow- 

 ly. This is true of the decomposition of animal or 

 vegetable ammoniates as of phosphates and potashes. 

 Consequently, small fruits in the garden suffer from 

 lack of sufficient plant food. All these plants when 

 planted in gardens are usually set in rows four feet 

 apart, the plants about three feet apart in the rows; 

 about 4,200 plants to an acre. In field culture, black- 

 berries are usually set four feet apart each way. 



So far as possible, small fruits should be cultivated 

 in the early spring, and all dead canes removed. Work 

 into the soil along the rows from 300 to 600 pounds of 

 phosphate and potash; when the plants are in full leaf, 

 broadcast along the rows from 200 to 400 pounds of 

 Nitrate of Soda, and work in with a rake. If at any 

 time before August the vines show a tendency to drop 

 leaves, or stop growing, apply more Nitrate. Small 

 fruits must have a steady, even growth; in most cases 

 unsatisfactory results can be directly traced to irregular 

 feeding of the plants. In field culture, the crop must 

 be tilled quite the same as for corn; in the garden in 

 very dry weather irrigation should be used if possible. 

 The yield per acre is very heavy, and, of course, the 

 plants must be given plant food in proportion. 



Raspberries, Currants, Gooseberries. 



Sow broadcast, in the fall, a mixture of, say, 350 

 pounds of superphosphate and 100 pounds muriate of 

 potash per acre. This can be done, if the rows are 

 six feet apart, by sowing a large handful at every two 



