210 FRUIT-GBOWING 



carried by birds or other accidental agencies. 

 As the generations of small fruits are much 

 shorter than those of the tree fruits it has been 

 a promising field for the plant breeder and 

 much good has been accomplished by system- 

 atic growing of seedling plants. This field 

 though has been by no means exhausted and 

 there is a wealth of opportunity for the patient 

 worker who is not afraid to labor and who will 

 not be too greatly disappointed when he finds 

 that the financial reward for his skill does not 

 amount to much. 



Blackberries are propagated from shoots 

 which originate from the old roots and spring 

 up all about the parent plant. If neglected, 

 these shoots soon form dense clusters of canes, 

 sapping the life of the parent plant and render- 

 ing fruit production difficult. 



Raspberry plants are formed in quite a dif- 

 ferent way, for the tips of the new canes take 

 root where they touch the ground. The next 

 year these rooted tips throw up shoots, the con- 

 necting cane dies and a new plant is established. 

 Red varieties of raspberry are propagated 

 like blackberries, however, as their canes do 

 not have this faculty of rooting at the tip. 



Gooseberries and currants are grown from 

 cuttings, while strawberries throw out "run- 

 ners" which root at the joints and form new 

 plants. 



