of the plants very slowly. This is as true of the decomposi- Food for 

 tion of animal or vegetable ammoniates as of phosphates and Plant8 

 potashes. Consequently, small fruits in the garden suffer *39 

 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, blackberries arc 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 sow- 

 ing a large handful at every two steps on each side of the row. 

 Raspberries and gooseberries should have a small handful, 

 and currants a large handful to each bush. This should be 

 cultivated in, if possible, early in the spring. Sow Nitrate of 

 Soda in the same way. It will pay to put on as much Nitrate 

 as you did superphosphate and potash, but if you do not want 

 to put on so much, use smaller handfuls. If the superphos- 

 phate and potash have not been applied in the fall, sow the 

 mixture in the spring at the same time the Nitrate is sown and 

 cultivate it in, early. 



Strawberries. 



This plant requires a moist soil, but not one water- 

 logged at any time of the year. A light clay loam, or a 

 sandy loam is preferable. There are several methods of cul- 



