RASPBERRY. 269 



killed if moved at that season. They should always be set in 

 the spring. 



Selection of plants. — Since the canes are biennial there is 

 no such thing as two or three-year-old plants, as with trees 

 when we refer to the stems; but the roots may be of any age, 

 as they are perennial. Plants of one season's growth are best 

 to begin with. Sucker plants are largely used in the case of 

 varieties increasing in that way; but plants from root cuttings 

 are generally considered fully as good, or even better, when 

 well grown. The old stools from raspberry plantations may 

 be broken up and the parts planted, but such sets have few 

 fibrous roots and often fail. "With the tip-rooting kinds plants 

 obtained by breaking up the old stools are not so good as those 

 from the suckering kinds obtained in the same way and should 

 not be used, as they are very apt to fail even with the best of 

 care. It is important to use only vigorous sets taken from 

 perfectly healthy stock. Old plantations of raspberries fre- 

 quently become diseased and plants from them are often worth- 

 less, consequently much care should be exercised in buying 

 plants. Care should also be taken to avoid using sets that are 

 affected with root galls. 



Planting. — After the land is thoroughly prepared the plants 

 should be set out in rows seven feet apart and at three-foot 

 intervals in the rows, putting two plants at a place. The dis- 

 tance between the rows may be lessened to five feet if more 

 space is not available and the weaker growing kinds are plant- 

 ed, but the greater distance admits of cultivation even when 

 the bushes are loaded with fruit. It allows sunlight to readily 

 reach the plants and is most satisfactory every way, and for 

 profit they should never be set any nearer; while for some of 

 the strongest growing varieties the hills should not be nearer 

 than five feet in the row. At the time of planting the canes 

 should be cut off close to the ground and no fruit allowed to 

 form the first season. 



A good way to plant is to mark out the land the three-foot 

 way and then furrow out where the rows are to come. Set the 

 plants in the furrows, covering them temporarily with the feet, 

 and afterwards more carefully with a hoe, firming them in with 



