2/6 RasfbcrriiS for tJic NortJi-ivcst. 



RASPBERRIES FOR THE NORTH-WEST. 



Ix the more favored regions, there are various candidates for public favor 

 amongst the raspberry family ; and lately some have been added to the list 

 that are deemed quite an acquisition. But with the severe climate of the 

 North-west, taking it as far north as extreme Northern Illinois, it is doubt- 

 ful whether they will ever be cultivated to any extent. For this reason, the 

 first requisite is hardiness : and, in this respect, the Philadelphia raspberry 

 and Lawton blackberr}-, although standard varieties East, are lacking in 

 hardiness, and consequently not valued. Perhaps it is not well to pass 

 judgment on the Philadelphia, as it has not been very thoroughly tested 

 yet ; but the Lawton, with most in this locality, is considered nothing more 

 or less than a weed, the roots hard to kill out, but the tops too tender to 

 bear without winter protection, and too stiff and strong to be bent down 

 for winter covering. 



The American black-cap raspberry grows wild here, is perfectly hardy, 

 and bears well. Any one who will take the trouble to transplant it from 

 the woods, mulch with coarse manure, and cut back the canes to about two 

 feet in height, need have no lack of a really good raspberry- for home use 

 or market. The better way to trim is to pinch back the growing canes 

 when they are about two feet high, allowing only from four to six canes to 

 grow to a hill. This will cause side-branches to be thrown out, which 

 should be cut back in the winter or spring to one foot in length. The 

 novice will be apt to be anxious for all the fruit possible, and will allow the 

 canes to grow full length. These will blossom quite full, set well with 

 fruit, and the proprietor will count on a full harvest until about the time 

 he goes to gather his crop, when he will find, instead of juicy berries, noth- 

 ing but the dried seeds, dead on the bushes just before ripening. If the 

 pinching back of the canes is neglected during the growing season, do not 

 fail to cut back in the winter or spring to two feet or thirty inches in 

 height. 



Doolittles improved black-cap is much the same as the wild black -cap, and 

 of larger size ; and, in most cases, it will be found cheaper to buy it than to 

 transplant the wild plants from the woods. As the canes bend over and 



