BUSH FRUIT PRODUCTION 



aesirable. The soil should be well filled with 

 organic matter before the plants are set by 

 plowing down manure or vegetable waste 

 materials. The same thorough preparation of 

 the soil should be given as for a garden crop. 



In established plantations which are tilled, 

 cultivation should begin in early spring and a 

 dust mulch maintained until after the harvest 

 season. After that, tillage should be such as 

 to keep weeds and grass from gaining a foot- 

 hold. In clean land one or two thorough cul- 

 tivations after harvest should be enough. 



When plants in established plantations fail 

 to make a clean vigorous growth plant food in 

 some form should be supplied. Well-rotted 

 stable manure is best (see page 15). When 

 it is not to be had, a high-grade commercial 

 fertilizer should be used. Fertilizers should 

 be applied early in the season only, and care 

 should be taken not to add too much nitrogen. 

 It may continue vigorous growth too late in 

 the fall and lead to serious winter injury. The 

 purple canes are less hardy than some of the 

 other raspberries and special care should be 

 taken to guard against a strong growth late 

 in the season. It is equally important that a 

 healthy growth should be secured, for weak 

 canes, too, lack hardiness. 



64 



