THE BLACKBERRIES 



season, before they become dry and hard, and 

 their removal at that time may help to elimin- 

 ate some pests, but many growers leave them 

 until spring. See illustrations Nos. 14 and 15. 



Cultivation 



The cultivator should be started ahead of 

 the weeds in spring, and the soil should be 

 kept loose and free of weeds through the sum- 

 mer. Cultivation usually is stopped a month 

 or more before the ground freezes to discour- 

 age late growth and in a measure favor the 

 hardening of new growth. 



Blackberries ripen at a time of year when 

 the soil is likely to be dry. A shortage of 

 moisture reduces the crop and the berries har- 

 vested are small and seedy. Cultivation should 

 be pursued with special care as harvest time 

 approaches, and during the harvest season the 

 cultivator should follow the pickers to loosen 

 the tramped soil and conserve as much as pos- 

 sible of the soil moisture. 



Blackberry roots are near the surface and 

 deep cultivation may disturb them. Next to 

 the rows, in particular, cultivation should be 

 shallow. When roots are cut suckers are pro- 

 duced, for each severed piece of root acts as 

 a root cutting to produce a new plant. Plenty 



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