I go Editors Letter- Box. 



We are often asked, Does it pay to grow raspberries ? In reply, we publish 

 the following record of experience from a correspondent : — 



" Does it pay to grow raspberries ? To show whether it does pay to grow 

 raspberries or not, I will give the yield from half an acre grown the past sea- 

 son. The plat contained originally seven hundred and twenty-five plants, of 

 which number from thirty to sixty were killed out the first year by hilling up. 

 The soil was composed of yellow sand and a loamy heavy sand with a clay bot- 

 tom on part of the plat ; the variety, Seneca Blackcap. There were picked for 

 market over forty bushels, which sold for over four dollars per bushel ; and several 

 bushels of which no account was made. What were picked for market were grown 

 where it was sandy bottom. On the clay bottom, there were from twenty to thirty 

 bushels of berries which were left unpicked from being so dried up as to be 

 worthless. There was not enough rain, but once after they had blossomed, to 

 reach halfway to the roots ; but with the lack of moisture, had the plat been 

 thoroughly cultivated, the loss of berries would have been small. But there was 

 nothing done to them after they were hilled up in the spring. No one need ex- 

 pect to grow good crops of berries without giving them proper care. In a favora- 

 ble season, with proper cultivation, a hundred bushels of berries can be grown on 

 the same plat where only a little over forty were sold this year from it. If any 

 one doubts that the above yield can be grown on half an acre, I would advise 

 him to go and see various growers, and see the different yields ; and, if he then 

 has any doubt about such yields, let him come and see my plantation while in 

 bearing, and I think he will have all doubts removed. 



" But such yields are not required to make it pay : even fifty bushels per acre 

 pays a great deal better than a crop of corn. But every one who has a rood of 

 land should raise enough for his own use. W. Wight. 



Waterloo, N.Y., December, 1868. 



W. I. K., Providence, R.I. — Flower-seed is prepared for market by winnow- 

 ing. The heavier kinds as well as the larger sorts may have to be hand-picked ; 

 but, generally, shaking the seed will separate the heavier from the lighter por- 

 tions. A little practice will enable you to succeed. 



I. A. L., Burlington, N.J. — Calla-lilies are generally very clean plants, but 

 occasionally become infested with green fl}'. If not convenient to smoke them, 

 a washing with lukewarm water with a soft sponge will remove the trouble. 



F. L. W., Jamaica Plain, Mass. — Chinese primroses are generally raised 

 from seed, and bloom the first year. The double varieties are propagated by 

 division, which is best done in the spring. Do not allow them to bloom in the 

 summer. You may obtain seeds in many varieties at any seed-store. 



Tyro. — The plants which you pulled up " for grass " were your seedling 

 gladiolus, and you have lost a year. Probably most of the seed vegetated. Be 

 more careful next time. Had you looked carefully, you would have found the 

 plants were not grass. 



