No. 4.] BUSH-FEUITS. 34i) 



early, for if the canes are alio wed to grow tall Ijefore being 

 cut back, the results are never so good. 



The fruiting hal)it of the variety should be considered at 

 the spring pruning. It should be remembered that that 

 pruning is the fruit-thinning process with these fruits. The 

 amount of cane left determines the amount of fruit to be 

 borne. Some varieties differ noticeably in the position of 

 the first fruit-bearing clusters. In some cases there may be 

 double the number of non-producing buds at the base of the 

 branch that will be found in others. If the grower does not 

 know his variet}', therefore, the spring pruning had best be 

 delayed until the fruit buds show, so that he can know how 

 many buds he is leaving. 



llai'vei<fiiig and Marketing . 



Harvesting is a small matter in the home garden, but is 

 likely to be the most troublesome of all in commercial plan- 

 tations. It is absolutely essential that the commercial grower 

 shall have a liberal supply of pickers available, in order to 

 succeed. The work is tiresome and trying, and many who 

 begin with the best of intentions will not persist to the end 

 of the season. 



In the picking of blackberries it is important that the 

 fruit should be kept from the sun, since exposure to the sun, 

 after being taken from the bush, quickly turns the fruit red, 

 greatly injuring its appearance. Another point to be re- 

 membered with the blackberry is that for the best quality it 

 should not be picked too soon. The fruit is not really ripe 

 when it first turns black. In commercial practice it may 

 be necessary to pick it then, but for home use it should be 

 allowed to remain longer upon the plants. 



Packages should be chosen with reference to the taste of 

 the market to be supplied. People usually prefer a package 

 to which they are accustomed, though the grower who is to 

 Avork up a special, high-class retail trade may prefer a pack- 

 age different from ordinary ones. These fruits are easily 

 crushed, and handle best in small baskets. Red raspberries, 

 particularly, demand pint baskets, and are sometimes sold 

 in even smaller ones. The grower should avoid long ship- 



