BLACKBERRIES. 367 



supply, no matter how abundant they may be. Cultivated black- 

 berries comprise varieties which are not only double the size of the 

 wild kinds, but have the advantage of ripening in succession through- 

 out the season, from the middle of July until the last of September. 

 To have blackberries in perfection, the soil should have the same 

 thorough culture and manuring that we recommend for ah 1 vege- 

 tables and fruits, for it should always be kept in mind that the richer 

 the soil and the better the cultivation, the larger the fruit will 

 be, and hence the greater the return in quantity for the space 

 cultivated. The distance apart to plant blackberries may be, if in 

 rows five feet, with the plants two feet apart in the rows. Or, if in 

 separate hills they may be set five feet apart each way. In either 

 case they should be supported by strong stakes driven into the 

 ground, having a height of from four to five feet, to which the canes 



WILSON BLACKBERRY. KITTATINNT BLACKBERRY. 



or shoots should be tied. They may be set either in the fall or in 

 the spring. If in the fall a covering of four or five inches of rotted 

 manure or leaves should be spread over the roots, to prevent them 

 from being frozen too much. The plants of blackberries set out 

 either in fall or spring will not give fruit the first season, but 

 if a good growth has been made they will give a full crop the next 

 year. That is, if planted, for instance, about the middle of April, 

 1884 (or the previous fall), by the middle of July in 1885 a full crop 

 should be obtained. After the fruit has been picked, the old canes 

 or shoots should be cut out to give the new ones a chance to grow. 

 As the new shoots are very vigorous, when they reach a height of four 

 feet or at most five feet they should be checked by pinching the tops 

 off. This will cause an abundance of side shoots to start, which are 

 to be pinched when about a foot long. This treatment increases the 

 productiveness of the plants and keeps the fruit within easy reach 



