PLANTING 9 



properly and in season. Currants and gooseberries 

 begin growth very early, hence special promptness is 

 needed when planting them in spring. 



For increasing a stock of red raspberries or black- 

 berries on one's own grounds young shoots of the pres- 

 ent year's growth may be used with excellent results, 

 transplanting them like cabbage -plants, any time after 

 they are four inches high. If much taller than this, 

 cut off the tops. They will be well established by fall. 

 All plants, particularly the red raspberries and black- 

 berries, should be carefully lifted. If carelessly pulled 

 up the plant will usually break at the connection with 

 the root from which it sprung, leaving only a straight 

 stub, poorly equipped for growth. 



The individuality of the parent-plant is a point de- 

 serving of more attention than it commonly receives. 

 Different plants of the same variety vary widely in pro- 

 ductiveness and size of fruit. It is reasonable to ex- 

 pect these differences to appear in the offspring. 



The common practice is to plant bush -fruit in rows 

 six to eight feet apart, with plants two to three feet 

 apart in the rows. This is not necessarily the most profit- 

 able method. Many excellent growers prefer to plant in 

 check -rows, with plants five to seven feet apart each 

 way, keeping them entirely in hills and doing nearly 

 all cultivation with a horse. This reduces the cost of 

 tillage and secures a finer grade of fruit, a plan espe- 

 cially to be considered when fruit is grown for a dis- 

 criminating market. In regions of deficient rainfall 

 extra space must be allotted to each plant in order to 

 insure it a sufficient supply of moisture. Check-rows 



