PRUNING BED BASPBEBBIES 51 



laterals in spring to produce all the fruit which a plant 

 ought to carry. Moreover, these branches are vigorous 

 and healthy, and in better condition to develop a fine 

 crop of fruit than if produced the preceding year, 

 weakened by the winter and now called upon to throw 

 out fruit -bearing shoots. The lessened expense of 

 pruning is an added advantage secured by this method 

 of training. 



An exception to this plan may be advisable in case 

 of young and vigorous plantations, or an exceptionally 

 rampant -growing variety. Young plants have not the 

 root development to start out so stocky a cane, and 

 naturally produce a more slender and comparatively 

 longer growth, so that allowing the main canes to 

 grow uninterruptedly, and cutting them back to the 

 desired height the following spring, is likely to remove 

 too great a proportion of the wood, and leave only the 

 weaker and poorly developed buds near the base. For 

 this reason there are some good growers who find it 

 an advantage to pinch back the plants the first one or 

 two years, but not after that. Whenever it is de- 

 sirable to do this, the important point to remember is to 

 merely pinch off the tip while the plants are young and 

 only a few inches high. Six to eighteen inches is bet- 

 ter than higher, provided it is done when the plant 

 reaches that point, but they should never be allowed 

 to grow higher and then be cut back to this point. If 

 stoppecl at this early age, the main cane will increase 

 in height somewhat, and will be able to throw out 

 strong and vigorous branches, forming a stocky, self 

 supporting bush, well prepared to endure the winter 



