108 BUSH-FRUITS 



cant fact, however, that western growers, who may be 

 fairly presumed to have a stronger soil, are strongest 

 in their recommendations of liberal fertilizing. The 

 following statement from O. B. Galusha, as reported 

 in the Transactions of the Illinois Horticultural Society 

 for 1880, is worthy of careful consideration : "A gen- 

 erous feeding of the soil is amply repaid in liberal 

 crops of fruit. In my older plantation, the soil was 

 equally manured throughout, and yet on one side it is 

 naturally considerably richer than the other, and this 

 side produces fully one -third more fruit than the 

 other." This same principle will be found to apply 

 with equal satisfaction to ordinary soils throughout the 

 country, as a whole. If properly managed and pruned, 

 the plants will be able to transform a large amount of 

 plant -food into luscious berries and laughing dollars. 

 Heavy applications of stable manure to young plants, 

 which have not yet sufficient wood to carry full crops, 

 may work injury, especially if on strong, moist soils. 

 On soils of this character, nothing is needed until the 

 plants are in full bearing. If additional plant -food is 

 then desirable, commercial fertilizers, with a liberal 

 proportion of potash, may better fill the need. 



PROPAGATION OF THE BLACKBERRY 



The propagation of blackberries, as it is most often 

 done by means of suckers, is a very simple operation. 

 In fact, the plants attend to that matter themselves, 

 and all that the cultivator need do is to take care of 

 the product. Indeed, it is owing to the profusion of 



